Throw Pillows Are Part of My Heritage

When I told Hubby I was getting four new pillows for the living room, he eyed me suspiciously.  He tolerates my love of throw pillows, but he'd prefer that we each have a pillow for sleeping and/or lounging that we carry around with us to avoid absolutely any excess of pillows.  Guests would be required to bring their own.  I tell him that I'm not even that much of a throw pillow enthusiast because other people switch them out seasonally.  But he says that no one does that, that's just madness.

Not to worry, I now have the best excuse ever for a plethora of pillows: having an abundance of decorative pillows is actually part of my Hungarian heritage.

That's right...

Now, if I'm being honest, I still have to do some research on this, but, at the Museum of Ethnography in Budapest, you can see examples of dowry displays, which would have been paraded through a town and put on display before a wedding.  As I understand it, the quality and quantity of the handmade pillows was an important part of a dowry and would be judged by fellow townsfolk. 



Here's an older photograph, demonstrating the practice:

Found on Pinterest, unsure of original source

See?  If anything, I've been slacking in the pillow department - a total embarrassment to my ancestors.  Here's an inventory of my embarrassingly small collection, starting with my new Marimekko pillows:

My old Marimekko pillows, sewn by Mom, got the boot from the living room, but I've been toying around with layering them in with the green silk bedroom pillows in the bedroom...

The bedroom could actually use a pillow refresh, because I've had the same silk throw pillows and orange paisley print pillow since 2011!!  My plan for a new embroidery one was set on the back burner but I'll get to it this year.  Maybe.  (Who had money on it taking four years for me to finish?)



Apparently I am abnormally committed to my throw pillows. 

It makes sense that I hang onto pillows because I take my sweet time finding the perfect fabrics.  Remember my struggle finding THE perfect print (I'm so picky) to mix in with the existing patterns on the sofa in the townhouse?  I had those for years too, only switching them when we moved to the lakehouse because the fabric was becoming threadbare by that point and I was starting to favor more aqua and blue hues.

I think I should get bonus points, though, because even my office book boasts three throw pillows - a pale pink silk pair sewn by Mom and my little embroidered one.

Hardly enough to impress the townsfolk! 

P.S. If you've been eyeing up something at FinnStyle (can I recommend some throw pillows?), the Dans le Lakehouse 20% coupon code expires on the 24th!  Click here to get it.