So, I guess you could say I have a thing for pillows, even bordering on obsession. But I think my love for pillows is related to my introversion, if you could humor me for a minute. Perhaps it’s that pillows are associated with rest & repose? That there’s a quiet kind of leisure that pillows signify, privilege in being allowed to recline, cuddle in, & start dreaming away? I’ve read that Libra personalities in general possess a special affinity for pillows (& candles for that matter), & I can admit that I’m guilty as charged. But as far as that goes, clearly a lot of people like pillows because if otherwise they wouldn’t be as popular as they are. But for this blog post, I’m meaning a specific predilection for pillows, as in pillows everywhere.

If pillows create relaxation & a state of no stress, then I’m all for it.

The function of pillows can vary from comfort to pure aesthetic or you expressing one’s interests. From Shakespeare & Dickens to Jane Austen quotes, accent pillows can visually communicate aspects of one’s personality without having to say a word; they can convey that communication of self. That’s also an ideal thing for introverts, communicating through silence. So, you’ll see that I have quite a few pillows that decorate bothhome & office.

By & large, I love silkscreened burlap & canvas pillow, just in case you were wondering. You’ll see many examples here.

For me, there’s also an appreciation on my part for capturing & treasuring history through pillows fashioned out of vintage fabric or cloth. Breathing life into new things by repurposing them. Above, you can see pillows made from burlap coffee bean sacks & a sugar bag from purveyors whose history will be documented here in interior design–Revere Sugar. (I used to live in Revere, Massachusetts, as a child.) Or maybe it’s just my eclectic manner that causes me to seek out vintage objects & repurposed items? That may be why I love American Pickers, as there’s a sense of cataloging history in collecting that rusty or woven gold?

And then there are the pillows that provide nostalgia of memories of people or pets we have loved but are now gone. I have hooked rugs from my maternal grandmother who died before I was even born. In fact, both of my mother’s parents had passed before I was born, the plight of a child of older parents. My grandmother would hand-dye the fabric cords she wove into rugs & seat pads. My mother’s sister gave me several quilts my grandmother stitched together out of old aprons, blouses, sheets, & dresses. I treasure these quilts because they’re priceless, irreplaceable.

(I gifted one to my niece who gave the gift of my son through surrogacy. But that story is for another post or series of posts.)

Only recently did I learn about tuck pillows, especially in American primitives & related decorative items. When on Hillcrest Farm, I sought out pillows that communicated farm culture, honoring my grandparents on Lakeview Farm in New Hampshire. Tuck pillows are tiny accent pillows that have a weathered or tea-stained aesthetic so as to look like they are very old. Some use cross-stitching, while others use silk-screened imagery.

Whether for comfort of the body or for the eyes, pillows can hold a real function for introverts who nest in their homes & offices. That’s not to say this is a love exclusive to introverts; just that it’s a prevalent one for most introverts who cocoon & seek out comforting spaces for recharging their energy in solitude.

And so I hope that sharing some of my pillow collection provides you, dear reader, with some visual comfort to soothe your soul.