Decorative pillows on a chair, sofa or bed speak comfort.  They also have function.  There is no greater luxury than reclining on pillows reading a book in bed on a cold night.  They prop you up and conform to your body.  On a bed, I prefer a fill of poly/silk.  It feels like down, but rebounds like poly and is less expensive than down.

Decorative pillows on a sofa serve several purposes.  Certainly they soften the look of the sofa, but they can also give support.  When shopping for a sofa with clients who are different heights, I use pillows to help the shorter person sit as comfortably as the taller person.  They also allow people to feel comfortable pulling pillows around them.  For sofas and chairs, I use a 90/10 fill.  With 90% down, the few feathers that exist will not work their way out of the pillow.

Pillows can change the feel of any room.  Shape and fabric, as well as trim will change the pillow.  Please note in the photo of the sectional, the pillows unite the room.  The Scottish plaid on the rectangular boxed pillows tell the viewer that this is a man’s retreat. I chose that plaid because it was a great fit for the carpet pattern and brought charcoal and gold together.  

In the photo of the bedroom, the pillows are a soft blue and green that relaxes my clients.  After a long day they can get away here.  Actually, they have three sets of different pillow shams that they change with the seasons, or when they feel it is time.  There are no rules when it comes to pillows, just decide what outcome you want and enjoy the result.  Change is easy and not terribly expensive.