Floor pillow as a decorative element. Floor cushions for sitting: tips on selection and placement Floor cushions in the interior: ideas for different styles and the secrets of their combinations

When choosing a pillow, many people “love with their eyes.” If the pillow is large, plump and soft to the touch, you just want to grab it and go to bed with it! Some people, especially those with a penchant for the exotic, take a slightly different approach. They simply choose the most beautiful products: for example, they are attracted by the unusual shape of pillows or a cover made of fabric that is pleasing to the eye.

Satisfied and happy, they bring their purchase home. But that same evening, having decided to sleep on it for the first time, both discover that they made a mistake in their choice, and it is better to sleep without a pillow at all than on a newly acquired one. A large and plump pillow turns out to be too loose and voluminous; it sucks in, like quicksand, and simply does not allow you to breathe normally. It turns out that sleeping on a product in the shape of a star, a parrot or a woman’s breast is also uncomfortable. The result is poor sleep and a morning that begins with neck pain.

Such a seemingly simple mission as choosing a pillow is actually very ambiguous and responsible. And the first universal advice that can be given to people who want to choose a pillow is this. Select it not offhand, but for yourself, and evaluate it not only externally, but also according to a number of other criteria. What types of pillows are there?

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What types of sleeping pillows are there? Form

Pillows come in the following shapes.

1. Square or rectangular . These two forms are the most popular and familiar.
2. In the form of a roller . This pillow is best suited for back sleepers as it provides good support for the neck and back of the head.
3. In the shape of a horseshoe . Such pillows are rarely used for sleeping in bed; they are chosen mainly by those who are forced to sleep in a car or on an airplane, as well as those who like to read before bed. The horseshoe pillow relieves tension from the neck muscles when a person is in a sitting or semi-sitting position.
4. Round . A pancake pillow can rarely be found in the bedroom, since such an original shape of pillows is not very comfortable. At night you have to adjust it often so that it stays under your head and doesn’t slip out.
5. With protrusions and recesses (a recess in the area where the head is located on the pillow, a protrusion in the neck area). Conventional square or rectangular pillows can have this “anatomical” shape, but more often this configuration is found in orthopedic products. Thanks to this unusual shape of the pillows (however, many have already become accustomed to it), the most natural position of the neck and head is ensured during sleep.
6. Irregular shaped pillows . It is strongly not recommended to choose too original pillow shapes for sleeping. Most of them are actually decorative, they are intended to decorate the bedroom, and not for sleeping. Accordingly, they are not suitable for normal recreation. As a rule, they are too hard or soft, made from “inappropriate” materials, and their use is not hygienic, since you are unlikely to find a pillowcase in the shape of a log or a blimp in stores.

So, we decided on the form. What other sleeping pillows are there, and by what other criteria is it important to evaluate them?

Sizes and shapes

The choice of shape and size of a floor pillow depends on how the room is furnished and what design idea is used in the interior.

Products are sold in the following common forms:

• square;
• circle;
• roller;
• ottoman;
• modular;
• in the form of the sun, berries, cars, other toys;
• tourniquet

The sizes can be different: children's pillows are quite small, and there are also huge accessories that occupy almost the entire floor of the room.

What types of sleeping pillows are there? Dimensions

The size range is quite impressive. If we talk about the classic square or rectangular shape of pillows, then the dimensions of its sides can reach from 30 to 80 cm. Standard pillow sizes are 70 by 70 and 70 by 50 cm.

How to determine which size is right for you? This depends primarily on your own dimensions. A man with broad shoulders should choose a large pillow so that his head does not end up on the sheets at night. A more modest-sized option will suit a fragile girl. There is such an approximate guideline: the width of the pillow should correspond to the width of the person’s shoulders . This is not an absolute rule, but it is still worth remembering.

Don't forget to evaluate how active you are in your sleep. If you like to toss and turn in bed or can't sleep without putting your hand under the pillow, a larger pillow might be better for you. If you lie down in the evening, immediately fall asleep, and wake up in the same position in the morning, then you will be quite comfortable on a small pillow.

Do you have any individual preferences and are not satisfied with standard pillow sizes? Many companies offer individual tailoring of pillows of any size.

Interesting fact. The largest pillow in the world was made in Macedonia. Its size was 17.12 by 17.12 meters. The product was included in the Guinness Book of Records in 2013. True, it is, of course, not suitable for sleeping...

