2 min readDesigning, decorating, and styling a bedroom is often an exercise in restraint. Too much stuff, and your space immediately feels overwhelming and stressful; too little, and it lacks the warmth and comfort that fosters relaxation in the first place. One place that often trips up homeowners? The bed.
While the type of sheets you choose is totally up to personal preference, many designers do have one guiding principle that applies to every bedroom—and it all comes down to the bed itself, specifically the pillows.
Fortunately, it’s an easy rule to follow and, while it involves numbers, there’s almost no math required. No matter the size of your bed, designers agree that the number of pillows should stay the same. Before we reveal that “magic number,” just one important note: we’re talking strictly about decorative pillows, not the ones you sleep on. Now, without further ado, let’s dive in.
The Magic Number
Designers generally agree that three decorative pillows are the magic number for making a bed look and feel truly luxe. “It’s the golden number,” says designer Barbara Glass. “My favorite size bed pillow for a king bed is one 52-by-14-inch and two beautiful king-size shams.”
This amount in these sizes (if you have a queen or king bed) is the sweet spot because they don’t overwhelm the bed, but still fill up the width of the headboard.
While most design “rules” tend to be more like flexible guidelines, this one is fairly definitive. Unless you’re styling a twin bed, aim for no fewer than three decorative pillows. “For me, it’s about the rule of odds,” says designer Kristen Peña. “Things just look better in a group of three. With one or two pillows, you’re missing an opportunity to make a design statement.” These decorative details don’t have to be dramatic, but they go a long way in making the space look complete.
In his own home, designer Blake Funston is a three-pillow stan, as he, like most designers, agrees that it’s the perfect number. “Four pillows feels crowded, too laborious to remove, and optically mainstream,” he notes. “When hosting at home, guests should feel the calm elegance that a three-pillow arrangement gives. The scheme uses symmetry that is centered on a focal point. A visual trinity, so to speak.”
Choose a Complementary Color Scheme
Once you have your pillow quantity sorted, make sure you are selecting sham covers that are complementary to the rest of your bedroom’s design scheme. If you want to take a timeless approach, designer Maggie Cruz suggests keeping it subtle.
“I tend to keep the foundation of the bed very neutral, with crisp whites or soft ivories, and I typically use shams from the same bedding set as the functional layer,” she says. “From there, I come in with a trio of decorative pillows. My go-to is two 22-inch square pillows paired with one elongated lumbar because it’s a balanced composition that feels tailored but still relaxed.”
