How to Arrange Throw Pillows on a Bed
Wondering the best queen bed pillow arrangement? I'm showing you how I arrange throw pillows on a queen-sized bed today with plenty of pictures and a helpful layering technique.
It's time for some more pillow talk!
We already discussed how to arrange throw pillows on a couch, but we have yet to dive deep into the world of bedroom pillows.
Well that day has come, my friend!
There are a couple questions you should be asking yourself as you read through this post.
First, are you someone who is typically drawn to a lot of pillows for maximum fluff and comfort or are you more of a pillow minimalist.
Second, you should ask yourself… is this a room you use daily or just for guests?
This one is important because if you like the look of a lot of pillows, but you don't want the hassle of throwing them on and off the bed each night, you may opt for a simpler combo.
Third, how much are you willing to spend to pillowify your bed?
If it's that time in your life when you are ready to get a quality pillow game going, you may want to opt for a few really nice pillows.
If you know you want as many pillows as possible, you may want to look at less expensive options to get the most out of your pocket of change.
Whatever your answers are to these questions, consider them as you decide which formula is right for you.
As always, if you have any questions, you can drop a comment on this post at the end or contact me through direct message on the ole' Instagram.
If you're stuck on rugs, I did a whole post on rug placement in a bedroom too!
Jump to…
Laying the Foundation
In the world of making the bed, there is an element of layering you want to consider in your pillow quest.
My preferred option 
The first layer is always your foundation.
Beds are obviously not just to look pretty. They get used!
So the foundation level of all your layering is definitely to set up the standard sleep pillow section.
Now you have some choices here.
You could choose four standard pillows laying flat.
Or they could be propped up.
You could choose two standard pillows laying flat.
Or two propped up.
Whatever your preferred choice, this is your first decision in the throw pillow arrangement.
My preferred option is four standard pillows, with two different colored and/or patterned pillow cases, laying flat.
If you choose four standard pillows, you could also make them all the same color and pattern, too.
I'll share more about color and patterns in a later section.
Layer One
The next decision is how you want to setup layer one.
2- 24″ square pillows (My preferred option) 2 – 22″ square pillows
Once you've decided whether or not you want two or four standard pillows for your foundation, you can move into the size you want for layer one.
My recommendation is to choose two square pillows in size 26 inches, 24 inches, or 22 inches.
What you see above is two 24 inch pinstripe pillows on the left and two 22 inch checkered patterned pillows on the right.
This is all personal preference.
For me, two 24 inch or 26 inch look the best.
As for pattern and color, it really depends on the rooms overall color scheme and the bedding colors.
Again, check out the later section below for more color and pattern help.
Layer Two
Layer two is the last must-have layer.
The rest of the layer options will vary depending on your personal preferences.
1 – 22″ Square pillow 2 – 22″ Square pillows
After layer one, it's time to decide if this is the end of the pillow road for you or if you want to keep the party goin'.
If this is it, you'll want to choose either one 22 inch square pillow or one 20 inch square pillow.
You can get away with the 20 inch square pillow better if layer one used a 24 inch set verses a 26 inch set.
If you chose 26 inch pillows for layer one, you'll want at least a 22 inch square pillow, maybe even a 24 inch square if you're feeling saucy.
My personal preference is 24 inch square pillows for layer one and one 22 inch square pillow for layer two.
I share the formula below, but notice I've brought in the color of the curtains in with this layer of pillows.
Layer Three and/or Four
If you decided to keep the party goin', you'll be on to layer three and possibly even a layer four.
Layer three will exist if you ended up using two pillows in layer two.
If you want three layers to be the maximum, you can decide between adding one lumbar pillow (12 inch by 24 inch is shown above on the left).
Or adding one 18 inch or 20 inch square pillow (18 inch shown above in the middle).
Or adding two 18 inch or 20 inch square pillows (two 20 inch shown above on the right).
If you end up going with the two 18 inch or 20 inch square pillows, you can add in one more layer, if desired.
Your choice is typically a lumbar pillow in any size (a 12 inch by 24 inch lumbar shown on the left and a 12 inch by 16 inch on the right).
Formulas Using the Layering Techniques
Let's put it all together!
Here are the different options after all the layering…
Option One (My Preferred Formula)
Foundation: Four standard pillows
Layer One: Two 24 (or 26) inch square pillows
Layer Two: One 22 inch square pillow
Each one of these options will have a two standard pillow option as well.
Below is what that would look like.
Again, my preference is four standard pillows in two shades laying flat as you saw above.
