Um, it's just too many pillows. Two or three or the couch...whatever your favorites are and return the rest. The one in the chair gets a YEP from me so keep it right there.

I like the pillows individually but all together they don't make sense. I'm not seeing anything to tie them all together. I think there are too many pillows and too much going on. Try just 4 pillows - 2 sets of two of a kind. Also what are you doing for window treatments? I like the rug a lot.

I probably would have picked drapes first - just because I think it would be easier to find coordinating pillows than vice versa. I do agree too many pillows. Can't comment on colour because your couch doesn't seem olive on my screen.

I love the one on the chair and I would leave it right where it's at. I also would use two sets of two matching pillows. I think I would do two solids (same color) and two in a pattern that incorporates the color of the solid pillows in the design.

Since you asked, I dislike all the pillows except,the one on the chair, which relates both to the chair and the rug. The others are a disparate collection of patterns and colors and do nothing to tie the sofa into the wall color.

I would probably do 3 pillows.....2 the same at each end and one different in the middle.

I think the tones are too light for the couch and rug so try and find something in one of the tones in the pillow on the chair. You say the walls are sea salt and the sofa is green but on my Mac the walls are gold and the sofa is brown so I may not be seeing the true colors of the pillows. That being said, I would still return all of them and find the drapes first. Keep the one on the chair. I know it sounds harsh but we have to be honest so you can learn to see how the right tones really make the room tasteful. Good luck, what did you have in mind for the drapery, I think a pattern would look great and maybe some wooden blinds too.

You are a good sport!

Here goes ... IMHO, and FWIW.

There are too many pillows, and they are all about the same size and shape (on the sofa). Try one or two or three pillows and maybe not the same size/shape. Perhaps a throw, altho they can look contrived.

The rug is going traditional and autumnal, but the pillows are saying mod and coastal. They don't relate.

I agree with others: too many pillows and I don't think you've hit on the perfect color/pattern mix yet. The one on the chair is really wonderful and I'd keep it for sure. I think your furniture looks good with the wall color (from what I can see) so I think you can take your time to find a better mix. I, too, think you should get your draperies, then coordinate your pillows with everything.

I would keep 1 and 5 for the couch (going left to right) and the one in the chair. But I might be biased, because those are similar colors to the pillows I just put on my brown couches ;)

Each pillow is pretty on its own, but altogether it doesn't work.
I like the suggestion of 2 solid and 2 prints. I can't see the couch color on my screen. It looks brownish. I do love the rug. Could you pick up the rug colors?

Colors! Too many variations~make up your mind to either do light OR dark, but not the combination of both.

Prints! A room is never boring when prints are present. Yes, the rug is a print, but you need more than that.

Wall art/decorations?

Sofa/end tables?

Lamps?

Add a few magazines/books on the top of the trunk.

Your ultimate goal is to make the room come alive! Yes, too many pillows. If you can purchase one more like the one on the chair, I would add those to the sofa along with a solid of your choice, preferably in a darker shade.

I hear you -- TOO MANY PILLOWS! My husband agrees.

Also, mtnrdredux says, "The rug is going traditional and autumnal, but the pillows are saying mod and coastal. They don't relate." I think this is the crux of my problem.

More modern, coastal, but cottage-y is what I'm going for in this new house but traditional and autumnal is what I have leftover from my old house. We'll be buying new furniture and a new rug but not until the rest of the remodeling is done. And since we're trying to do all of this without taking on new debt or robbing our savings that might be a year from now.

I need to know how to make it look presentable until then -- on a budget. After I pay the next contractor installment and take a quick trip to visit my daughter, I should have around $500 to work with, a little more the next month and a little more the month after that.

I've tried removing some of the pillows, leaving the two solids and two matching prints. Better?

That hunk of fabric on the chest is a drapery panel. It is very close to the wall color but slightly deeper in tone, and with a shimmery, faux silk finish. I'm hoping to paint the trim in this room this weekend so we can hang them soon.

