How to Make a Bed With Pillow Shams: Euro & Standard Sizes — 58 characters

Shams turn a neatly made bed into a finished-looking one. Without them, even smooth sheets and a plump duvet can look plain. With them, the bed has height, colour and a clear focal point.

What a Pillow Sham Actually Is

A pillow sham is a decorative cover that slips over a regular bed pillow. It is finished on all four sides, opens at the back, and usually has a flat fabric border called a flange around the edge. That border makes a sham look framed and intentional.

A sham is not the same as a pillowcase, even though both fit the same pillows. A pillowcase is a plain, open-ended sleeve made for sleeping, and you wash it often. A sham is made to be seen. It often matches the duvet cover, and it may use a heavier, quilted or embroidered fabric that would feel less comfortable against your face.

Most shams close at the back with an envelope overlap or a hidden zipper. Fig Linens and Home explains the sham and pillowcase difference in the same terms: a sham is a decorative case with an opening at the back, while a pillowcase is a three-sided sleeve made for sleeping. Shams are often sold as covers only, so check before you buy.

What You Need Before You Start

Gather everything first.

• Sheets and top layer: fitted sheet, flat sheet, and a duvet, comforter or quilt.
• Sleeping pillows in pillowcases: usually two for a twin or full, and two to four for a queen or king.
• Sham-covered pillows: Euro shams are the large square ones, standard shams match a standard pillow, and king shams match a king pillow.
• One accent pillow and a throw, optional: a small lumbar pillow for the front, and a throw folded across the foot of the bed.

Match the sham to the bed size: standard is 20 by 26 inches, queen is 20 by 30 inches, king is 20 by 36 inches, and Euro is usually 26 by 26 inches square. The flange adds width around the outside without changing the pillow size inside.

If a sham looks saggy, the insert is usually the problem. Use a plump pillow, or an insert one size larger than the sham.

How to Put a Sham on a Pillow Without Lumps

Putting a sham on badly leaves empty corners, a bunched middle and a twisted flange. A simple fold lets the pillow slide in without catching.

1. Fluff the pillow first. Shake it by opposite corners, then pat the fill toward the corners.
2. Find the back opening. Turn the sham inside out and open the envelope flaps wide.
3. Fold the pillow in half lengthwise, like a taco. Push one end in, working one corner into its matching corner first.
4. Push the second corner in, then let the pillow open up inside. Work each corner fully into place.
5. Smooth the front and check the flange. Shake the sham by the flange so the fill spreads evenly, then straighten the border on all four sides.

Aura Decor Living describes the same fold-and-slide method: fold the pillow slightly in half, slide it through the back opening one corner at a time, then smooth the front and shake the sham by the flange. Do not force a pillow that is too large into a sham, or leave a small pillow swimming in a large cover. Either way, the sham will slump when you stand it up.

How to Make a Bed With Pillow Shams, Step by Step

Work from the mattress outward. Sheets and the top layer come first, because pillows placed too early get in the way.

1. Start with a clean base. Put on a mattress protector if you use one, then a fitted sheet pulled taut at all four corners.
2. Add the flat sheet. Spread it evenly and fold the top edge down about 12 to 18 inches at the head of the bed.
3. Layer the duvet, comforter or quilt. Centre it so the drop is even on both sides, fluff it, and smooth it flat.
4. Place the sleeping pillows. Put them in pillowcases, fluff them, and stand them upright against the headboard, two across for a queen or king.
5. Stand Euro shams against the headboard, if you use them. Two fill a full or queen bed; three fill a king. They form the tall back row.
6. Stand the standard or king shams in front of the sleeping pillows. Line them up so their top edges are level, and let them just touch rather than overlap.
7. Add one accent pillow at the very front, if you want one. A lumbar pillow laid horizontally finishes the stack.
8. Finish the foot of the bed. Fold a throw into a band about 18 to 24 inches wide and lay it across the foot, then step back and straighten any sham that leans.

The order matters more than the number of pillows. Work back to front, largest to smallest, and tallest to shortest.

How Many Shams and What Size for Each Bed

The right number depends on bed width and how much time you want to spend removing pillows at night. Each extra sham is one more pillow to lift off before bed and put back in the morning.

