What a Sham!! Learning to Sleep in Style
Some people don’t really care what their bed décor looks like. If the sheets are clean and the bed doesn’t squeak, all is well! Then there are those people who love to have pretty or elegant touches, frilly or masculine designs, grey or lemon tones. To some, this could make all the difference in a good night’s sleep. Like clutter around the bedroom, décor can affect the way some people feel when they step into their bedroom or oasis.
New studies are suggesting that clutter in your room, messy and unmade beds and even awkward styling can all affect your quality of sleep. It is time to bring harmony into our rooms, starting with something simple and small: shams!
Shams are decorative pillows that you would throw onto the bed to raise the look along with other square, round, and tube-shaped cushions. Along with the bed skirt, which hides the metal frame if your mattress is set on one, these shams and cushions add that touch of elegance. At the very least you will have a neatly kept bed.
Let’s break it down to what some designers consider key elements to a well-groomed bedroom.
What’s Your Colour?
- When choosing bedding accessories, it would be eye pleasing if you were to consider the colours on your walls to match or complement them.
- If you have dark tones on your wall, a lighter colour on your bed covering would make your bed stand out in the room and once it’s all “dressed-up”, you will understand why! However, some love the monotone look so not to draw attention to the bed itself, but to the room as a whole.
- If you have light tones on your wall, some dark accents on your bedding would add a punch of colour – if that is what you are looking for.
- Remember, awkward colour patterns and motifs make your bedroom feel less welcoming and cozy. The ultimate goal is restfulness through style.
Shams, Square, Round and Boudoir Cushions
Shams are pillows that serve as a decorative layer on your bed. They are usually placed in front of the headboard and will typically match the duvet or quilt. As the name implies, they are not used to sleep on but are just for decoration, and to add dimension and texture. You will need to insert a size-appropriate pillow inside.
- Shams resemble pillowcases but they have flanges along the edges – some gathered edges and some are tailored.
- Shams typically come in three sizes: Euro or standard shams (20″ by 26″ approx.), king shams (20″ by 36″ approx.), and European shams (square, 26″ by 26″ approx. or larger).
- Different sized-shams can be layered to create more depth and volume.
Cushions are the decorative smaller ones which are often piled in front of your shams. Some sizes include squares that are 18, 20 or 24 inches. Certainly, they do come in larger sizes if you own a king-sized bed but the larger squares are not recommended for your queen or double. Usually, these cushions come pre-stuffed with a polyester fill or a sponge-like form.
Round, boudoir (small rectangular shape) and tube-shaped (similar to a neck roll) cushions are also available in a variety of sizes with colour match. There are packages of quilt or duvet sets which include a variety of perfectly matched shams, cushions, and bed skirts, but it’s always fun to add more layers with complementary colours. These also will come pre-filled or with a sponge form.
How to Pull It All Together
Once the bed is made and the quilt or duvet is placed back on the bed, follow these simple layering tips to create a great and professional-looking bed!
- Place the pillows you sleep on standing up against the headboard (some prefer to just put them in the closet until bedtime)
- In front of them, you would layer either the large square European shams or the Standard (or Euro) shams which are rectangular in shape – or both.
- Once you’ve created a wall of shams, get creative and place your various sized and shaped cushions in the same design or scattered at your will. Typically the last pillow is the smallest and placed up front and centre.
Below are illustrations on how you could layer your shams, pillows, and cushions for a Queen or King size bed.
Queen Bed Options
King Bed Options
Don’t forget that restfulness starts with your mattress and ends with a sham, one cannot simply live without the other. Start living and sleeping in style!
Angela, Your Sleep Expert