Affordable Summer Pillow Inspiration
Pillows?! Who said pillows?! Oh, I did! I needed to step back from the post I was planning to share this week, and just do a little fun shopping-and-sharing in preparation for summer! So, here is some affordable summer pillow inspiration that will help you find that perfect collection for your cozy abode!
Pillows are the perfect pop of color to add to any home, and, for the most part, are one of the most economical ways to bring in a bit of the season into your space. Plus, for small homes, just a few pillows go a long way, which add another aspect of “love” to the budget!
For more pillow inspiration, check out Autumn Pillow Pairs You Will Fall For!
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN SHOPPING FOR PILLOW COVERS
Throughout the post, you’ll see some tips for shopping when you are looking to add to your pillow collection:
- Check out the size. Some of the pillows being shared today are 16″ x 16″ and can go up to 22″ x 22″. Be sure to really think about what size(s) will work best on your furniture. Will you use two large ones, two mediums, and then a small? Or just two mediums and a lumbar (on a loveseat)?
- And, another “size factor”… when using down inserts (what I always suggest), always purchase the cover two inches smaller than the insert (or, purchase the insert 2 inches larger than the pillow cover). This way, you get a nice, full pillow that looks ‘happy’ all the time. Trust me on this!
I was planning on sharing just the two colors I was going to incorporate into MWA this summer, but I got a bit carried away, so I’m going to share FOUR! Woot! So… now to the pretty stuff!
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YELLOWS
I have some yardage that was gifted to me by my designer cousin, Scott, and I am hoping to soon get pillow covers made out of it… if you want to see a sneak peek of the fabric, you can see where I used it as the background for my flat-lay photos in My Word of the Year post. Anyways, that fabric is the inspiration for these covers (and the next ones, too!) (I mixed in some grays and blacks because… I wanted to! LOL!)
||1. Yellow/Gray/White Ombre Pillow Cover ||2. Burlap Linen Pillow Cover || 3. Mirrored Embroidered Pillow ||
||4. Luxury Velvet Pillow Cover || 5. Polka Floral Pillow || 6. Textured Linen Pillow Cover ||
||7. Yellow Bicycle Cover ||8. Outdoor Yellow Striped Cover ||9. Natural Linen/Yellow Trim Cover||
- Make sure the fabric being used is the ‘feel’ you are going for. For summer, I just can’t bring myself to use a mongolian-type pillow cover… It just says “warm” to me, and I want “cool” in the summer! Linen or cotton-linen are often my fabric-of-choice. Linen-like can often feel like canvas, and may be ‘rough’ to the touch (check the reviews). I’ve listed a fleece-type cover in the aqua collection below, but it reminds me more of micro-fiber, which I’m fine with on warmer days.
GREENS
Again, my gorgeous green/yellow jacquard fabric inspired these green pillows. Just give me all the greens and blues! Number 3 has a trim that I think is so farmhouse/cottage/coastal… I think it may be a fave of mine!
||1. Plaid Cotton Linen Cover||2. Embroidered Floral Cover||3. Farmhouse Trimmed Linen Cover||
||4. Textured Leaf Cover||5. Green Flower Cover||6. Embroidered Geo Cover||
||7. Moss Linen Cover||8. Chrysanthemum Cover ||9. Cotton Flat Trim Cover||
- Be sure to check if the print is on both sides, and, if not, what is on the other side. You may not be happy with a plain backside on your pillow, but, remember, a two-sided pillow can often translate into TWO pillows for the price of one!
WHITES
Because white says, “Light, airy, coastal, cottage and cool!” And white looks lovely with just about any color! Love number 2 and 9 for added texture and interest. 🙂
||1. Grey/white Linen Cover||2. Jacquard Stripe Cotton Cover||3. Handmade Crocheted Cover||
||4. Coastal Graphic Cover||5. Coastal Geo Covers||6. Good Vibes Cover||
||7. Cable Knit Cotton Wool Cover||8. Embroidered White Cover||9. Embroidered Burst Design Cover||
- Hidden zippers are my fave, unless an ‘outside’ zipper lends to the style.
- Note that MOST of the time the description says “Pillow Cover Only”… usually the pillow is not included and, if it is, the quality is not the best (more about pillow inserts in an upcoming post!)
AQUAS
And, it just wouldn’t be My Wee Abode if I didn’t share my fave aquas. I have to be honest… the love for the aqua designs just kept comin’… I had a REALLY hard time narrowing my picks to just nine! Again, bein’ honest, I may need to keep with my aqua look this year, seeing that my large aqua carpet is not going away anytime soon, and not sure the yellows and greens are going to work with it! What do you think?
||1. Linen Textured Cover||2. Damask Floral Cover||3. Pom-pom Fringe Cover||
||4. Multi-striped Cover||5. Handpainted Fleed Dahlia Cover||6. Aqua Arrows Cover||
||7. Corduroy Corn Striped Cover||8. Aqua Striped Cover||9. Teal Chenille Cover||
- Did I mention to check the reviews when purchasing a pillow cover? Check those reviews whenever they are offered on a product… they are ALWAYS helpful!