I'm also hoping to find the box that has my camera in it. My phone is a poor substitute. Thanks for your help so far.

In reading through this thread (did not see the earlier one) I wonder if the problem is more about the rug than about the pillows. Could you replace the rug with an inexpensive sisal or seagrass? Check Overstock for possibilities. Might help the room lean more toward the cottage look you seem to want.

My two cents on pillows is that, on a sofa, I like to have two matching big pillows plus one "odd" one, in a different pattern and shape. Yours seem a bit small for the sofa. If those are 16" or 18", I'd look for more like 20-24", then throw in a third pillow, maybe even a repeat of the one on the chair.

sue, I think the old pillows were 20" but flatter than these new, fuller, fluffier ones. Would you go with print or solid? Blue or green?

I agree about the rug. Love Sue's idea about a sisal or seagrass. The couch looks comfy and I think it is coming together nicely. Glad you removed some pillows.

Ditto the rug, too many pillows, autumnal vs coastal colors. I would either change out the rug or the pillows. I would usually find pillows to coordinate with the rug, but in this case that would send you further in the wrong direction if it is the color of the walls you want to keep. I think Sue has a good idea about the rug - it would go with the walls and the furniture.

I guess I'll chime in although I didn't comment on your first thread. I find that sofas with loose back cushions like yours don't really look good or function well with throw pillows. Instead, I would do as Sueb20 suggested and find an inexpensive natural fiber or a lighter, more contemporary patterned rug (maybe find one that includes some shade of the wall color) to replace the one you are using currently. There are some great choices at Overstock.

I would also give additional consideration to the draperies. If you want to achieve a casual, cottage look, I personally think that shiny silk-look draperies don't fit the inspiration at all.

Lastly, if you feel you must add some of the wall color to the sofa, I would choose a soft throw folded over the arm instead of pillows.

This post was edited by Fun2BHere on Thu, May 29, 14 at 13:46

I think the pillows look just fine now, a better choice and you can incorporate them easily when you get your other items in the room.

another vote for changing the rug to sisal or jute. I'd also go a size bigger, i like when at least the front legs of the furniture are on the rug.

While I do think the couch needs some pillows, I have to agree, by personal experience, that itâÂÂs the carpet thatâÂÂs interfering with the look youâÂÂre going for. If you would change out that lovely oriental for sisal or jute, youâÂÂd see a tremendous difference in the mood of the room.

I just experienced a similar problem in my living room, and thanks to the great advice of GW members, changed out my light oriental for a jute rug and it totally changed the whole look of the room. It now looks just the way I was hoping for, yet couldnâÂÂt achieve, and the new area rug was a very economical purchase from Overstock, easily less than $300!

And then, if you still need pillows, email me offline and IâÂÂll hook you up with my Etsy shop where I can make you pillows in ANY fabric for peanuts......

Just sayinâÂÂ.....

Speaking of how many pillows work. Here's my couch with many many pillows to protect it from my dog who sneaks in when we are not looking and leaves his short white fur embedded in the velvet.
Even without my puppy problem I need my pillows because each one was bought on a trip, or was part of my needle point obsession of long ago. We toss them under the piano when we want the couch.

And here is the other couch without its load of pillows and Dillard making his claim.

I really liked the pillow on the chair the best of all of them.

I caution about using a sisal or jute rug in an area you want to be comfortable in. Those things really do hurt on bare feet so if anyone likes to go barefoot in there look for something else.
I have a large one at my side door entrance which is a good place for it, helps keep the floors clean from those entering with dirty shoes. But I definitely did not want it in a bedroom or my living room. Love the look hate the feel.

I agree less is more on the pillows.

Clearly, what I REALLY need is a Dillard to complete my room ;)

I'm glad that most of you think the new pillow arrangement is an improvement.

The drapes are just a placeholder until I figure out what I really want. They were an acceptable color, decent quality and super cheap.