Features of children's options

The line of children's pillow models is varied. However, not everything that is in stores may be suitable for a particular child. If the classic options are recognized as the norm, doctors’ opinions about orthopedic analogues are contradictory. Experts believe that up to 7 years old, a regular model is enough for a child.

When choosing anatomical pillows with a preventive effect, you should take into account age:

• for a baby, a height of 1–2 cm is sufficient;
• a one-year-old baby will need a pillow 3–4 cm high;
• children of toddlers and preschool age are shown products 4 – 7 cm;
• For primary school students, a volume of 7–9 cm is enough.

The height of the baby pillow does not depend on the width of the child's shoulder. The length and width parameters of the pillows range from 20x35 to 35x50, 40x50 cm. The sizes may vary slightly depending on the shape (ring, half-ring, butterfly, etc.). The main thing you should take care of when buying a bedding accessory for a child is a small height size and excellent elasticity, but not rigidity.

This is especially true if the child constantly throws a regular pillow out of the bed.

You will learn more about pillow sizes in the following video.

What types of sleeping pillows are there? Rigidity

There are very contradictory ideas in society about what bedding should be. If we are talking about a mattress, then many advise purchasing a hard one, if we are talking about a pillow, then, on the contrary, as soft as possible... Or maybe the best one is a medium-hard pillow? To answer this question, let’s think about why extreme options are bad.

What's wrong with a pillow that's too soft?

When a person lies down on it, his head sinks and during sleep is almost at the level of his body. Thus, sleeping on a very soft pillow is almost the same as sleeping without a pillow at all.

People who prefer to sleep on their side or stomach “sink” into soft pillows. It turns out that the face is almost closed throughout the night, the air flow is blocked.

What's wrong with a pillow that's too hard?

It is simply uncomfortable to sleep on, it is difficult to lie down comfortably and fall asleep.

When sleeping on your side or stomach, the pillow puts some pressure on the neck, which can impair blood flow in the vessels and make breathing difficult.

Excessive hardness or softness is discomfort and harm to health. Therefore, it is best, as already mentioned, to choose elastic pillows of medium hardness. Everyone can determine the nuances (for some a little harsher, for others a little softer) for themselves. You can consider options for pillows with uneven firmness. So, in some orthopedic pillows, the part where the sleeper’s neck will be located is softer, and the part where the head is located is denser.

Filler

Having decided on the purpose of the pillow bag, it remains to understand what it will be filled with. The filler is quite hard and does not provoke allergic reactions. The product retains its original shape.

Types of natural padding:

1. Feather. It's heavy, expensive, and a bit prickly on the skin. This filler can harbor dust mites. You should not buy this floor cushion for a room with high humidity.
2. Vegetable filler (shavings, flexible wood branches, buckwheat husks, dry herbs). A powerful source of aromatherapy. A device with orthopedic properties allows you to relax, eliminates pain and tension. Not suitable for allergy sufferers.
3. Cotton wool. A good option for a decorative floor pillow. Heavy filler. It clumps when used.
4. Nice latex. The pillow is pleasantly elastic, hypoallergenic, and not too cheap.

1. Polystyrene. Mostly composed of air, light. It's cheap and repels moisture.
2. Foam rubber. Short service life.
3. Silicone balls. Suitable for filling children's pillows, pleasant to the touch, develop fine motor skills.
4. Sintepon is soft, the floor device will quickly begin to fall through. Warm material, it will not harbor fungi, mites, or other parasites.
5. Synthetic fluff - replace natural fluff. Does not rot, properties are maintained at high humidity.
6. Strutto. They are often used in modular models placed on the floor under furniture. Has increased elasticity.
7. Holofiber is a common filler. Polyester balls are lightweight and washable. To return the pillow to its shape, just shake it.

What types of pillows are there? Height

Pillows can be either fluffy or flat. How tall should the pillow be? This is largely determined by a person’s preferences and habits. Stomach sleepers usually choose flat pillows; other sleeping positions are more comfortable on higher pillows.

When thinking about how to choose the height of a pillow, you should be guided by the same principle as when determining the best softness: everything is good in moderation. Unfortunately, extreme options for good sleep are not suitable.

What's wrong with a pillow that's too low?

