Pick perfect pillows and cozy cushions

One of a pillow or cushion's main jobs is to ensure good comfort and support at bedtime — or during any other time. Here is how to take full advantage.

Pillows provide a fresh, creative, and inexpensive way to decorate — they come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, colours and fabrics, textures and patterns. Colourful pillows and throw cushions enliven any room, create a stylish effect, or offer the perfect finishing touch.

• Choose a pillow or cushion filled with down and/or feathers if you prefer a soft, warm pillow or cushion.
• Take a look at specialty pillows filled with buckwheat, spelt, or memory foam, which offer better support for your neck.
• Suffer from neck pain? Take a look at a neck roll pillow. They can relieve neck strain. Inflatable neck pillows are ideal for travel and don't take up much room in luggage.
• For back pain, try adding a relatively firm wedge cushion to your chair. The tapered angle of the wedge encourages correct posture, providing relief for your spinal column.
• Why not get some general-purpose seat cushions for your hard-surfaced chairs, benches or stools? The cushions will up the comfort factor.
• Choose the fabrics to harmonize with the rest of the decor.
• Floor cushions are both portable and comfy. They make wonderful spots for sleeping pets or napping children to curl up, while beanbag chairs — large fabric bags filled with Styrofoam or sand — provide remarkably comfortable moveable seats.

Comfort isn't the only task a cushion can fulfill. Well-chosen pillows can also play a central role in your home's decor.

• Deck out a sofa, armchair, futon or bench with accent cushions that tie in with the overall design of the room.
• Use matching cushions to create a connection between different kinds of seating furniture, and complement your colour scheme.
• You can also arrange cushions of different shapes and fabrics on a plain sofa. Vary patterns in the same colour for a nice effect.
• Opt for floral patterns, paisley or brocade for a country home design, while simple upholstered furniture and a contemporary ambience tend to call for cushions with geometric patterns, or brightly-coloured silk and velvet fabrics.

First, cut your stencil to the desired shape (or buy it ready-made from a craft store) and stick it onto the fabric with tape. Apply the fabric paint over the stencil; only the cut-out pattern will be coloured.