For a queen, two standard shams look balanced, while two king shams would overhang. For a king, two king shams span the width neatly, and three Euro shams fill the back row. A twin needs only one sham. Keep the total to about six pillows, including sleeping pillows and shams.

How to Arrange Shams by Style

There is no single correct arrangement. The best one depends on whether you want a calm, simple bed or a fuller, hotel-style bed, and how much effort you want to spend each morning.

Simple and tidy

Stand the sleeping pillows against the headboard, then stand two matching standard shams directly in front of them. No Euro shams, no accent pillow. This takes under a minute.

Layered and hotel-like

Start with Euro shams against the headboard, then sleeping pillows, then standard shams, then a lumbar pillow at the very front. The sleeping pillows are partly hidden during the day, which is the hotel look. At night, lift the shams off, and the sleeping pillows are already in place.

Stacked and relaxed

Lay the sleeping pillows flat, stacked one on top of the other, then lay one or two shams flat on top. This suits a low bed or a bed without a headboard, where upright pillows keep sliding down.

Common Mistakes That Make Shams Look Flat or Messy

• Using a flat insert. A sham needs a plump pillow to hold its shape. Swap an old, thin insert for a firmer pillow.
• Leaving the corners empty. Push each pillow corner fully into the sham corner. Empty corners collapse when the pillow stands up.
• Mixing sizes in one row. A standard sham next to a king sham will never line up. Keep each row to one size.
• Putting shams behind the sleeping pillows. Shams belong in front, where they can be seen.
• Sleeping on a sham every night. The flange bunches under your head and the sham wears out faster. Lift shams off at night and use the pillowcase underneath instead. Our guide to how to sleep with a neck pillow covers the same idea for support pillows: the pillow you display and the pillow you sleep on do not have to be the same one.
• Overfilling the bed. If you have to move four pillows just to sit down, remove one layer.

What to Do With Shams at Night, and How to Wash Them

Shams are a daytime layer. At night, lift them off and set them on a bench or chair. Your sleeping pillows should already be underneath, in their pillowcases, ready to use.

If you need extra support while sleeping, keep that support pillow in its own case behind the shams during the day. The best sleeping position for neck pain guide explains how pillow height changes with back, side and stomach sleeping.

Remove the pillow before washing the sham. Most plain cotton, linen and percale shams wash in cold water on a gentle cycle and dry on low heat. Wash them every two to four weeks if they are removed at night, and weekly if they are slept on. Always check the care label first, because velvet, silk and embroidered shams often need gentler care.

For general pillow washing principles, see our guide to how to wash and clean a neck pillow safely. When you choose new bedding, the best dorm room bedding guide shows how sets, shams and pillow sizes are sold together.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you sleep on pillow shams?

Usually no. Shams are decorative covers for display during the day. Most people remove them at night and sleep on the pillows in pillowcases underneath.

Where do pillow shams go on a bed?

Shams go in front of the sleeping pillows, standing upright against the headboard. Work back to front, largest to smallest: Euro shams at the back, then standard or king shams, then a small accent pillow at the front.

How do you put a sham on a pillow?

Fluff the pillow, fold it in half lengthwise like a taco, and slide it through the back opening one corner at a time. Push each pillow corner into place, let the pillow open up inside, then smooth the front and shake the sham by the flange.

What size sham do I need?

Match the sham to the pillow inside it: standard is 20 by 26 inches, queen is 20 by 30 inches, king is 20 by 36 inches, and Euro is usually 26 by 26 inches square.

How many pillow shams should be on a bed?

One for a twin, two for a full or queen, and two king shams for a king, in a simple setup. A layered queen often has two Euro shams, two standard shams and one accent pillow.

How often should you wash pillow shams?

Every two to four weeks if they are removed at night, and weekly if they are slept on. Most plain cotton and linen shams wash in cold water on a gentle cycle. Always check the care label first.

Conclusion

Making a bed with pillow shams comes down to a clear order: sheets and top layer first, sleeping pillows in pillowcases at the back, then sham-covered pillows in front, largest to smallest. Fill the corners properly, keep each row to one size, and lift the shams off at night.