How to Best Arrange Pillows on a King Size Bed


We’ve had our new California king bed in our master bedroom for about a month now and all I can say is, “What took us so long?!”. Having so much room is heavenly. I truly feel like I’m in a hotel in that big bed and Finn and I each have so much extra space!

You guys were right, upgrading to a bigger bed is pretty life-changing!My best tips to arrange pillows on a king size bed

Because we upgraded to a king-sized bed, we needed all new bedding. I’ve only ever had a queen, so I was at a loss when it came to the new number of pillows needed as well as the best pillow sizes to create a cozy, cohesive look.

Our New Pillow Setup

How I arrange the pillows on our bed

Did I need euro shams? Did I just need king-size pillows or would my queen size pillows still work? How many decorative throw pillows should I display? I experimented with lots of combinations and arrangements in our room until I loved the overall look. Here’s what I came up with!

Start With King-Size Pillows

King pillows to our bed

First, I started with two king-size pillows on the bed. I ended up getting these pillows (king-sized, medium density) and I have the pillowcases from this sheet setย covering them.

It didn’t even occur to me that we would need to get bigger pillows with our bigger bed! But, it looks so much better with those larger pillows filling up the entire space. Standard pillows work for a queen, but with the larger width of a king bed, you need to go with king pillows.ย 

I’ve also heard rave reviews about the Coop pillow. These memory foam pillows can be customized for side sleepers, stomach sleepers or back sleepers, and allow you to add foam if you like a firm pillow, or take some away to fit the different needs of either side of the bed!

The body pillows also look fantastic and they have inserts for accent pillows as well!

Next, Three Euro Shams

three euro sized pillows

Next, I have three Euro-sized pillows in this sham. I wanted to bring in texture since we might not have our waffle blanket on the bed year-round. Before, I only had two Euro pillows on our queen sized bed; but with a king, you’ll want to go with three Euro pillows.

Two Decorative Pillows

Two decorative pillows

For my second layer, I used the same pillows I had on our old bed, which are two striped decorative pillows from Tonic Living. These are 20×20 and I probably could have even gone up to 22×22. I love the subtle stripe on these and I’ve had them for years!

Finally, A Decorative Lumbar PillowLumbar pillow

Finally, this room needed a bit of color so I added a vibrant lumbar pillow. I had this one custom-made locally and it’s 14×28. I probably could have even gone a tad bit bigger for this pillow since the bed is so big!How to arrange pillows on a bed

I’ve always been a fan of the large Euro pillows because I like that they add some height and hide the sleeping pillows. That’s always been my go-to look when making beds.

Other Ways to Arrange Pillows on a King-Sized Bed

I feel like there are no right or wrong ways to make a bed or pillow arrangement; so I hate to throw any “rules” out there. However, these guidelines helped me create a focal point on our bed:

  • A larger mattress size means more pillows.
  • It’s worth getting the right pillow size for your bed. There’s a difference in size when it comes to a twin bed, a queen sized bed or king/California king.
  • Different pillow sizes will add texture and interest in front of your decorative shams.
  • Remember these dos and don’ts for throw pillows.

More Pillow Arranging Inspiration

Let’s look at other inspiration for styling pillows on a king-sized bed.

Photo via Emily Henderson

Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp for Style by Emily Henderson

In the above photo from Emily Henderson, they just have four sleeping pillows and one long lumbar pillow in front. The use of king size pillows works with the scale of the bed and makes it look full and like it’s ready for the perfect nap! This looks simple, minimal, and effortless.

Studio McGee tips to style a king size bed

Photo via Studio McGee

This look from Studio McGee is another stunner. In the back row, they have four sleeping pillows that lay flat on the bed, then two Euro shams, a decorative pillow, and a lumbar pillow. The various sizes and different materials work to create this visually interesting and soft feel.

In the end, I think it all comes down to personal preference when it comes to the top of your bed. There are so many different ways to create a pillow arrangement. Bedrooms are our most important rooms and we want them to feel like a place we’re happy to come back to!

The Scoop on Our BeddingThe scoop on our new bedding

Most of the pieces are from Boll & Branch and I’m very impressed with the quality – I’d say these are the best pillows we own!

They’re definitely not cheap, but I do think nice bedding is a good place to splurge since you spend so many hours of your day in bed. I’d much rather spend money on a nice set of sheets, rather than a new pair of shoes, but that’s just me!our new bedding

I have this white sheet set on the bottom and then I add this cream bed blanket and fold it down. Finally, I add this white duvet, with this insert, to the bottom.

My sister always likes to lay out the duvet cover and then fold it back and it always reminds me of a hotel. I decided to try that here and I’m now a convert to her method! Our new bedding

It just looks so fluffy and inviting folded down like that. I used to always add a throw or quilt at the end of the bed, but I’m liking this look even more! I’m ready for a good night’s sleep here!

Our Bedroom – SourcesHow to arrange pillows on a king size bed

Wall Color: Benjamin Moore “Boothbay Gray” // Bamboo Shades // Rug Pad // Cream Bed // ย Wallpaper // Area Rug // Mattress //ย Gray Velvet Curtains // Curtain Rods (with European Gold Rub ‘n Buff) // White Duvet with Insert // Sheets // Cream Bed Blanket // Euro Shams // Benchย (similar) //ย Sheepskin Throw // ย Striped Pillows // Lumbar (custom) // ย Large White Vase // Planter on Nightstand (similar) // Marble Doorstop

What’s Next?

What's next for our bedroom makeover

The sconces finally arrived, so I have an electrician coming out to install those over the nightstands. It will be a few weeks until the new nightstands arrive, so I’ll just have to mark the wall to figure out the best placement for the sconces without the new furniture in place.

It’s also finally time to mount our Frame TV over on that far wall. Oh, and I found a new dresser from Restoration Hardware outlet. More details on that coming to the blog soon.

Casey

Catch Up on the Main Bedroom Makeover


The Year of Casey

Hey there!

Iโ€™m Casey Finn, the voice behind The DIY Playbook. I’m a Chicago gal teaching you how to design, DIY, and maintain your home…by yourself! Learn more about me right here.