That brings us to the rug. Ugh.

I agree that the old one is in the wrong color family and is probably too small for this room. But I may not have what it takes to truly go coastal. Or modern. I love the way sisal/sea grass/jute rugs look in other peoples' homes but I can't imagine one in mine. I think it is the texture thing that ravencajun just referred to. I've been in beach rentals that have these kinds of floor coverings and I don't like the way they feel under my feet.

Plus, when I tried to browse rugs at overstock I found myself inevitably drawn to something more traditional/boring. Even if I talked my husband into that gorgeous purple rug in the other thread ... I'm not sure I could pull the trigger.

What to do? What to do? Could a traditional rug work in the space if it were lighter? Is there a modern rug in the right colors that won't make me freak out?

I have a rug I bought at Lowe's called Paisley Park the pictures on the site don't really show all the colors but it would match your sofa and wall color. You could go to Lowe's and check it out, there is another one there that is also a good candidate.

Here is a link that might be useful: Paisley Park

Just an fyi, Pottery Barn makes a jute looking rug that is actually chenille --- soooo soft and nice.

I wanted to use it for our beachhouse, but I need a custom size.

This is it, fyi

There are actually plenty of options that look like sisal or jute but are soft, just fyi. Of course they don't look quite as nice as the real thing, but they sure feel great,

Here is a link that might be useful:

I like all the pillows on there, but this is the way experts recommend doing pillows. Never have just a bunch of pillows. OK.

Here's their deal. Picture of sofa with lots of pillows. On the right hand side (facing me), there is a pillow of what appears to be a limish olive and an aqua stripe plus a solid aqua. On the chair, there is a pillow depicting all the colors.

Here is the way you can do the pillows according to many decorators. Take that limish/olive striped pillow and put it in front of the aqua pillow, put the little pillow on the chair in front of the stripe pillow. You can also do that with the stripe pillow in back, aqua in middle and little cubby pillow in front.

Take the others back and buy an identical set for the other side of the sofa and it will work.

Having three pillows that work together by the art of magic, colors paired together and different sizes of pattern, you create composition *odd numbers* but by doing on each end of the sofa, you are creating symmetry so as not to disturb the visual.

This post was edited by patricia43 on Thu, May 29, 14 at 23:26

Oh, Lord. I just realized you took the pretty pillows back. I am so sorry. I was too slow to respond.

With the use of 3 pillows of interesting dynamic, you create a composition which prevents boredom and by using the same pillows on each end, you prevent confusion and rest the eye.

raven: I have been in love with paisley since I was a little girl in the 60's. There's a Lowes store not too far away that actually has your rug in stock! Excited to go see it.

mtn: If the paisley rug above doesn't work, the one you suggested may do the trick. Lucky coincidence of the day - when I was looking on the Lowes site at raven's rug - they also sell a jute and chenille blend rug. And it's in stock at the same store! Not sure it's the same quality as the PB one, but heck, it's worth a look, isn't it?

patricia: Not too late at all! The aqua stripe pillow is the reverse side of the paisley that is on the sofa right now. Three problems though:

1.The little cubby pillow (so cute that you called it that) was the only one they had in the store and I believe it was on clearance,

2. I sat on the sofa tonight and, with the old, matching solid pillows removed, it is too deep to be comfortable. I may need to put the old pillows back on then see how it looks with both old and new together.

3. If I move "cubby" to the couch, what will I use on the chair?

Thanks to all of you (and everyone else so far) for being both so helpful and so patient with me.I'm feeling so much less discouraged now.

Find a grouping of pillows that has them all: Two print (you can use pin dot, stripe, floral, plaid, check, paisley, etc) to have two pillows of coordinating colors and then find a solid that has one of the colors in it. Use them as a grouping, one on either end of the sofa. Put the cute little cubby pillow back on the chair. It's too cute not to have a home with you.

