A split-view bedroom scene that clearly contrasts a pillowcase and a sham. On one side, show a soft, relaxed pillowcase made from block-printed cotton or linen.

Sham vs Pillowcase: 5 Styling Secrets Every USA Home Needs in 2025

Posted by Sneha Garg on

Ever wondered why your bed never looked like that beautiful bedspread on Pinterest or Instagram? It was the magic of the details, especially knowing the difference between pillow sham and pillowcase.

As a matter of fact, according to most of the top U.S. interior designers, it is the least noticed styling trick. According to designer Amber Lewis, the thing is that a well-dressed bed is not only about your sheets and comforter. It is the textures and the accents and the layers (pillowcase, pillow sham) that make it soulful.”

Finally, here is the answer that no one will give you: the reason why pillowcases and pillow shams cannot be used interchangeably, and how you can use them to make your bedroom look from blah to wow.

multiple pillows in both pillowcases and decorative pillow shams arranged neatly. The pillowcases are plain and functional, while the shams have elegant textures or patterns.

1. The difference between function and fashion: understand their purpose

So, to make it simple:

• Pillowcase: to be slept in. It is gentle, fluffy, and formulated for your skin and hair. The majority of the population likes cotton pillowcases or linen pillowcases, just to have that fresh, favorable feeling.

• Pillow Sham: You can consider this the outfit your pillow can wear in the day, so it is more about fashion than practicality. It brings up a bit of elegance, with frou-frou, prints, embroidery, or luxe texture.

Pillow covers are your match according to how much you love practical comfort. But to make a show-stopper bed display? A pair of pillow cases and a pillow sham will be required.

2. Design Difference That You Can See

Ever notice that other photographic images in magazines of styled beds make them look fluffier and richer? It is owing to the pillow shams.

• Pillow covers: bare slip-in type as a rule, concealed beneath shams or fanciful throws.

• Shams: Heavy decoration using borders, zippers, or flaps and heavy designs. They are available as square, rectangle, or oversized which are ideal to be layered.

featuring traditional Indian patterns in muted tones like indigo, ochre, or sage. It looks functional yet artisanal, placed behind the sleeping pillows.

When you are decorating a nook and cranny or even throwing a couple of pillow shams for couch, select block prints, velvet, or quilted to give it that added touch.

3. Texture & Material: It is Not Only How It Looks

Elle Decor conducted a 2024 design survey, which estimated that 78 percent of homeowners in the United States prefer to select pillows based on the fabric texture. That’s huge.

solid fabrics velvet or thick linen, placed in front of the bed stack.

Pillowcases: Comfort should be the priority. The best covers for are cotton pillow covers as well as linen pillowcases, which are breathable and soft.

• Shams: Emphasize style. Here reigns velvet, faux silk, or embroidered cotton, or even block-printed cloths.

Hint: You should mix both in case you desire your bed to be luxurious all year round. It is all about adding comfort to character.

decorative pillow sham with a structured look stunning.

4. Sizing & Placement: Where They Get to

A tip on pillowcase sizes and ways of laying both on your bed is as follows:

• Standard Pillowcase: 20 "x 26 "

• Queen- 20" x 30"

• King- 20 x 36

• Euro Sham Mattress 26 x 26 inch

How to style:

Put your sleeping pillows in pillowcases, top them with pillow shams to the front or back according to your style.

Want a professionally hotel-finished? Coordinate your shams to your curtains or tablerunners, giving you that high, sophisticated match.

5. Outdoor? Absolutely!

Make no mistake in thinking of your patio or nooks of the garden! Put attractive shams and covers on outdoor pillow covers on seats. And now they are not strictly indoor anymore, particularly when coupled with throws or cushions.

Lastly, Final with Fabdivine:

To be honest, it is the details that count. As with making your space your own little or personal sanctuary, we know how to do it literally.

Whether it's hand-designed pillow covers, curtains, or lampshades, beautiful table runners and cuddly throws, all our products created to bring comfort, creativity, and peace to your home. “ Decor does not always mean design. It is the way it makes you feel while walking into the room.” Nate Berkus, who is a celebrity interior designer

When you want to renew your master bedroom, or comfort a guest room, or when you want decor for your outdoor lounge, then begin with the basics: your pillowcase and pillow sham to build upward, and Fabdivine will assist you. Find your new home decor dream on www.fabdivine.com

Since everything needs to feel as good as it looks, especially your home.

FAQ’s

Q1. Is a pillow sham the same as a pillowcase?

Not really, a pillowcase serves a purpose of convenience, being a case for a pillow individuals use in bed, and is most frequently created from smooth cloth-like materials that allow air circulation. A pillow sham, on the other hand, is a more formalized cover generally used to display the form and fashion of a bed with richer embroidered patterns and fabric feel. 

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