Add Pillows
There are two types of pillows: those used for sleeping and those used for decorative purposes and sitting up in bed.
For a typical queen-size bed, you need a minimum of two sleeping pillows in your preferred level of firmness (or a single pillow for a twin bed). But many designers use more. “Typically, four for sleeping,” Mr. Dorsey said. “Maybe two medium, and then two very soft.”
Those pillows should be stuffed into pillowcases that have a similar feel to your sheets. “You can have two that match the sheets,” Ms. Spets said, “and then you can have two that have another color or something that makes it more interesting.”
Decorative pillows, which come in a range of shapes and sizes, can be added for color, pattern or texture.
Some designers, like Mr. Dorsey, prefer a minimalist approach. “Maybe just one decorative pillow, to finish it in the middle,” he said. “I think more than one gets kind of fussy.”
Josh Greene, a New York-based interior designer, also likes to use a single decorative pillow, in a very specific size. “I usually do a big lumbar, and my favorite size is 17-by-36,” he said, which is large enough to show off a patterned fabric. “You don’t want it so narrow that it looks like a noodle.”
Other designers prefer to use many more, even if that means making the bed is more laborious. A traditional way to style a bed is to pile on two large euro-square pillows, sleeping pillows and decorative pillows. The euro squares are typically placed against the headboard, standing up behind the sleeping pillows, Ms. Foley said, and then a cluster of throw pillows is added at the front. The euro squares should be in matching pillowcases, but the throw pillows can have different colors or patterns.
For decorative pillow inserts, firmer is better, Mr. Greene said. “I always buy extra-firm,” he said. “You want the shams to always look full and tight, because you’re only putting them on for decoration.”
Play With Color, Pattern and Texture
For the ultimate in simplicity, choose a single color for all of your bedding. Making everything white, for instance, can conjure the feeling of hotel-like freshness every time you slip into bed.
For a more personalized statement, try experimenting with color and pattern. If you stick to neutrals and pale colors, it’s easy to add decoration while creating a bedroom that still looks calming and restful.