How ‘Love Island USA’ Made That Enormous Bed

It takes a villa.
Photo: Peacock

They say that one day in the villa is like one month in the real world, so while the islanders have moved on from the antics that transpired earlier this week, at Vulture HQ we’re still daydreaming about Love Island USA’s Big Bed. Where did it come from? Was it comfy? Will there ever be a bigger bed? These questions had us tossing and turning in our own bunks, so we went to the source: longtime Love Island USA production designer Richard Jensen, who graciously put our curiosities to rest.

Jensen revealed that BB was composed of 16 (!!!) queen-size mattresses fashioned together, resulting in the 26-by-21-foot behemoth that captured our hearts on Monday night. The bed came adorned with a custom-made fitted sheet, and atop it lay 12 super-king duvet inserts sewn together to create a specially made duvet cover. Was it the biggest bed ever made? Not quite — the Adventist Development and Relief Agency dared to dream even bigger in 2024 with a 107-by-64-foot colossus assembled in Chile that holds the record to this day. Biggest Bed’s aim was to raise awareness for children and teens who lack proper sleeping accommodations in the face of natural disasters, abuse, and poverty. The villa’s BB likewise took aim at a sobering modern plight: the trials and tribulations of the contemporary situationship.

So how’d the team pull off the massive mattress moment? Turns out the islanders like their beds the same way Kenzie likes her men: extra large and locally sourced. “We custom-made everything in Fiji with local upholstery and sewing companies,” says Jensen. As for assembly, a team of ten people built the bed and dressed the sheets in the 90 minutes the islanders spent getting ready for their sexy slow-motion pillow fight. While we’re not likely to see BB back in Paradise Cove or Casa Amor, her spirit lives on: “Most pieces are being recycled for other needs and challenges,” assures Jensen. BB’s time on the island was short but impactful, and she taught islanders and viewers alike a valuable lesson: Go big (bed) or go home.

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