Have you been to Home Goods, Dillards, TJMaxx, Marshall, Stein-Mart in search of the much-needed pillows. Have you been to Tuesday Morning? Tuesday Morning has great goods and great prices.

I got my sisal rugs for the kitchen and breakfast room at Tuesday Morning, $100 for the 6 x 9 and $125 for the 9 x 12. Granted you will not find that everyday every time you walk in Tuesday Morning but be vigilant and also look at Home Goods and TJMaxx for good rug deals. These stores are treasure hunts. I have rugs that either I got or my father got in the ME that I use in my other rooms and in my DR, I have placed a sisal over the rug to give layering and texture and to protect the nice rug from dropped food (grown men eat in that room and you know they are worse than children about dropping food).

I would keep the rug you have and use a bigger sisal or jute rug under it, giving it a layered look.

You can get a larger rug in sisal or jute on which to place the sofa, etc., and then place the rug you have askew over that.

You need a low, bunchy floral arrangement for the table. Look at Stein-Mart for that. Floral arrangements at Michaels and Hobby Lobby are too expensive unless you find the items on sale and make them yourself. Place it on a serving tray of some kind. If you have a silver tray or a mirrored tray, a tortoise tray, etc, that will be fine. Find a cute box to place on the same tray to hold the remote controls and a medium tall candy dish to hod various colors of M&Ms or candy or even get am apothecary jar to fill with potpourri of pretty colors.

If you do not have an apothecary jar or a cute box, go to a flea market. It might take 3-4 different ones before you find what you want but you will. You might also find what you want at TJ'Maxx or Target. Home Goods should certainly have anything you want or need. Just hit them at the day they have your colors. Just get one shiny thing (maybe a chrome or silver, brass box to hold the remote; get something glass and open like a candy jar and something floral-like and maybe have the tray of a lacquered material in a more masculine look). You need the masculine versus feminine in that room because of the sofa, the rugs and the chest-come-cocktail table. It is going to be a great room!

I have been very happy with my rug it has really held up so well. I did get the rug keeper that goes between the rug and the carpet or flooring at lowes also. I have had it since 2009 I think and it still looks brand new, I also have the runner rug in the same print.
You can not see any blues in the rug in the pictures but there is just a hint of blue in there which ties my blue and brown furniture pieces together.
Lowes has a surprisingly great selection of rugs.
My fave places for throw pillows is Stein Mart, World Market, Pier one.

Good luck on the hunt!
by the way I had a lighter weight chenille rug on a hard wood floor and nearly killed myself because it slips so badly even with the rug keeper. I had to get rid of it, loved that rug but not as much as I love my hip bones lol.

OK, how about IKEA?
Lappljung

Alvine

Stockholm
{{!gwi}}

or the yellow Stockholm

Please don't get rid of a lovely oriental rug just because seagrass/sisal is more of the moment.

I like the rug I have but the colors are just too far off to really work in this room. Adding a jute rug beneath it may solve the style and size problems but I'm guessing it still won't look right.

I'm going to give raven's rug a look. Someone on the Lowe's site posted a photo of the rug in their own room and it appears a lot lighter than the official pic. We'll see.

If that's a no-go, I'll check on the look alike for mtn's jute and chenille blend rug for the color, the 'feel' and the slip factor.

And if THAT won't work, well, nosoccer, I've always been a sucker for yellow and there's an Ikea on the way home from my daughter's - where I'll be visiting next week ;)

Don't worry, trop, our present rug will find a good home somewhere. I'm thinking it might look good in our sunroom.

And patricia, I appreciate your additional decorating advice. I've got a ways to go before I get to the finishing accessories. Hope you are around when I get to that point.

I was at Lowe's today and looked at the Paisley Park rugs, I wish I had thought about taking a picture of it hanging in there. I have taken a picture of mine but it just doesn't look true color in the picture unfortunately. It's one you actually have to see. I do get lots of compliments on it.

Here's a picture of it that does show up the blues and green