What’s the simplest way to refresh a room? If you’re in the living room, bedroom or office reception area, the magic word may be ‘cushions’. And if you’re thinking of replacing or adding to the cushions you already have, why not make this a sustainable choice?
A great way to spruce up a space whilst lifting your spirits at the same time – is to change your cushions with the seasons. By using recycled materials, you can make this a cost-efficient way to get through the ups and downs of each month!
These pictures are a great example of such recycling. They’re simply the result of me sending leftover fabric from workshop classes to my upholsterer. You could do this yourself, but sewing’s not for me (running my business alongside home schooling has already taking me to the edge!). As a perfectionist, being unable to select the right thread or sew in a straight line used to drive me to distraction during upholstery classes. My grandmother made it look so easy. I wish I could have told her how amazing she was …
Anyway, if you’re more mindful and capable than me, you should be able to create your own cushion covers. First, find your material. Dig out that left-over curtain, dressing up box or roll of fabric you’ve had lying around. If nothing comes to hand, go shopping for sustainable options from one of the companies below.
I’m a regular customer and big fan of wearthlondon, whose products are as wonderful as their customer service. They work with UK businesses to bring the best sustainable products to market. Here’s a selection of their cushions and other soft furnishings:
https://www.wearthlondon.com/ecofriendly-soft-furnishings?sort=sort_order_asc&page=1
When researching accessories for a recent project I came across several lovely and sustainable British brands. If you like geometric patterns, you’ll love Sophie’s collection!
https://www.sophiehome.com/collections/cotton-cushions
One of my previous blogs highlighted Linen as a fantastic and sustainable fabric. Linenandstripes know how to make the most of it:
https://linenandstripes.com/product-category/cushion-covers/
Here’s your short cut to a wonderful Londoner, producing modern quilt-style products. Exquisite!
https://www.excellquiltco.com/product-category/cushions/
I’ve mentioned Claire Gaudion’s rugs before, but she’s equally impressive with cushions. And here’s a stunning range of contemporary cushions:
https://elleyhome.co.uk/collections/all
Take a look – and let me know what you think!