KHOSRO CUSHION DESIGN:
A SUCCESSFUL MIXTURE OF
PERIODS AND CULTURES

This Khosro cushion design pulled together a mixture of diverse design elements!

Do you feel nervous about mixing different cultures and periods in the design of your home?
Don’t worry... trust your instincts!

After all, your home should reflect you---- your experiences, your interests, and your history?

We travel, we observe other cultures, we read about other periods, we visit museums and galleries---- All these things, and more, influence who we are and help to direct our varied interests and tastes.

  HERE'S A GREAT EXAMPLE!

 One of ZIVA's clients, with very eclectic taste, has always been intrigued by a Khosro Persian carpet from the late 17th century.

She wondered if its design could be used as the basis for a cushion design in needlepoint for two sofas in her small sitting room.

She already had a mixture of:

• two Le Corbusier settees in grey leather; a design originally from 1929

• a modern chrome and glass top coffee table

• a Chinese oriental carpet; in colours of blue, wheat, tan, rust and black

• 2 large abstract paintings in a range of blues and greys

So we decided to add a Khosro Persian design to the cultural mix!

 

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CREATING THE CUSHION DESIGNS

Mixing periods and styles can be done, as long as you use some discipline. In this case, because the room is small, repeating the colours from the Chinese carpet was the best solution.

The original Persian carpet design was divided into geometric panels depicting a large garden, symbolizing paradise on earth. Each element of this design is very simple and ‘naïve’ in nature.

I modified and developed two of its panels to create two distinct, central fields with matching outer borders, carefully trying to maintain its original character.

KHOSRO BIRD

A multi-coloured leafed fruit tree is placed at an angle to create the central field design---with a small bird sitting in the tree!

The central motif is surrounded by a border of colourful flowers and flowering bushes on a black background with another outer border symbolically depicting wheat fields.

The final needlepoint cushion sits elegantly in this small sitting room.

 

The more contemporary elements of the room, namely the table and sofa, are a perfect backdrop for the carpet and cushion.

 

 

KHOSRO GARDEN

The same outer borders were used in this pillow design, but this time the central field has a formal flower garden with a sky blue background.

 I love the way the flowers are depicted in a very simple graphic manner.

When making up the needlepoint cushion, a flange of black linen was added to ‘frame’ each cushion.

 

At the opposite end of this small sitting room, you can see the
elegant Khosro Garden cushion.

Although from different cultures and periods, the Chinese carpet and the Persian-inspired cushion design blend well together.

 

 

 

You can try this eclectic approach in your interiors... as long as you use a bit of discipline!

My client is very pleased how the Khosro cushions completed the design of her sitting room.

It’s very soothing and calm, with a sensitive and disciplined mixture of cultures and periods.

 

Click here to see the MATCHING KHOSRO FOOTSTOOL

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