When sleeping on your back, your head tilts back; when you rest on your side, your head tilts too far towards the surface of the bed. An unnatural position makes rest uncomfortable, contributes to impaired blood flow, displacement of the cervical vertebrae, and pinched nerve roots.

Sleeping on your back with a pillow that is too low is a risk of tongue retraction and snoring.

What's wrong with a pillow that's too high?

In any sleeping position, the head is in the wrong position, this impairs blood flow in the neck and deforms the cervical spine.

How to know when it's time to change your pillow

Insomnia, morning discomfort, headaches, and neck pain, among others, may signal that it’s time to change your pillow. Many who replaced the classic version with an orthopedic one immediately felt a positive result. If you sleep well, and in the morning you feel a surge of strength and vigor, then there is no need for changes yet!

Orthopedic models

In addition to the usual options, orthopedic pillows are also available on the market. Their standard sizes do not differ from ordinary ones. They also come in a variety of shapes and functions. For example, an ergonomic pillow has a special indentation for the head, which helps reduce the likelihood of developing osteochondrosis; a pillow shaped like a cushion helps reduce the load on the cervical vertebrae. Natural fillers are used (such as, for example, latex, bamboo and some others) or new proven synthetic options. Many of them have the effect of remembering your head and neck position, so they provide good support throughout the night. Orthopedic pillows, the standard dimensions of which are 50 by 70 cm, do not differ much in appearance from ordinary ones. However, it is their properties that can sometimes cause poor sleep due to unfamiliarity, and they are recommended, as a rule, for people who already have any medical problems.

Varieties

Floor pillows are now made for different rooms and for different audiences. Therefore, the variety of assortments is quite large. Let's look at a few popular options where you can relax and unwind.

Plain:

• First of all, you should pay attention to the colors. There are both plain products and those decorated with a variety of prints
  . But it is decorative elements made in one color that are the most popular option.
• A simple grey-white, blue or red pillow
  will fit perfectly into a modern interior in the Art Nouveau style, for example. Such products can be made from soft textiles and wool. There are also cozy knitted pillows that make the room truly homey.
• Knitted braids or simply embossed patterns
  will make the pillow more attractive. So if you don’t want to buy a patterned product, but plain colored pillows seem too boring, then you can opt for just such a find.

Multicolored:

• Bright decorative pillows,
  on which you can also sit, are perfect for a small apartment made in soothing colors. If the interior of the room is neutral, then you can easily diversify it in this way. Choose several pillows in different colors or put together a set of products made in the same color scheme. In any case, it will look stylish and cozy.
• , checkered pillows or things decorated with floral prints
  are still at the peak of popularity . Try to choose a pattern in a color that matches the main colors of your interior.

Products in leather-style cases are also very popular. Firstly, it looks stylish, and secondly, such material will last longer than simple textiles. With proper and regular care, the material will not wear out for a long time. Leather ottomans are a stylish design solution both for decorating an apartment and for decorating a modern office space.

Pillows that are made specifically for children deserve a separate discussion. It is important to pay attention not only to the bright design, but also to the quality. The filling and upholstery must be hypoallergenic and high quality. This way your child can play calmly without harming his health. If you doubt the quality, it is better to contact a trusted manufacturer.

But no matter how good the pillow is, if it is gray and boring, then you are unlikely to be able to interest your baby in it. In order for the child to sit on it with pleasure, and not on the floor, the pillow should be bright and beautiful. There are interesting models, for example, a pillow in the shape of a yellow sun or a pouf resembling a berry.

Such beautiful products will look organically in the interior of a nursery.

DIY pillow: step-by-step guide

Use thick, abrasion-resistant fabric

You can make floor pillows on your own; to do this, just find the necessary pattern on the Internet and begin the manufacturing process. It is recommended to make a pyramid shape, since it is the easiest option to make yourself.

For the shape you need to cut out several triangles with equal sides. Small balls or polystyrene can be used as filler. For the cover, you can use sofa fabric or other upholstery material with high strength.

For a “pyramid” with sides of 115 cm, pieces of fabric 240x120 cm should be used. If the piece of furniture is smaller, namely 85 cm, then material measuring 180x90 cm can be used.

For filler, 3 kg of polystyrene will be enough. The parts are sewn together using a sewing machine using related materials.

