I didn’t think a headboard was possible for my lofted NYC bed – until I found this chic reading pillow for $100
This tufted headboard pillow reads like a built-in, supports like a backrest, and fits where most furniture can’t

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.
WOWMAX's dual-cushion design doubles as sneaky storage for your bedside essentials.
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.
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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.
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.
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