There you have it! This was SO fun to put together! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I’m thinkin’ the aquas and whites are just too pretty to pass up! But, I do love those yellows and greens with the whites! I would LOVE to hear which ones are your favorites! Comment with the color/numbers below!
Wow, you did so much work to collect all of these! I love the “SEA, AIR, AND SUN” pillow as well as pretty much all the blues!
Yeah… the blues and whites are calling my name… especially because of my area rug. Perhaps next year I will have a new rug, and can then bring in the yellows/greens! 😉 Hugs and hearts!
I love the aqua dahlia one- #5!
Jessica! Thanks for dropping by! Yes, that dahlia one is SO pretty! The company that makes that one has a huge selection of covers! It was hard to choose! 🙂 Hope your week is blessed! Hugs and hearts!
Julie I am going through my blue phase right now (just like Picasso) so that last group had me swooning, just don’t ask me to pick just one.
LOL!!! I know… picking one is hard! It seems LOTS of bloggers/friends are going through a blue phase! 😉 Thanks for coming by, friend!
I like to make my own pillow covers. Endless possibilities! I hope you can stop by:
Thanks for stopping by, Colletta! Always love to hear input from other bloggers! Making pillow covers is definitely an option, and fun, too!
So many to choose from!! Great post!!
Thanks, Holly! I appreciate your encouragement, and for dropping by! 😉 Hope you have a great weekend!
CN you use print with aqua, blue, yellow, etc?
Glenda… you mean with my jacquard? I can use the green/yellow/white, but not the aquas. I hope that’s what you mean. 🙂
I was thinking maybe a Hawaiian-type print. There are many beautiful prints in the “outdoor fabric” lines and they make beautiful tablecloths and pillows.
Oh! I gotcha now! Yes, some Hawaiian print fabric would be lovely for the home in the summer. Love the outdoor fabrics that are available now… and our fam has always used them for our tablecloths. 😉 Great idea!
Great pillow options! My favorite is aqua number 3!
Ooooo, that pom-pom pillow is quite adorable, isn’t it Rebecca? Thanks for coming by and sharing! I hope you have a great weekend! Hugs and hearts!
Love changing out pillows for the different seasons of the year. These are some great choices.
Thanks, Candy… Yes, I’m having a hard time deciding which color-route I want to go! Thanks for dropping by! Have a great week! <3
You are a girl after my own heart. I love pillows and have too many. The tip about the down pillow I have never heard, but it totally makes sense. From now on I will be buying a pillow form two sizes bigger. Thanks for that.
Hey, Dru! I’m so glad the pillow size tip helped! It’s amazing the difference it makes! I’m glad I’m not alone in my pillow-love! 😉
You have a great selection of pillows. When I design my home and I need a pillow I will think of you!
Hugs
You are so sweet, Maria! 😉 And such a kind friend, too! Hope you have a great week! Hugs back!
Great choices! Love that sweet yellow bicycle pillow!
That bicycle pillow… right???!!!! I LOVE it! Have always wanted to add something like that to my collection! Thanks for coming by, Jennifer! You going to Haven this year?
I’m always looking for pillows and love your round up of colors Julie!
Thanks, Michelle, for coming by! I agree… I LOVE pillows! Glad you enjoyed the colors! Hugs!
These are all so pretty! I don’t know which pillow collection I like more. I’m a big fan of blues and greens but they are all beautiful!
Patti, I never really thought about using yellow before, but I continue to see it popping up all over the place, and it’s so cheery! But, I’m always a sucker for blues and greens, too! 😉
Great round up of pillows!! You know I love me some blue, but that aqua color is so soothing for summer!
Yep… definitely know you love blue! We are kindred spirits in that way! But, I ALWAYS look at aquas, and have to keep myself from buying it all! 😉
I love all of your great pillow inspiration! Featuring you this week at TFT! Hope you’ll come back and join us for this week’s party!
https://followtheyellowbrickhome.com/summer-crafts-makeovers-decor-and-more-at-thursday-favorite-things/
Thank you so much, Amber! I already visited and linked again! 🙂 So glad I found you via Petit Haus! Love your blog!
I like them all but some of my favs Multi stripe, Green Floral, Chrysanthemum, Yellow bicycle & Hand painted Dalia. Oh my I can’t afford myself.
I can’t afford myself either, Fernie! So many lovely decor items!