COUCH: ROOM & BOARD; KENTE CLOTH PILLOWS: HEDDLE AND LAMM ON ETSY; BANANA LEAR PRINT PILLOWS: AT HOME AND CO.; BOTANICAL PRINT POSTER: STYLEDEVIESTORE ON ETSY

I love my kids, but one of the joys of my morning is to drink in the house before they’ve touched it! The pillows are sitting obediently in their spots. They’ve yet to become forts. The throws are not thrown. They are draped. The throwing will come later. For now everything looks harmonious. It’s lovely and pleasing - while it lasts!

“Pillows and throws are the jewelry of a room,” says interior designer and mum of two, Jodie Shields. “They’re where your eye travels first and make an instant impact. Plus, like your handbag or jewelry, you can switch them out easily. For little time and money you can completely transform your space.”

In the time it would take to watch your favorite TV show (ahh…Poldark), you could plump for some pillows or pick out some throws. Et voila: you’re on your way to a beautiful couchscape. Start with these five questions, says Jodie, for a quick but effective makeover.

1. Do you want your pillows and throws to be a bold focal point or an “ahh…” neutral?

“You can’t have the rug and the artwork and the pillows and throws be the focus,” says Jodie. “But you’ve got to have some drama to keep things from feeling bland.” Texture, like mud cloth, nubby wool, leather, embroidery and sheepskin keep neutrals interesting. So do personal connections. For me, Kente cloth feels special, having a father from Ghana.

LAMPS, MUD CLOTH PILLOWS AND LUMBAR PILLOWS: HOUZZ; MIRROR: HORCHOW

CHEYENNE LEATHER PILLOW: HOUZZ; WHITE MOROCCAN THROW: ETSY

2. What colors can you snag from the room to thread through your throws and cushions?

Even the most eclectic schemes need some repetition. Banana leaf pillows could pick up green from a painting, the pattern of a damask print chair or the leaves of real plants. “This creates contentedness, harmony and rhythm,” says Jodie. Ah, what busy life couldn’t do with a bit more of that? Yes please!

3. How big is your furniture?

Big furniture = big pillows. But even small settees shouldn’t have sad little cushions. “Who doesn’t love a big pillow?” asks Jodie. “Always go bigger than you’d expect,” since pillows visually shrink once their inserts are in. “22 to 24 inches are typical sizes, but a sectional could take bigger.” Buy inserts one size larger than the case to keep things looking lush. Feather inserts, affordably priced on Amazon, may feel more luxurious.

4. Do your pillows and throws sit peacefully or have a second job as fighting tools or forts?

Kids and “spot clean only” pillows do not mix. “I have two pillows made of antique textiles,” Jodie acknowledges, “and I cringe when they become forts.” Avoid anything too precious and nix your stress. You can find surprisingly washable fabrics from India, Thailand, Peru and beyond at global sites like Minzuu.com.

5. Are you looking for a more formal or casual look?

Many mags and blogs today style couches with a glorious assortment of shapes and sizes of pillows. This gives a casual, contemporary look that may get less upset by fort-making. Symmetry, while more formal, can give you that “ahh…everything is as it should be feeling”…at least until it gets destroyed by a pillow fight!

Hope this provided a wee bit of inspiration. And if you have your own ideas or success stories to add, please share with a comment!