Work process:

Such floor pillows are easy to make with sewing and cutting skills, and the work does not take much time. In addition, the end result will bring a lot of pleasure and positive emotions, as well as saving money.

Never before has the sleep and leisure industry offered such a wide range of pillows for... everything! For sleeping and reading, under the legs and lower back, for posture and travel, for pregnant women. Massage pillows, balancing pillows... In a word, for all occasions. Floor seat cushions or floor cushions are another useful accessory. Not everyone needs it, but for those who like to spend their leisure time on the floor, it is simply necessary.

How to match the interior?

This decorative element will suit many interiors.

• In Japanese style,
  the place for them is around a low table.
• In the oriental style,
  cylindrical rollers with gold tassels are an indispensable attribute of the room.
• For metallized, glass hi-tech,
  a single rectangular steel-colored pouf pillow is well suited.
• On the floor of a loft-style attic
  you can scatter many small brick-colored thoughts.

• For Provence,
  a canvas pillow with a cotton frill is suitable.
• Modern
  are modular transformers. At night - a bed, in the evening (disassembled) - a place to watch movies with friends.

In addition, the use of such products depends on the functions of the room itself:

• A pillow by the fireplace in the living room
  should evoke a feeling of coziness and peace, be soft and comfortable. Typically, such products are produced in the form of geometric shapes: square, rectangle, circle. Sizes - from small to full (half human height). You can fit 3-7 items into a room of about 40 square meters. Textures and sizes can be different or form a monochromatic composition.
• For the bedroom
  , the French suggest using bolsters. However, you can't get by on the floor with rollers alone. A slide of square, round pillows and a bolster will look very interesting.
• In dining rooms,
  flat pillows are appropriate at a low table or poufs at a coffee table.
• The pillow in the nursery
  should be safe and not contain sharp or scratchy decorative elements.
• A pouf for a veranda
  should be thick and warm, made of non-staining material.

Pillows in the room - a place for comfortable rest

Pillows scattered on the floor will make the room more comfortable

Modern people prefer not to use carpets, but simply place laminate or parquet on the floor.

This allows you to reduce costs and simplifies cleaning in the house, but such a floor may not always be beautiful, so special pillows can be used for it, which will not only complement the design, but also bring a certain comfort to the room.

You can sit on the pillows, and if the sizes are large, then lie down. In addition, these devices make it possible to make the seating area much softer than sitting on a carpet.

These pillows are convenient for organizing an evening with friends.

The big advantage of using pillows is that they can solve the problem of seating.

The sofas and armchairs are quite massive, but the floor cushions, if necessary, can be put in a closet or taken out and placed on the floor if friends come.

With seat cushions on the floor, you can meet any company and sit with a cup of coffee or tea. Thanks to a non-standard solution, the atmosphere will be completely different.

A floor cushion is an ideal place for children to rest. All children love to play while sitting on the floor and spend more than half of their time in this position. With such an item, a child can make himself a hut, a labyrinth, or simply sleep on it.

Chair cushions are very popular

Today there is a huge selection of different types of pillows, which can be in the form of a chair, bag, ball, tablet and other designs.

In this regard, there will be no difficulties in selecting for a specific interior, but you will still need to become familiar with the advantages and disadvantages. Below is a table where you can find out all the pros and cons of a floor pillow:

As you can see, the disadvantages are minor and there are more advantages. In addition, you can not only buy such items, but also make them yourself. This saves money and brings moral pleasure.

Cushions on the floor in different countries

It should be noted that in some countries, from ancient times, floor pillows were not just part or decoration of the interior, but also a functional piece of furniture.

For example, in Japan guests were traditionally placed on floor cushions,

served as pillows for the Japanese and as a place for meals. Since minimalism and simplicity in everything in Japan is considered part of the culture, Japanese-style pillows look discreet and restrained - plain from natural fabrics or woven from herbs, not lush and at the same time elastic.

In Arab countries,

where luxury and a riot of colors were always held in high esteem, floor pillows of the brightest colors, embroidered with gold and silver threads, decorated with braid, were widely used both for the floor and as sofas. These pillows are luxurious and come in a variety of sizes.

In India

floor cushions are not as common as in Japan; they have been used since ancient times to accommodate servants, or as a footrest. They are distinguished by the richness of complex patterns and shades of precious stones.