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OLD LYME — When it’s time to change up a residential interior, pillows are the quickest way to transform a room.
That’s the philosophy of Rosemarie Padovano, co-owner of Artemisia, an interior design firm at 23 Lyme Street that specializes in imported and unique textiles — and makes pillows.
This Friday, Artemisia will kick off its first-ever summer sale with a cocktail party from 4 to 7 p.m., with continued shopping on Saturday from 10 a.m to 5 p.m.
All in-stock pillows and select furnishings will be 30 percent off, with pillow covers starting at $60. All sale items and pricing will be available online starting on Friday at 4 p.m.
“We have an incredible inventory of fabric and we want to offer the community some of what we normally only offer to a high end market,” said Padovano, who opened the shop in 2018 with her husband, Marcello Marvelli.
“We have amassed an incredible collection of textiles over the years and the best canvas for these textiles is pillows, most especially because I buy speciality things made in Europe and Uzbekistan and hand-blocked prints from India and hand embroidery — they’re very special fabrics,” said Padovano.
Pillows are an effective, low-stress way to change an interior, she said.
“Pillows make such a big difference in an interior without doing a ton of work, it’s the least invasive way to change a room,” she said. “And then one doesn’t feel too much pressure because you can always change them out, it’s not like upholstering a sofa.”
She recommends changing pillow covers seasonally, a practice she follows in her own home.
“The covers are a great opportunity because you get your size, you have your insert and you keep playing with different covers and change the look of your home in the winter versus the spring,” she said. “In the winter I like rich silk velvets or mohairs, they’re just deeper colors, and in the summer I like linens and embroidery, hand-blocked prints.”
She said the sale and cocktail party will be an opportunity to connect with the community.
“While we run a very brisk business, I don’t think many people know about us because we’re sort of hidden in back of Lyme St.,” she said. “We’d like to say hi to everyone — just a way to celebrate the community during the Midsummer Festival and meet our neighbors.”