Pierce & Ward via Pinterest
Hey there —
I can’t be the only one who sleeps with a ridiculous amount of pillows. Currently: three. One behind my head, one to actually lay on, and one optional to tuck between my legs if needed. My husband is equally unreasonable — three pillows, one of which is a full body pillow.
So here’s the issue — I cannot make a flattering bed with all the pillows. They don’t fit. They don’t look right. And I refuse to be the person whose bedroom floor is just a graveyard of throw pillows every morning.
Where do they go?
I went looking. Here’s what I found — the best, the easiest and honestly the prettiest bedroom storage options for hiding your excess pillows, blankets and everything else your bedroom has quietly accumulated.
Upholstered Benches
This one is genuinely the easiest answer and there’s a beautiful variety on the market right now. An upholstered bench at the foot of the bed solves the pillow problem, adds softness and texture to the room and completes the bed visually in a way that a basket simply doesn’t.
I particularly love this option if you have a wood or metal bed — the upholstered bench adds the softness the frame is missing and grounds the whole room. All the options below have a flip-top lid for what I deem ‘throw-in-ability’: you’re making the bed, you grab the excess pillows, you lift the lid and throw them in. Done.
What to look for: soft-close hinges so the lid doesn’t slam, a lid that stays open on its own so you’re not holding it with one hand while loading with the other, a chic drawer and a width that works proportionally with your bed size (end-of-bed sizing guide below).
1 . lulu and georia | 2 . perigold* | 3. target*
*more colors available
I’m not one to choose a dupe due to quality and very importantly, scale. But sometimes when you’re on a budget, there’s just not another option. And ooooo-weeee, Quince has a pretty stellar dupe for #1 here. Now while I can’t speak to the comparison of quality, they are actually the same size!
Can we take a second for that Perigold bench? I love it. So many benches are a top lid and I love that this is a drawer. Not to mention the mixed materials with the solid wood base and clean lines? It’s cool, sophisticated and comes in multiple colors. I’m a fan.
4. crate and barrel* | 5. shoppe amber interiors| 6. cb2
That Crate and Barrel, while not a showstopper is incredibly versatile. Not to mention the color and material range they offer on this lady is expansive. Don’t sleep on this one, while she may be simple, she’s clean and gets the job done while looking good doing it. …and you can go a little more fun/expressive on your bed with a more simple silhouette at the foot.
Wooden + Woven Chests
This is a fun one. Sometimes, the bedroom is the room where we often don’t get to play as much with second hand finds, antiques or vintage pieces because of the textile, upholstery or high traffic aspect. But a wooden chest? There’s so many great options out there that can infuse some history or dare I say…romance to your decor? Who knows what that chest circa the 1700s has seen… Okay, but in all seriousness, bedrooms can often feel so NEW. I love infusing some character and old charm where I can, and this is definitely a great place to do so. Let’s first explore some vintage finds, then we’ll go into what you can buy off the shelf today if these don’t tickle your fancy:
I’m in love with these options, particularly that 16th century French chest (#12). Oof. The intricacy of that carving is gorgeous. Thinking about how many hours went into that piece makes this chest so incredibly stunning and special. I obviously have a soft spot for craftsmanship and this one does not disappoint. I also love the simplicity of the #8 chest. It’s so clean and will work in so many different locations. What I think I love most about these pieces, it looks like you traveled the world to bring this into your home. It feels deserving and thoughtful, and that’s why I love a room with some antique pieces.
One thing to note is that all of these chests are at least 50″ wide to fit at the end of queen or king bed for a primary bedroom. While some may be a tad more generous in width, they’ll all fit at the end of a king sized bed. And be patient…the dimension cheat sheet can be found at the end of this post!
Another tip if you’re hunting for a second hand piece — check facebook marketplace and OfferUp. There are always treasures to be found on there and I love the idea of letting a piece live on longer than even the original owner intended. Yes for the ultimate sustainable shopping option!
And now some a tad more budget friendly and newer options:
13. perigold* | 14. crate and barrel | 15. allmodern
Love all 3 of these. They all have their personalities but still feel sharp, modern and versatile. Personally, I’m impressed and loving the shape of that crate&barrel option. I love that it feels a bit more sculptural and almost surprising that does actually have storage capabilities.
Now, remember that old wicker chest sitting at the base of your mom’s bed in the 80’s or 90’s? Yes, what old is new and I have found some beautiful options in the woven category that don’t look remotely as 90s as what you recall. These read as considered and intentional rather than nostalgic in the wrong way.
16. pottery barn | 17. perigold | 18. ikea
Did this change your mind? I do love that these add a nubby dose of texture to a room that you may not otherwise get if there’s no additional room for baskets. My biggest gripe, they don’t read as a perching post like one of the other options may be. I’d be a little anxious sitting on one of these woven options, even if the label said it could hold my weight.
Baskets
I love me a good basket. They tuck into corners beautifully, give rooms a dose of texture and natural material that most bedrooms desperately need, and they hide things so easily. Throw whatever in, drape a blanket over the side and you have an effortlessly styled corner that looks like you thought about it.
The key for pillow storage specifically: look for lids, taller heights or wider sizes that can actually accommodate a full-size pillow. And if you can buy in multiple sizes and stagger them — a tall basket flanked by a shorter one in the same material — you create a moment rather than just a storage solution.
First, a few off-the-beaten path finds — the ones that make people ask where you were in the world when you snagged it:
19. goodee | 20. the citizenry | 21. lorena canals | 22. sunny home | 23. sunny home| 24. the citizenry
And a few accessible picks — because these are too gorgeous to miss:
25. serena & lily| 26. ferm living| 27. rejuvenation| 28. lulu and georgia | 29. serena & lily | 30. lulu and georgia
Now, you’re probably looking at some of these options and thinking, ‘but, some of them don’t have lids…so I’m not really hiding my pillows.’ True dat. However, think of this as your easy, breezy styling moment. You have those basic pillows peeking out of this gorgeous basket, drape a nice throw tucked ever so slightly into the basket and poof! A styling moment that looks like you live in a magazine. It doesn’t need to be perfect y’all. Just keep it effortless and it’ll feel so welcoming when you walk into your sanctuary in the evening to finish out your day.
The end-of-bed size guide — so your proportions don’t get wonky
Before you fall in love with something and order it, measure. We’ve all been there — the piece arrives and it’s either dwarfed by the bed or so large it looks like it belongs in a different room entirely.
A quick guide:
One more thing: don’t be afraid of a storage piece you love that’s slightly narrower or wider than the formula suggests. There are always ways to make a piece work through placement, styling and what you put on either side of it. The formula is a guide, not a rule.
Do you have any creative solutions for pillow and blanket storage? Shout out in the comments — I mean it. If someone has cracked this better than I have I genuinely want to know.
Until I babble again,
Carli
p.s. Looking for more recommendations? Head on over to pinterest where I’ve pinned a slew of other options to help find the best fit for you.
Check them out here!
