The world of throw pillows is more lively than usual

FUNKE OSAE-BROWN
Banke Akinwande’s latest collection of throw pillows includes handmade prints by Missoni and painterly designs by Aboriginals. She is an avid collector of throw pillows. Hundreds of it is stacked in a room in the upper floor of her four-bedroom detached duplex at Ikeja GRA, Lagos while tens are neatly arranged on the sofa in the living room.

“I love the fact that throw pillows make my living room colour,” she tells me while showing me round her collection. “Whenever I go to a furniture showroom in the country or abroad, I am always looking out for bright colourful ones.”

What does the trick for Akinwande when it comes to throw pillows is the intricate designs on the fabric. Among her collection are handmade prints by Missoni she acquired when she travelled to the UK in March. She says she saw some throw pillows at the British Museum. “They are three original, colourful designs made in partnership,” she explains, “with Better World Arts and hand-stitched by skilled craftsmen in Kashmir. I love them because the imagery is taken from the paintings of Aboriginal artists in the northwest corner of Australia and each has a charming narrative. For instance, one of the designs, I love is taken from a painting by artists Damien and Yilpi Marks.”

Throw pillows are not usually the stuff of wild excitement for most people but interior designers will always advise that a few of it can transform a room. Therefore, the world of throw pillows is more lively than usual as designers working almost round the clock to create fascinating pieces.

The vision behind the making of Douglas’ pieces is to create throw pillows that are sun-drenched, floral-filled summers

One of the exquisite designs you can choose from is available at Amara, an online interiors website, designed exclusively for the site by Missoni Home and featuring prints taken from the Missoni fabric archive. If you are fans of the brand, you will find all the classic Missoni hallmarks – zigzag lines, rainbow colours – while a new fabric called Roxas, designed exclusively for the collection, sees a spectrum of shades from cream and yellow through to turquoise.

In the same vein, Fi Douglas’s painterly designs such as Chloe manufactured by her small Scottish textile company Bluebellgray, are great designs to have. The vision behind the making of Douglas’ pieces is to create throw pillows that are sun-drenched, floral-filled summers.

In various shapes and sizes, throw pillows are argued to bring to life a happy world of sun and colour.

Some throw pillows to have

Pair of Flax “Trellis Corners” Pillows by Michelle Hatch
It comes in Indigo Cotton with dull silver nailheads, Swarovski crystals & silk piping.

Gingerlily Chocolate Brown Beaded Silk
Add glitz and glamour to your home with this beaded silk cushion by Gingerlily. Delicately embellished to catch the light, the smooth silk cover comes in a rich chocolate brown hue while the cushion is filled with duck down for a luxuriously plush finish.
Yves Delorme
Freshen up your home décor with the Yves Delorme Songes cushion cover. Crafted in lightweight cotton with a lustrous silk trim, the classic square shape is finished with fine pleating through the front, while a concealed zip makes it easy to swap your cushion inserts.

Frette Luxury Plumeira
Adorned with a soaring oriental-inspired floral design picked out in intricate jacquard dotwork, Frette’s Plumeira bedlinen lends a touch of gentle opulence to your bedroom décor. Crafted in a lustrous silk-mix, this luxurious design plays with texture and light for a truly serene effect.