Option Two
Foundation: Two or four standard pillows
Layer One: Two 22 (or 24) inch square pillows
Layer Two: One lumbar any size (14 inch by 22 inch and 12 inch x 24 inch lumbar pillows shown above)
or
Layer Two: One 18 (or 20) inch square pillow
Option Three
Foundation: Two or four standard pillows
Layer One: Two 24 (or 26) inch square pillows
Layer Two: Two 22 (or 24) inch square pillows
Layer Three: One lumbar (12 inch by 24 inch shown above)
or
Layer Three: One 18 (or 20) inch square pillow
Option Four
Foundation: Two or four standard pillows in different colors or patterns
Layer One: Two 24 (or 26) inch square pillows
Layer Two: Two 22 (or 24) inch square pillows
Layer Three: Two 18 (or 20) inch square pillows
Layer Four (Optional): One lumbar pillow any size
Throw Pillow Colors and Patterns
Colors and pattern choices is all about the room, but here are some of my guidelines.
For the foundation level, my guideline is two-fold.
If I have patterned pillow cases, I keep all four the same.
If I have more neutral or subtle patterned pillow cases, I make each layer different.
For layer one, I tend to lean more towards subtle patterns.
However, if you're going to choose a bold pattern, layer one is usually the best place to do it.
Side note, if patterns and color totally stump you, you'll have to grab the Decorator's Playbook.
I go into depth on choosing colors and patterns plus I give you an easy to use formula for narrowing down your own preferences.
Either in layer one or layer two, you want to bring in your accent color for the room.
My accent color for this room is a deep olive green.
You definitely don't want all neutral colors on your bed unless your entire room is neutrals.
Even then, you'll want to jazz it up with varying pattern shapes and sizes.
You can read more on how to mix and match patterns to get a better feel.
In my pillow pictures in this post, notice that I alternate… subtle pattern, bold color with pattern, bold pattern one color, and if there is a fourth layer, a neutral.
Frequently Asked Questions
As you can see in this post, the minimum amount of throw pillows is three and the maximum is around seven.
At minimum, you want a foundation layer of standard sleeping pillows, a layer of larger throw pillows, and a second layer of throw pillows slightly smaller. Variations of more layer options are above in this post.
Colors should correspond with the color choices for your room, including the main color, secondary color/neutral, and accent color. For patterns, alternate each layer with subtle or bold pattern types in varying sizes. You can learn more about how to do this effectively in The Decorator's Playbook.
This again depends on the aesthetic of your room, but I would suggest sticking with cotton, linen, wool, and/or fabrics that speak to you for the style of the room.
Shop the Pillows & Guest Bedroom
Disclaimer: This post does include affiliate links for your convenience. This is at NO additional cost to you but earns me a small commission. To read more, check out our disclosure policy. As an
Most of the pillows you see in the pictures in this post are from Home Goods, but I did search for similar ones and linked them in the picture blocks below.
I also included my favorite pillow inserts below if you end up finding a pillow cover that works best for your bedroom.
(click on any of the images to shop the products)
I had no idea it was such a pillow minefield! My question is though, what do you do when the cats have claimed any or all of them lol! There’s never enough!
😂 lucky for me I don’t have cats, but they’re smart creatures. Talk it out with them lol
What a great informative article! Throw pillows are a grown woman’s stuffed animals, am I right? So helpful to have this to make them look like they all belong. And not like we have an addiction! LOL
Haha!! Totally!! Couldn’t have said it better myself!!
I really enjoyed this post! I’m an option one gal.
Pillowify – love that word Christin! You have so many ideas about how to arrange the pillows! Pinned to my decorating tips board!
I love pillows on the bed. I have European in a tan..
And standard in a toile. Then I layer smaller pillows and finish with a long round pillow in grain sack with lace edges.
Great post.
I love the way beds look layered with pillows, but don’t have any on mine! I hate taking them off and on lol. I’m so lazy. One day I will heed your tips here!
I PREFER THE LAY DOWN OPTIO TOO. WE HAVE A MATCHING SHAM WITH A LARGER ONE SHOWING PLUS 2 SMALLER DECORATIVEONES. ONE IS HAVE MADE BY MY DAUGHTER. GREAT POST.
I love the beautiful way you have styled your pillows here!
Very helpful! I’m a minimalist most everywhere else, but when it comes to pillows … maximalism! Sometimes it’s out of control and I appreciate all your ideas for arranging, xo
I bought a body pillow and put a plain white pillow case on it. Then I purchase fabric panels with scenery I liked. I Velcro them onto the pillow according to the season. I have my quilt and matching white shams and then just the body pillow. I like simple. But pretty.
What a fun and creative idea! Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks for your helpful tips! I love the picture above your bed. Where did you get it?
Hi Sheila!! Thank you so much! I got the print at Collection Prints and the frame through Frame it Easy. I have it all linked directly here: https://myhomierhome.com/modern-vintage-bedroom-reveal/#shoptheroom Let me know if you have any other questions! 🙂