Choose Safe, Easy-Clean Pillows for Lasting Style
Who can resist the lure of stacks of pillows? Certainly not kids! And that can mean trouble for more delicate, highly embellished decorative pillows.

Parents looking to add a pop of color or texture to a busy family room should look for easy-cleaning fabrics with minimal embellishment, such as hard-wearing chenilles, denim, microfiber and ultrasuede. Decorative detailing that can hold up to busy kids include piping, self-ruffles, cording and well-secured tassels.

Better yet, look for pillows with removable covers to make cleaning a breeze. A few styles available today are made to be laundered, but most pillow covers made of more decorative fabrics will recommend dry cleaning. (hint: we use Dryel with great success)



Create a Personal Touch with Paint
Painted pillow covers (like the pillow pictured) are a craft project even the most creatively challenged can do to add a decorative touch for minimal cost. Simply create stripes, swirls, dots or country-plaid patterns using fabric paints on basic cotton pillowcovers. For the creatively inclined, stencils, stamps and sponges offer limitless design possibilities. And best of all, the final look is long-wearing and family-friendly.