Scatter Cushions

I was wondering…is it really possible to get excited about a scatter cushion?

Well, I certainly do…so that’s got to count for something right?

It’s probably because, as an interior designer, scatter cushions tend to provide a serious creative outlet….an opportunity to use those funky, exotic and expensive fabrics that would be too garish, loud or expensive on an ENTIRE 3 seater sofa!

So, yes, maybe I’m biased.

However, we all spend at least an hour (maybe a few more if you’re lucky….) a day firmly surrounded by piles of scatter cushions…be it on our beds, our couches, patio furniture etc.

Hence the reason why I have come to the conclusion that these little pillows are grossly underestimated in their value!

You cant tell me that you can truly ‘sink’ into your sofa if you don’t have the necessary scatter cushions to make the experience extra comfy? No.

And would your bed look complete (and so inviting) without these plump accessories? No.

So, perhaps now you are understanding why the perfect scatter cushion can be an item of extreme significance….that is often overlooked?

I generally hold ‘The Sofa’ in very high regard…aside from your bed, you will spend the most of amount of your ‘relax’ time on your sofa. Thus it makes sense for it to be an enriching experience.

When I moved into my house I spent a lot of time (and money) designing and having the perfect sofas made.

The leather was specially dyed to a specific colour, the seats cushions were made extra length so you can tuck your feet up comfortably, the arm rests were the perfect height to rest your elbow on….

BUT I OVERLOOKED THE SCATTER CUSHIONS!

I thought I could get away with buying some cheap fabric, even cheaper synthetic inners and begging my granny to sew them all together.

Within months I was surrounded by hard, flat cushions that slid down the back of my couch and looked more like crackers than puffy clouds of comfort! L

At last I have come to the realisation that, whilst generally you can get away with spending less on accessories, when it comes to items of comfort you definitely get what you pay for!

And also, considering how much time you spend on your couch as well as the fact that your couch is generally a signature aesthetic piece in your home, it makes sense to spend a bit of extra money on getting the look and, most importantly, the function…. right!

There are 3 important rules to remember when it comes to scatter cushions (in my opinion anyway)

1.      Size counts (doesnt it always? *grin*) The bigger the better. I generally go for a few big 600mm x 600mm and pair them with some 450mm x 450mm or 500 x 500mm’s.

2.      Fabric counts. This is your chance to have fun and add a bit of a wow factor. Go for one super bold pattern/colour and pair with one or two plainer coloured fabrics in a different texture.

3.      Inners count. Cheap stuffing = Flat, hard cushions. The only way to go is duck feather inners. These are fat and soft and can be plumped up again to their original shape. Also, the weight of them stops your cushion sliding all over the place and they make that lovely crunchy sound every time you sink into them.

The wonderful thing is that there are endless selections of delectable fat scatter cushions in all shapes and sizes in most local décor shops.

The scary thing is that you can expect to pay well over R 450 for a standard 600 x 600 duck feather fulled cushion.

I have 13 cushions in total on my sofas. That’s roughly R 5850.00. Holy hell.

Whilst I certainly deserve luxury (don’t we all?)…. I am MOST certainly not loaded. Time for Plan B...

There are a few perks to being a designer...we have access to all sorts of suppliers and manufacturers that the general public don’t.

Sometimes you have to D.I.Y. to get what you want at the price you can afford.

Mr Price have recently started to stock a really great range of scatter cushions in a variety of fabrics and colours that are perfect to mix and match.

They are at a fraction of the price of the ‘décor shop’ scatters and while the fabrics aren’t the best of quality…they should last for a few years until you get bored of them.

I stocked up on a variety of these and then set about trying to source my own duck feather inners. It’s worth spending a bit of money on these as you will have them for life. Just buy new cushion covers as and when you need them.

Looking at commercial sites/shops that stock these eg. Loads of Living, Granny Goose etc. I was horrified at the cost…not much of a saving L

BUT eventually I stumbled across a wholesaler who sells direct to designers only…at less than half the cost of the major retailers.

I am now the proud owner of some sexy looking scatter cushions…..all 13 of them.

For under R 2500.00.

I’m all about sharing the love so, if you’re looking to indulge in some duck of your own, drop me a mail at kerryta@nedbank.co.za and I’ll send you the price list.

You can order your inners through me and we can all smile in the shared knowledge of the satisfaction a simple scatter cushion can bring.

A bit of advice, when deciding on what size inner to go for, always opt to go 50mm bigger than your cushion cover size. So if your cover is 500mm x 500mm then order an inner that is 550mm x 550mm. This will ensure your cushions are nice and plump!

p.s. I never would have thought it possible to write almost 1000 words on the subject of scatter cushions….but hey, generally in life it’s the small things that can make a big difference!