What the Heck is the "Karate Chop" Throw Pillow?

What the Heck is the "Karate Chop" Throw Pillow? Did you even know that this technique existed? Is it real, or just an echo whispered in the sacred realms of the interior design world? 

Well it's real my friends, and it's arguably a technique utilized to give a Throw Pillow an expensive look, and demonstrate that you are wealthy enough to have purchased the highest quality Pillow Insert that money can buy.

It might even be your "Scarlet Letter" if snooty company is judging you and your home!

Here is the look to explain this whole business...

It's simply indenting your Throw Pillows in the middle at the top, after which the Pillows retain their shape. Most people use a "karate chop" motion to achieve this, hence the concept. That's what all the fuss is about. 

Do I Really Need This Look? Frankly it's all up to you and your preferences. You may not even like the look. Most photos of Throw Pillows online and on shopping websites do not show the chopped look. Sometimes a Throw Pillow has a distinct pattern or unusual feature which would really be diminished by a big chop in it. Throw Pillows can be showcased as a luxury item just as easily when the Inserts are in a normal state. 

The Pillow Insert is the key. There is actually some consideration here, and it involves the materials that are inside the Pillow Inserts. Simply put, the more Down and Feathers in a Pillow Insert, the more it can be manipulated. If an Insert is all foam or some form of polyester filling, it will usually stay flatter and bounce back to the shape in which it was stuffed.

There are some plush fiber-fill Insert options available, which can mimic a Down/Feather blend. I own several, and I have to confess I give them all a chop...(because they stay chopped!)  If you want an Insert with more manipulation options, you can always purchase them separately and simply swap them in. 

Here are two looks with the same two pillows, regular and chopped. I guess I'm going to go with the chopped versions. They're more luxe looking. Again, it's a personal choice. 

Follow your gut. Experiment. Have fun! Encourage the Family to Participate. Your Throw Pillows may not look their best with the Karate Chop. See what you like. If you have kids, they might get a kick of placing the Throw Pillows and then giving them a good chop! Celebrate your personal style. All the best.