The very first pillows were likely just heaps of moss or grass in our ancestors' cozy caves. However, even the more recognizable fabric-stuffed pillow reaches far back into history. Wealthy Greeks slept with their heads and feet resting on ornately embroidered cushions. Ancient Egyptians, who believed the head to be the seat of life, not only spent heavily on lavish pillows for themselves, they also placed them in the tombs of their honored dead. The Chinese thought soft pillows robbed the body of its vitality and therefore made their pillows from wood, leather or even ceramic.

Today, our cushy lifestyles demand comfortable and beautiful pillows of all shapes and sizes. If you want to impress your friends and family, throw out a few of these definitions at your next holiday gathering. Everyone will be impressed... or, they'll all just ignore you like they always do.

You know what bedding is? It's frosting for your bed frame. Think about it – plain old cake layers just popped out of the cake pans certainly resemble your mattress and box spring without any of their bedding. Lay down a little fabric frosting... and boring becomes beautiful. Bedding has many parts and any part can be made by you. Starting from the ground up, you have: bed skirts or dust ruffles, sheets, pillowcases, blankets, bed spreads, comforters, duvets, shams and blanket throws. Pick one piece or create an entire coordinated set.

Your bedroom. It's your true "personal space." The place you start and end each day. In fact, you spend about a third of your life there. It should be a calming, comfortable place that relaxes you and makes you feel sheltered and safe. The colors you choose for your bedroom are crucial to creating this mood.