November 07, 2019

How to Style Your Bed with Pillow Shams

When it comes to designing a beautiful bedroom your love, you should always start with the bed. It is a bedroom, after all! 
As the main focal point in your bedroom, you bed sets the tone for the rest of your room design. While you’ll of course want to consider the design of your bed frame and headboard, one of the easiest ways to update and style your bedroom is with pillow shams and accent pillows.
These small but mighty touches can have a dramatic effect on the overall look of your master bedroom. So it’s worth taking some time to consider your bedding design, and find a style of pillow layering that really makes your space pop.
Need help getting started? Let’s take a look at some of our top tips and design guides for working with pillow shams and accent pillows.
Find the Size That’s Right for You
Not all decorative pillows and pillows shams are created equal. In fact, there are actually three different standard sizes of shams: Queen, King, and Euro. 
A queen size pillow runs 20”x30”, a king runs 20”x36”, and a Euro is a square 27”x27”. All of these can serve beautifully in a design, so choosing the size that’s right for you is a matter of personal preference and understanding what works best for your bed and the look you’re envisioning.  
Consider Your Headboard and Mattress Size
Before you get to work playing around with different pillow arrangements, you’ll want to take your headboard into consideration. Any statement headboard larger than 2 ft. off the mattress allows for lots of freedom when it comes to working with decorative pillows. However, if your headboard in under 2ft. tall, you’ll want to be careful not to stack pillows too high, as this can create a less-than-desirable look. Also, if you have an ornate metal headboard, make sure to keep you pillows low enough where they still allow some of the intricacies of the metal design to shine through. 
Of course, the size of your bed also plays a large role in decorative pillow design choices. The larger the bed, the most room for pillows!
Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment
The best part about designing and layering a bed is that it’s super easy to experiment. It takes but a minute to completely scrap one design and try another. Your best bet? Work out a few designs you think might look nice, purchase the corresponding pillows and luxury pillow shams, and spend the afternoon trying different options until you land on the one you love!
Pillow Arrangement Ideas
To help get you started, we’ve put together a few suggested arrangements that you can experiment with in your own home:
King Size Mattress & Frame
Option 1
Pillows Needed:
  • 4 king pillows
  • 3 euro pillows
  • 1 large bolster
How to Style:
Begin by resting two king pillows against your headboard, and place your three euro pillows next. Follow this with the remaining two king pillows. Center your bolster at the front, and you have a simple, beautiful look!
Option 2
Pillows Needed:
  • 2 king pillows
  • 3 euro pillows
  • 3 accent pillows
How to Style:
Place your king pillows against the headboard and put three euro pillows in front of them. Then take your accent pillows and place them at the front of your arrangement in a centered, staggered arrangement.  
Option 3
Pillows Needed:
  • 3 euro pillows
  • 2 king pillows
  • 2 standard pillows
  • 1 accent pillow
How to Style:
Place your euro pillows again the headboard, and then place your two king pillows in front of them. The standard pillows come next, followed by the accent pillow front and centre. This high-to-low arrangement is a classic look and will work with nearly any bedroom design!
Option 4
Pillows Needed:
  • 2 euro pillows
  • 4 king pillows
  • 1 bolster
How to Style:
Take your two euro pillows and place against the headboard with an equal amount of space between them and on either side. Place your king pillows next in two rows of two, one in front of the other, and put your bolster in the centre up front. 
Queen Size Mattress & Frame
Option 1
Pillows Needed:
  • 2 euro pillows
  • 4 standard pillows
  • 2 accent pillows
How to Style:
Begin with two standard pillows up against your headboard. Then center two euro pillows in front of them, followed by your two remaining standard pillows. Place your accent pillows at the forefront of the arrangement, either centred or offset slightly. 
Option 2
Pillows Needed:
  • 2 standard pillows
  • 2 euro pillows
  • 1 bolster
How to Style:
This classic arrangement is a must-try! Start with two standard pillows in the back, and then add two euro pillows and a bolster in front. Not only does this take but a few seconds to assemble, it always looks fantastic too!
Option 3
Pillows Needed:
  • 4 standard pillows
  • 1 bolster
How to Style:
Sometimes, simpler is better. Arrange your four standard pillows in two rows, one in front of the other. Use different shades of shams to give your pillows different looks. Add a bolster at the front for a touch of class.
Option 4
Pillows Needed:
  • 4 standard pillows
  • 2 accent pillows
How to Style:
Create a backrest by stacking your four standard pillows vertically. Center your accent pillows one in front of the other or angle them off each other for some added dimension, and lean them against the backrest you created. Having standard pillows laying vertically is a great option for those who like their pillows a little more sleep-ready.
As you can see, there is no shortage of ways you can style your bed with pillow shams. So experiment, have some fun, and find a design you love!
Looking for a set of 100% organic cotton luxury pillow shams? Look no further than the new line of White Terry Home Luxury Organic Shams. 
Written by Nicole Bernstein