I never liked the standard pillows that came with my sofa. I have been looking for a pillow cover for quite some time so when these  popped up, it was obvious to me that they were what I had been needing as a replacement option. The grey is a soft dove color, and the velvet does not scream “velvet” enough to make it seem too formal for a semi formal sofa. I like the addition of the embellishments. They were ample enough to slip right on over the existing pillows. I turned them inside out and ironed them with a cool iron before using them as they were a tad bit wrinkled upon arrival.