I never thought I could have a headboard – until I stumbled across an impossibly chic tufted headboard pillow, currently marked down to $106.99 on Wayfair.
You see, I live in a lofted apartment in NYC, which means my bed situation is… unconventional. It’s a standalone fixture suspended above my living space – not a true second floor (a girl can only dream), but a series of steps leading to a platform with just enough room for a mattress and a wall behind it. No bed frame. No headboard. Just air and drywall.
So I’d written off the idea entirely. Where would it even go? But what I do have room for is pillows. Which is why, the second I spotted this clever solution that’s both: a structured, upholstered pillow that aligns with current headboard trends and the support of a proper backrest, I added it to cart in a heartbeat.
WOWMAX’s headboard pillow solves the bedroom layout dilemma I’ve been stewing over for nearly five years of living with a lofted bed. It combines the tailored look of a button-tufted headboard with the comfort of an ergonomic pillow – a solution so simple, it’s almost embarrassing. Plus, it’s already been vetted by the masses, with a near-perfect 4.9-star rating to prove it.
Made up of two rectangular cushions sewn together, it forms a double-layered wedge that’s soft, sculptural, and supportive – ideal for reading, lounging, or, more often than not, scrolling. The color combo (moss green and chocolate brown) feels tailored but relaxed – as if it were styled by happy ‘accident.’
But the detail that really did me in was that second cushion, which doubles as a hidden ledge for stashing books, remotes, tissues, laptops – or, as the product listing charmingly notes, a cozy perch for your cat.
Functionally, this headboard is a design-forward workaround for small bedroom sleepers, like me – or for anyone looking to soften a guest bed or create a makeshift daybed with a bench and a wall. I’m also convinced it might heal my bad habit of hoarding throw pillows: I no longer need a pile of Euro shams to prop me up at night. Just this one.
If your bedroom has similar constraints (or even if it doesn’t), a headboard pillow might be the move. Below, a few more versions I’m eyeing for other corners of my apartment – because once you’ve lived with a headboard pillow, you kind of start seeing opportunities for them everywhere.
This is the wedge reading headboard pillow that started it all. WOWMAX’s simplest offering remains the most beloved, just ask the 2,000+ glowing reviews. It features the same tufted button design as the double-cushion version above, but with a more compact silhouette and cozy corduroy fabrication.
If you’re after something with a touch more polish, this floral-upholstered style delivers. It comes in five different sizes – from Twin to California King – and still includes that clever hidden pocket. They really did think of everything.
Tufted just like its sister but without the double-cushion construction, this is a more minimalist take on the already-elegant option above – with one major bonus: it’s machine washable, thanks to a removable cover. (The version above is spot-clean-only.) It also comes in a wider range of colorways, making it the more flexible pick overall.
Big-box retailers like Amazon and Wayfair are surprisingly great sources for clever, design-forward cushion solutions, like WOWMAX’s headboard pillow range. But if you’re still browsing, our Sleep Editor has a few more names to add to the list. See her guide to the best places to buy pillows.
