Last Updated on March 30, 2023
Decorative pillows are an easy and quick way to add a new color dimension to any room of your home.
Whether you want to liven up a vacation beach house with a locally-themed pillow, or just add some style to your bedroom – decorative pillows are a very effective option.
Below you’ll find 12 pillows that we feel are quintessential to living in California. Likewise, they embody the culture, the attractions, and the vivacious spirit of California!
1.) California Poppy Hook Pillow – from Peking Handicraft
Peking Handicraft is well-known for its line of hook pillows made from wool.
This Poppy hook pillow not only has a delightful pop of color, but it also features two things that California is well known for – blue skies, and orange poppies (the state flower).
Measuring 8″ x 24″, this pillow would probably work best on a long sofa, or on top of a bed. These hook pillows are hand-made, of course, and are New Zealand wool.
You might not be familiar with the name Peking Handicraft, but you’ve probably seen their handiwork before. They manufacture bedding and linens for brands like Trina Turk, D.L. Rhein, Iza Pearl, and others.
2.) Santa Monica Hand-Embroidered Throw Pillow – from Catstudio
Santa Monica is an iconic city in Southern California, of course, and this Catstudio pillow captures all of what it has to offer, artistically.
From Montana Ave – where you’ll find trendy spots like Father’s Office – and down to the Santa Monica pier, this hand-embroidered pillow is a true “artist’s rendition” of this magical city.
It measures 20″ x 20″, with a 100% organic cotton cover, and is finished with blue velvet piping.
Whether you walk and shop at the Third Street Promenade or catch some sun at the beach, Santa Monica has something for everyone – just like this pillow!
3.) I Love You California Pillow – from Peking Handicraft
This is another hook pillow from Peking Handicraft.
It too features the orange poppies, but it also has a cute and cuddly brown bear hugging California. Where have we seen this brown bear before? On the California state flag of course!
These measure 18″ x 18″, and are New Zealand wool.
The surface of these pillows are very rug-like, and as you would imagine, they do have some heft. So, they aren’t very squishy or soft and are best used for decoration only.
4.) Bikers Soul San Francisco Motorcycle Co. – from Ambesonne
If you need an inflection of cool, for example, or some decoration for a man cave, this Biker pillow is the one! The ruby red “biker” headed towards the iconic Golden Gate Bridge makes it okay for men to enjoy throw pillows.
These pillows are available in 16″, 18″, 20″, and 24″ sizes. The 100% spun polyester beige-colored cover is hand sewn.
A “vintage” winged biker isn’t exactly synonymous with the city of San Francisco, but who cares?
It just looks really cool.
5.) Los Angeles Hand-Embroidered Throw Pillow – from Catstudio
If you want a pillow that screams SoCal, but you don’t know what to choose, why not just choose them all, with this Los Angeles pillow from CatStudio.
Featuring CatStudio’s artful hand-embroidery, this pillow defines everything that LA has to offer. From the Valley to the beach, and everything in between.
Whether you have a beachfront home in Malibu, a penthouse in Downtown, or a house in the Valley, this pillow fits right in. It’s practically an LA tour guide.
The tourist maps that they sell on Hollywood Blvd, for example, just don’t compare!
6.) Palm Springs Pillow – from Peking Handicraft
Because every Palm Springs Condo, needs a Palm Springs pillow right?
These needlepoint pillows from Peking are 12″ x 12″, and are available in orange color as well. They work great alone, for instance, but are fantastic as a matching pair.
Palm Springs is known for Mid-Century architecture, palm trees, relentless sunshine, and the expansive desert. But it’s also known for its bright pop of colors – which are perfectly embodied in this pillow.
7.) California Orange Sun Hook Pillow – from Peking Handicraft
Southern California is renowned for its year-round sunshine.
This Peking pillow will provide some bright pop for any room. Featuring a bright orange sun, across a blue sky – it’s really just a typical day in SoCal.
Like other Peking pillows on this list, this one is also a New Zealand wool hook pillow.
Likewise, it measures 8″ x 24″.
8.) Malibu Throw Pillow – from Jonathan Adler
Malibu is a true beach lover’s paradise, of course.
From the majestic mountains to the beautiful picturesque beaches, it’s no wonder why so many of LA’s celebrities have a Malibu home.
This super cool Malibu themed pillow from John Adler is hand embroidered, and features a bikini-clad hottie – presumably laying on a sandy beach.
These wool pillows measure 9″ x 12″, and are velvet-backed.
9.) Yosemite Pillow – from CatStudio
California is very under-rated as a destination for nature lovers.
Whether you’re into hiking, swimming at the beach, trekking through the desert, skiing in the mountains, etc – you’re never more than a few hours away from whatever you want to enjoy.
Yosemite is about as good as it gets, of course, if the outdoors are your “thing”. The Yosemite Falls and Half-Dome hikes are about as beautiful as any other sites you’ll find in the U.S.
As usual, this CatStudio pillow features a beautiful menagerie of embroidered artwork that really captures what Yosemite is all about.
10.) California Republic West Coast Pillow – from Peking Handicraft
You’ve probably heard that the West Coast, is the “best coast”. So, what better way to show off your West Coast pride!
Is your beach house a bit bland, for example? Does it need some more color? Do you need pop to add some more character? Then this hook pillow from Peking will scratch that itch.
11.) San Francisco City Theme – by Queenie
For a space that requires a more understated and elegant style, this hand-embroidered pillow cover could be quite chic.
This one is not a pillow – it’s just a cover – so you’ll need to add an insert pillow inside. It measures 18″ x 18″, and is a cotton/linen blend.
This cover depicts the “City by the bay” perfectly with the rail car riding in from Chinatown. So, other than the Golden Gate bridge, this is as iconic as San Francisco gets.
12.) California Republic pillow – from Primitives by Cathy
Didn’t we just say that the West Coast was the best coast?
This pillow feels like the Cliff’s Notes summary of the previous eleven pillows on this list. We’ve got the bear, LA, Santa Monica, Palm Springs, the beaches, the mountains – all of it, in one 20″ x 20″ pillow by Primitives by Kathy.
If you can’t choose one, then just take them all!