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Annie Elliott Design, Washington DC

Annie Elliott Design

Greater Washington DC

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It’s Bedtime. What Happens to the Accent Pillows?

Annie Elliott | November 1, 2026

We’ve talked about pillows in the bedroom, Gentle Readers, so your beds are now PERFECTLY decorated with pillows ideal for your bed, space, and personality, correct?

SO! Where do you put those gorgeous pillows when it’s time to go to bed? We have a few options.

– On a bench at the foot of your bed. I mean, obviously. Narrow benches do exist if space is limited, as it is in my bedroom. Contemporary benches are generally smaller than traditional upholstered ones, so please don’t be afraid of putting something modern in a “traditional” bedroom. Spices things up :)

Woven and wooden bench
Design Within Reach, Moller Model 63A Bench, 15.75″ deep
Brown leather Vella Bench with upholstered legs
Design Within Reach again, Vella Bench, approx. 16″ deep

– In a lidded trunk or storage bench. Worth doing if untidiness makes your teeth itch.

Rattan wicker storage trunk with hinged lid
Rejuvenation
Navy blue upholstered tufted storage bench
Custom tufted storage bench in Galbraith + Paul fabric

– In an open basket. Granted, this may not fit ALL of your pillows if you have more than 2 or 3, but since I’m talking open top here, there could be some stacking.

Large round woven basket with handles
From Memoire Design, which used to be called Mainly Baskets Home
Large rectangular woven basket
Birch Lane

– In a storage bed. I always forget about storage beds! Pay attention to whether the drawers are at the foot or on the sides, of course.

Navy blue bed with storage drawer at foot
Room + Board

– On the bed when your S.O. is traveling. When John’s out of town, I push the pillows to his side of the bed and sleep mummy-style. Tilly, too. That’s how lazy I can be :)

– In a stack on a chair or any other piece of furniture in the room.

Person sitting in chair under tall stack of accent pillows
Hilarious, right? Les Soeurs Anglaises

If you don’t have any such furniture in your bedroom and space is severely limited, then yes, the pillows may have to go…

– On the floor. Avoid the dog bed. I know you don’t want to hear this (I’m looking at you, Mark!), but what else can you do? If your closet has an empty shelf (ha, ha), I suppose you could cram them up there, but I’m sorry: the floor has to be an option. Stack them, at least, preferably on a rug, preferably tucked away in a corner.

I hope this is helpful, Gentle Readers. Sleep well!

Annie Elliott Design works in the Washington, D.C. area and other fun places, such as Nantucket, Park City, Tahoe, and New York. We’re now scheduling projects for winter. Please contact us to discuss.

Category: Accessories, BedroomTag: accent pillows, accessories, bed pillows, decorative pillows, storage basket, storage bed

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