If you are decorating a room for your business or searching for a more comfortable sleeping experience for your clients/guests, the right pillow is paramount. Bed pillows should fit the natural curve of the spine, prop up the head and you should offer different styles and sizes to clients and/or guests. They are key to a restful night’s sleep.

Decorative pillows are often placed on beds, sofas, chairs, benches and even on the floor. They come in different sizes, fabrics, colors and designs to enhance the beauty of any room and add the finishing touches to your room design. Throw pillows can easily be changed to reflect different seasons and to brighten the look of your rooms.

When choosing basic or throw pillows, you need to consider:

1. The size of the pillow: basic pillows come in standard, queen, king or European square; throw pillows generally come in breakfast, standard or neckroll pillows
2. The material of the pillow: down, feather, synthetic fillers, cotton or wool
3. The style of the pillow, with various fabrics, designs and colors

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose bed pillows that will provide support and comfort

The right pillows can help promote a good night's sleep and guests will wake rested and happy. There are many different sizes of pillows, as well as different types, such as down pillows, synthetic filler, feather, cotton, wool, and buckwheat hull pillows.

I recommend: Bed Bath & Beyond carries a full selection of pillows of different fillings and sizes. Sears also has a number of comfortable pillows of various sizes and material. Target is another retailer that offers a wide variety of bed pillows at affordable prices.

For maximum comfort, try a memory foam pillow

Memory foam responds to an individual's body heat and weight to minimize pressure points and provide excellent support. They are ergonomically designed to offer maximum comfort, and contour to the body's shape, no matter the sleeping position.

I recommend: Isoform Mattress offers a good selection of memory foam pillows. Amazon.com has a variety of memory foam pillows from top manufacturers, including Serta, HoMedics and Simmons. Healthy Back carries a comprehensive range of pillows for bad backs and for people in search of a restful sleep.

Throw pillows embellish any room

Add a decorative pillow on a bed, sofa or chaise lounge for an ornamental touch. Be sure to complement the décor of the room to maximize the effect.

I recommend: Pier 1 Imports offers a wide selection of different throw pillows in a variety of colors, styles and fabrics. Crate and Barrel also carries a number of attractive decorative pillows to fit any style. Pillow Decor sells more than 1,000 styles of decorative pillows in every color, shape, fabric and texture.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Mattress firmness impacts a pillow's performance. If the mattress is very firm you need a thicker pillow; if it is very soft, you need a thinner pillow.