Pillow talk: Black-and-white graphic designs make a bold statement

  • By Laura Pearson Chicago Tribune
  • Tuesday, September 22, 2015 3:53pm
  • Life

Scandinavian design prioritizes simplicity, utility and clean lines — all of which are captured in Ikea’s popular Stockholm cushion. Featuring a monochrome pattern in a soft cotton-velvet blend, the throw pillow is not only versatile, but it also sells for just $14.99 (currently available at select Ikea stores), which helps explain its ubiquity. Plus, a graphic accent in the form of a pillow or throw can really make furniture pop.

Want to go your own route? Plenty of other options exist. Here, we toss out four more pillow ideas, plus one wacky “bonus” suggestion: A cushion that doubles as a back massager because — why not?

Grid knit black throw pillow, $65 at Unison. Unison specializes in practical bedding and housewares for contemporary spaces. With its bold black squares and thin white lines, this graphic throw pillow — made of 80 percent U.S.-grown cotton and 20 percent acrylic — modernizes any interior. It’s likely to last longer than an Ikea cushion, and there’s something very awesomely ’80s about the grid pattern. www.unisonhome.com

Prim 18-inch pillow, $34.95 at CB2. Created by Brooklyn-based designer Aelfie Oudghiri and available exclusively from CB2, this 100 percent cotton pillow offers some options. One side features a geometric grid pattern — flocked black lines and thin white rectangles — but flip it over, and the other side is solid white. For the pillow insert, choose plush feather down or a down alternative (100 percent polyester fill). www.cb2.com

Zardozi Kandhari pillow, $49 (marked down from $95) at ABC Carpet &Home. For something a bit more sophisticated, this handcrafted cotton pillow — created in collaboration with Zardozi, a nongovernmental organization that helps thousands of impoverished Afghan women earn a living — features an intricate embroidering technique known as Khamak. One side of the pillow is decorated — designs inspired by repeating patterns in nature — while the other side is solid beige. www.abchome.com

Marimekko Tiiliskivi black-and-white throw pillow, $50 at Always Mod. This 100 percent cotton, mod-looking pillow features fabric from Marimekko, the famous Finnish company, and was designed by Marimekko founder Armi Ratia. The spacing of the white lines over a deep black backdrop lends uniqueness to the grid pattern. www.alwaysmod.com

Classic M Cushion, $119.99 at M Cushion. When news of this particular pillow landed in our lap, we simply had to include it. The M Cushion is less about fashion and more about a secret function (the kind of item that makes you miss SkyMall). The monochromatic Greek key pattern — one of several available covers designed by Jay Godfrey — isn’t bad, but the real draw is the cushion’s ability to provide a heated shiatsu massage. (Bidirectional massage heads are tucked inside the pillow.) Just plug it in for 20 minutes, and press a discreet button to operate. www.mcushion.com

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

Sarah Jean Muncey-Gordon puts on some BITCHSTIX lip oil at Bandbox Beauty Supply on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Langley, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Bandbox Beauty was made for Whidbey Island locals, by an island local

Founder Sarah Muncey-Gordon said Langley is in a renaissance, and she’s proud to be a part of it.

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

Byrds co-founder Roger McGuinn, seen here in 2013, will perform April 20 in Edmonds. (Associated Press)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

R0ck ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Roger McGuinn, frontman of The Byrds, plans a gig in Edmonds in April.

Mother giving in to the manipulation her daughter fake crying for candy
Can children be bribed into good behavior?

Only in the short term. What we want to do is promote good habits over the course of the child’s life.

Speech Bubble Puzzle and Discussion
When conflict flares, keep calm and stand your ground

Most adults don’t like dissension. They avoid it, try to get around it, under it, or over it.

The colorful Nyhavn neighborhood is the place to moor on a sunny day in Copenhagen. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves: Embrace hygge and save cash in Copenhagen

Where else would Hans Christian Andersen, a mermaid statue and lovingly decorated open-face sandwiches be the icons of a major capital?

Last Call is a festured artist at the 2024 DeMiero Jazz Festival: in Edmonds. (Photo provided by DeMiero Jazz Festival)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Jazz ensemble Last Call is one of the featured artists at the DeMiero Jazz Festival on March 7-9 in Edmonds.

Kim Helleren
Local children’s author to read at Edmonds Bookshop

Kim Helleren will read from one of her books for kids at the next monthly Story Time at Edmonds Bookshop on March 29.

Chris Elliott
Lyft surprises traveler with a $150 cleaning charge

Jared Hakimi finds a $150 charge on his credit card after a Lyft ride. Is that allowed? And will the charge stick?

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.