How many pillows is too many?
During our two seasons on The Block, I was given the illustrious title of “bedroom queen” as we had lots of positive feedback from the judges about the styling of our beds.
Since then, the question of how many pillows should be used on a bed is one that I am most frequently asked. So how many is too many? When are you at risk of looking cushion crazy?
Here are my tips for getting the balance just right.
Style
Decide what style you want for your bed. A casual, slightly undone bed looks better with less pillows and little to no decorative cushions. Think three or four standard pillows in natural linen with a throw loosely draped over the end of the bed.
The next level up would be a more dressed bed that includes European pillows and decorative cushions. This style is an everyday look that requires a little bit more effort for a more finished result.
Finally, the formal bed goes all out with layers of European pillows, multiple standard pillows and at least three decorative cushions to finish it off. The result is dramatic, plush and polished. This option is every significant other’s worst nightmare as it takes considerable time, and many laps of the bed, to remove all of those pillows each night.
Size
The obvious rule of thumb is the smaller the bed, the fewer pillows it needs. I have gone one step further and created a basic guide.
Single bed: one European pillow plus one standard pillow or two standard pillows. One or two decorative cushions at the most.
Double/Queen bed: Two European pillows plus two to four standard pillows. A maximum of three decorative cushions.
King size bed: Three European pillows plus two to four standard pillows. A maximum of three decorative cushions.
Pillow arrangement
There are many ways to arrange pillows, some more formal than others. Decide whether you prefer the pillows to be the same on both sides of the bed or slightly different for an interesting twist.
A classic option for double and queen beds is to start with two European pillows at the back, followed by two standards on both sides and one large decorative cushion in the centre. Alternatively, you can have two decorative cushions that sit on either side or three layered across the middle.
Another option is two European pillows at the back with two standard pillows stacked on top of each other on one side and two standard pillows sitting one in front of each other on the opposite side to throw the symmetry off. Both of these work well on a king sized bed with an extra European pillow to fill in the gaps along the back.
For a king-sized bed, a clean and simple arrangement is to stack two standard pillows on each side and then stand one European pillow in front on both sides and a third European in the middle. European pillows are a must for any beautifully made bed as they add all important height.
The combinations really are endless so don’t be scared of your pillows. Have fun playing with different arrangements until you find the one that feels right.
Written by Dea Jolly. Republished with permission of Domain.com.au.