That is the question! I've read hundreds of blog comments, dozens of blog posts, magazine articles, book footnotes, and even listened to advice from television decorators who weigh in on what seems to be a rather controversial decorating dilemma; when it comes to pillows: to chop or not to chop, that is the question!
I gather ideas for blog posts a number of different ways. And this post was inspired by a conversation that I had on instagram with my friend
Joan of fortheloveofahouse. Joan posted this photo:
In her beautiful
barnroom, pillows chopped and flounced about on the linen slipcovered sofa. The offender, sweet sweet Ella:
Ella is just one of many of the blogosphere's decorating dogs, but Ella shares a relatively uncommon trait ... she loves to chop pillows ... something she and her blogging mom don't see eye to eye on. I however, do chop my pillows, so together with Ella, I figured I'd advocate for pillow choppers everywhere by writing this post!
The truth is, there are many degrees of choppedness, yes, I just made that word up - choppedness. Defined by the Artie and Ella First Volume Dog and Human Dictionary as: CHOPPEDNESS
noun: the state of being chopped. "That pillow is in the fifth degree of choppedness." I have done my best to categorize and define them below.
The Half Chop
The half chop is what most of us see and appreciate, when in favor of the chopped pillow. It is a moderate level of choppedness. The half chop is noticeably chopped, with a polite crease in the center. This is easily achieved by first taking the pillow by the ears, slamming it against your closed legs (to fluff) then replacing on the chair or sofa, and giving a light tap in the middle of its head. Here are some published examples of the half chop:
Leslie Dunn & Ann Tighe
Phoebe Howard
Jill Goldberg
Phoebe Howard
Heiburg Cummings
Leta Austin Foster
Martyn Lawrence Bullard
Sally Wheat
Munger Interiors
Carrie Hayden
The Side Chop
The side chop is a little less common, and therefore confusing to some ... even chopped pillow enthusiasts, but it is my favorite karate move when dealing with rogue pillows. To perfect the side chop, you must first fluff your pillow (by any means necessary) and then use both hands to symmetrically chop at its sides, thereby trimming the fat off the pillow and giving it a plump and desirous hourglass shape. Here are some published examples of the side chop:
All Jeffrey Bilhuber
Marco Meneguzi
Ryan Brown
Thom Filicia
Suzanne Rheinstein
Barclay Butera
The Pillsbury Poke
The Pillsbury poke is what many pillow chopping addicts do when attempting to quit the habit of chopping their pillows. They first fluff the pillow, place it in the corner of the sofa or chair, eyeing it intently as if missing something. Then they re-fluff, and give it the half chop. Determined to quit their chopping ways, they re-fluff, leave the room ... and run back in to give the pillow a poke. Here are some published examples of the Pillsbury poke.
Jane Moore
Martyn Lawrence Bullard
Brooke Giannetti
Phoebe Howard
Miles Redd
The WWF Full on Body Slam
This, my dear pillow chopping friends, is what even we avid pillow choppers avoid. This is the defcon 5 of choppedness. The WWF full on body slam pillow chop was created as an activity to reduce stress by Dr. Phil. Visualizing the person who has caused you grief, harm, or cut in front of you while in line at IKEA to buy your 20x20 down inserts for $4.99, you take your forearm and slam it into the pillow, narrowly stopping before tearing the whole thing in half. This, is how a true ninja assassin would treat their decorative accessories. Here are some published examples of the WWF full on body slam:
Barclay Butera
Bunny Williams
YAWN Design Studio
Michael Taylor
Barclay Butera
Eileen Kathryn Boyd
Ryan Brown
Barclay Butera
Laurie Pearson
The Soldier
The soldier is what the pillow chopping protesters have lined up on their sofas and chairs, prepared for decorating battle. These pillows are fluffed, but not in any way altered by an astute decorating hand. In fact, it likely takes longer for one to perfect the soldier, tightly fluffed but never pinched, poked, or chopped! Here are some published examples of the soldier:
John Saladino
Cullman and Kravis
Michael S. Smith
Charlotte Moss
Jan Showers
Phoebe Howard
Vicente Wolf
As you can see from all of the beautiful rooms above, ultimately,
this is not a matter of taste, it's a matter of discretion. You either like the look of a chopped pillow, or you don't. It does not mean that you're stuck in an era of decorating that has long passed, or that you are less of a decorator than someone who prefers the soldier (no-choppedness) pillow look. It simply means you agree with me ... and Ella, and I think that puts you in pretty good company.
No pillows were harmed in the making of this blog post.
Posted with granted permission from Ella (and Joan)
Avoid the lines at Ikea - buy your pillow inserts at Amazon.
