Pillows and bolsters and cushions have become THE talking point, of late, in my clients’ homes.  These upholstered bits of fluff are more than just a matter of colour and accent.  They are the defining quality that makes you want to curl up and feel cozy.  I call it the “pillow effect”, the pursuit of stylish pillow comfort and coziness. 

Any simple unadorned chair is first judged on its looks.  A bergère chair might be admired for its carved wooden beauty.  A slipper chair garners accolades for its diminutive style.  Neither is considered a particularly cozy chair, at first glance.  That designation requires a demonstration.  Even the unassuming fully upholstered chair must succumb to this qualifying judgment.  So how does a chair win your affections?  Chairs that want to visually appeal to your needs for comfort and coziness usually must display cushioned “pillowed” allure.  That can be as simple as a secondary cushioned back on a chair (as opposed to a “tight” back—no extra cushion).  It could also be an extra lofty or “pillowed” seat cushion.  Some bergères “hard sell” their comfort by displaying extra pillows.  Slipper chairs (low back and armless) are a bit more versatile—check out Martha Stewart’s two slipper chairs, the Upton cushioned back and the Lydell tufted back (www.marthastewart.com, under “Our Shops”, click “Martha Stewart Signature” and look under “upholstered furniture”).  The Upton cushioned-back slipper chair has that simple fluffy look.  The Lydell tufted back is more traditionally austere.  To solicit your “cozy” radar, the cushioned chair exerts little effort to appear comfortable, already appearing fluffed; although, it could be tailored more with the addition of a single button, creating the “sophisticated pillow effect”.  The tufted chair, laden with sophisticated buttons to the point of Victorian primness, must seek out an additional pillow to soften its appeal.  Adding a bolster to this chair serves the purpose of a bustle, drawing your eye in to the sexy allure of its framework.  Your eye is delivered to the point of contact with the slipper chair, where you would be most comfortable sitting.  The pillow just adds a bit of colourful spice and softness to the contract.  

One of my clients was bestowed the gift of two beautiful English chairs upholstered in a golden bronze chenille with thick cord piping of gold and green.  The chairs are quite deep, so down bolsters are in order to support the back.  The chairs are “tight back”, and the seats are not particularly fluffy; nevertheless, the chairs still appear comfortable because of the visually cozy chenille fabric.  With the coziness factor already satisfied, the bolster becomes an opportunity for style:  a “worn” Asian-styled, chenille damask in RED.  One friend of the client persuaded that the fabric “already looks 500 years old”.  Of course that was the point.  The bolster is soft looking, beautiful, and colourful to draw the eye right into the comfort zone of the chair.  They are the most cozily attractive seating in the room.  Guests gravitate toward these chairs immediately.  It’s the pillow effect.