Arranging Bed Pillows

Bed pillows come in eleven basic shapes and sizes which are key to creating comfort in the bedroom.

When it comes to bed pillows there are no rules, just personal preference. Some like them firm; others prefer soft. There are a variety of fillings from space-age memory foam to old-fashioned goose down. However, size does matter and so does the number of pillows used and their style as those factors most affect the look of a bed and its comfort.

Designer Bunny Williams has a simple, informal bed [top] with a potpourri of pillows — notably a pair of square Euros (perhaps resting against standard pillows), a pair of boudoirs in shams and what appears to be a 16 x 16-incher in between, to fill the gap or be tucked in the back for reading.

One of the most useful guides to pillows is Pottery Barn’s tale of the tape with names and sizes.  It shows how each size relates to the others, and helps deconstruct inspiration photos.

It goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyway) that in my mother’s day, bed pillows were placed flat and concealed under a bedspread designed to coordinate with the room decor.  I call that a ‘closed” bed.  Throw pillows (often 18” x 18”) usually went on top as accessories. I feel this looks really dated now.

These days  “open beds” rule, thanks to duvets and designer sheets. Pillows are placed upright and angled against the headboard and often layered. This king bed is simple and has a nice variety: double king-size pillows in cases to match the duvet and sheets, plus a neck roll and accessory lumbar.

I’ve been collecting bed-pillow photos for some time (my bedroom isn’t finished). This handful shows various approaches, which of course, are endless and ultimately super-personal.
Designer Michael M. Smith takes a straightforward approach with two pairs of ultra-plump (probably goose down) standard pillows stuffed into shams.

Twin beds each feature a single standard pillow encased in shams plus matching lumbar accent pillows.

Carolyne Roehm’s bed features a trio of matching Euros resting on standard pillows in cases.

A hotel room bed offers a double layer of king pillows in cases lying flat, with accent Euros and a lumbar on top to coordinate with upholstered furniture in the room.

Two pairs of king pillows in cases are “finished” by a giant bolster roll.

Designer Jay Jeffers did a fantasy bed with a giant bolster plus accent pillow. Sleepers need not apply.

(Sources: Pottery Barn, NY Social Diary, Michael M. Smith, Domino, Jeffers Design Group)

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