Istanbul, not Constantinople

House Beautiful

An Indian Summer. Photo by Jordi Canosa.

During my downtime over the past several weeks,  I've been scouring the internet for antique kilim rug pillows to dress up my plain taupe couch. The moss green velvet ones previously inhabiting this spot have been repositioned in the bedroom, so i've been left with a plain couch, no lumbar support and 4 embarrassingly-naked feather inserts.

I've been coming across inspiring images likes the ones above: rustic, yet cozy interiors dappled with mix-match ethnic prints and patterns on everything from rugs and pillows to coverlets and upholstery. Given my penchant for re-decorating every six months or so, i figure the most budget friendly option, in order to add more of a "well traveled woman" look to my home, would be pillows, inexpensive as things go and easy to swap out with my ever-changing moods.

via tumblr

For items like this, when no local source is known, i shop the mecca of handmade creations: etsy. Firstly, for the wide international variety; second, to support artisans and enjoy competitive pricing. I found several shops selling kilim and suzani pillows, in prices varying from $30-$120 each plus shipping (International shipping prices vary from $5+ but many sellers offer discounts for bundling more than one item). Native and tribal fabrics are still all the trendy rage right now and if I were to purchase such from one of those "members-only" design sites like, say, One Kings Lane or The Foundary, i'd be looking at a pair of antique kilim pillows for $175 + shipping, if i can find them in my color/style and if they haven't already been snagged! I'm a girl on a budget (and severely limited income), so $30 per handmade pillow cover sounds about right to me.

After days, yes days, of pinning and marking my favorites on etsy, exporting pics and collaging pillow combinations together in Photoshop to see which ones i liked as a family, i came to a decision:

The fab four shown above are coming home to me, soon, so very soon, thanks to an etsy shop called yastk from Istanbul, Turkey. I spent $164 including shipping on all four, a sure steal for these handmade beauties. I'll post pics when the living room is sitting pretty with the new acquisitions.

Until then, take a look-see at my favorite etsy shops for similar antique rug pillows and add a little bohemian tribal chic to your home!

• Yatsk
• Kilim Decor
• Decolic
• Mother's Atelier
• Sukan
• Yunershop