How to arrange the pillows on your bed

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Nothing beats the feeling of a well-made bed. If you want to make your bed look like it’s fresh out of a show home, it’s time to focus on your pillow arrangements. 

Knowing how to arrange pillows on a bed to look like a showroom is quite an art form. Stack too many and your bed looks cluttered. Not enough, and it looks incomplete. Luckily, we know a thing or two about bed styling.  

In this guide, we’ll answer all of your most-asked questions and share our best pillow-arranging ideas, covering everything from foolproof formulas to rules on mixing colours and patterns, to help you design your dream bed.  

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Whilst there’s no right or wrong answer, the most common pillow combinations are groups of three, four, and five. These combinations give you plenty of height, visual interest, and can be rearranged to create new looks on your bed. There are, of course, other factors that may impact this choice, including your bed size, room layout, and sleeping habits.

Best pillow arrangements

Now, let’s explore some of our favourite pillow arrangements that are sure to give your bed a five-star look…

Stack in size-order

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Get the look: Deacon Upholstered Bed Frame.

One of the easiest pillow arrangement formulas to follow is stacking your cushions in height order. This means the largest go at the back, then your medium size, and finally your smallest pillows at the front. You can adapt this technique in so many different ways, such as in matching pairs (like the bed above), or with your littlest pillow in the middle at the front.

Symmetrical arrangements

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Get the look: Turin Velvet-Finish LG TV Bed Frame.

If you’re someone who finds pleasure in symmetry, try stacking your pillows this way. That means whatever you do on one side of the bed, you must mirror it on the other – and it can be as simple as two matching cushions, sat next to each other. This technique is fantastic for bringing calm, balanced energy to your sleep space, often used in Feng Shui design.

Three is the magic number

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Get the look: Deacon Upholstered Bed Frame.

Using groups of three is a classic design technique, not just in bed dressing but in wider interior styling – whether that’s a cluster of three ornaments on a shelf or a stack of three table books on your coffee table.

When it comes to using three decorative cushions, we recommend layering them with two cushions behind one in the middle. They don’t necessarily need to be different heights, but it’s a good idea to mix up one element, such as colour or texture. We love the simple arrangement that @houseofaspaniel has gone with above, featuring two matching dark green cushions with one neutral-toned pillow in the middle, which ties in with the Deacon headboard and throw blanket.

Mixing patterns for added interest and texture

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Get the look: Deacon Upholstered Bed Frame.

If you’re keen to experiment with something a little bolder, why not mix up your patterns? The secret to using more than one pattern in your pillow arrangement (without causing a headache) is sticking to the same colour palette. This way, it keeps things cohesive, whilst offering you the freedom to explore multiple prints, like stripes, gingham, florals, and abstract. The above set-up by @hoppyeveleighafter is a great example of using multiple patterns in similar neutral shades, resulting in a pretty and playful bed that isn’t overwhelming.

Psst! Didn’t you hear? Clashing is in. If you’re interested in bold, expressive designs beyond just your pillows, check out our guide to successful bedroom pattern clashing.

Using statement cushions

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So, you’ve got your eye on a statement cushion but wondering where it’s acceptable to use it? To make your statement pillow really pop, we’d recommend styling it with plain scatter cushions. This way, you can create a lovely high-contrast backdrop for your statement piece to shine. Alternatively, you could buy two statement cushions and use them as a matching pair. This makes your bed look super intentional and elevated.

To chop or not to chop?

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Get the look: Deacon Upholstered Bed Frame.

“Pillow chopping” has long-divided the opinions of interior designers and style experts. Whilst we can’t definitively settle the debate, we can say that many people enjoy the look of chopped pillows, associating it with high-end, luxury spaces. So, if you’re into a bit of decadence, you may want to consider chopping the cushions on your bed. It certainly makes them look plump and inviting, if we do say so ourselves…

Stylish pillow arrangements on a budget

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Get the look: Adwell Upholstered Ottoman Bed Frame.

Wondering how to achieve a hotel-look on a budget? No problem. Rather than splurging on expensive decorative pillows, go simple. Luxury favours simplicity always. So, don’t overcomplicate things by trying to pick a unique pattern or shape. Instead, opt for neutral-toned pillows (like beige or grey) in classic shapes. Make sure to keep them plumped up using the chopping technique, and your bed is sure to look both tasteful and timeless.

Quick tips for pillow arrangements

• Match your bed to your current aesthetic: It’s important to keep in mind your existing bedroom aesthetic to help shape how your bed should look. For example, if your bedroom is minimalist, opt for a pillow arrangement that’s neutral and modern. If your sleep space is more on the farmhouse side, choose chintzy colours and prints that look straight out of an English countryside.
• Let statement headboards do the talking: Working with a statement headboard? Sometimes, less is more. Take our fabulous leopard-print TheraPur® Laurel Headboard, for instance. A loud piece like this looks great with crisp white bed sheets and plain brown decorative cushions.
• Buy mix-and-match cushions to switch it up regularly: If you’re someone who tires quickly of certain looks, it’s a good idea to build two different scatter cushion collections (in two different colour schemes) so you can play around with different cushion combos.

And there we have it! Our complete guide to arranging pillows on a bed, from symmetrical hotel-style setups to perfectly chopped and curated cushions. So the next time you’re refreshing your bed, come back to this article for endless pillow arrangement ideas.