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Decorate Your Bed with a Denali Pillow Sham

Complement your Denali bedspread and spruce up your bedroom decor with a Denali Pillow Sham. These eye-catching pillow covers come in several vibrant colors. Made from luxurious Microplush fabric, they’re durable and long-lasting. 

What is a Pillow Sham? 

Though they’re sometimes confused with pillowcases, pillow shams are a bit different. While a pillowcase is intended to protect the pillow and keep it clean, a pillow sham is used to hide the pillow behind a more decorative cover. The name “pillow sham” actually comes from the 1700s when people began using removable pillow covers to make pillows seem nicer than they actually were. Thus, these “trick pillows” eventually became known as “pillow shams” over time.

Pillow shams are decorator items that help you spruce up your bed and make it more attractive. For that reason, pillow shams are made with a thicker fabric than pillowcases. Our Denali Microplush fabric is considerably thicker than a cotton or linen pillowcase. Pillow shams also tend to be made of more vibrantly colored fabrics. For instance, Denali’s pillow shams come in a rich barn red, as well as dark chocolate, black, taupe and spruce green. Such stunning colors are what make pillow shams such great decorator items. 

Pillow Sham vs Case 

Pillowcases are intended to protect your pillow from potential stains and odors, including makeup, sweat and accidental spills. Such cases open at one end, and you slip the pillow inside the case. There is generally nothing to close up on a pillowcase. For instance, most pillowcases don’t have zippers, buttons, or snaps. 

Pillowcases tend to be made from the same fabric as the sheets that they come with, including the same colors and patterns. They are generally not ornate, but more functional in nature. However, some higher-end pillowcases may feature embroidery, or a coordinating color or pattern displayed on the cuffs. 

Given that their express function is to decorate the bed and room, pillow shams are highly decorative. They tend to open in the back, so that you can slide the filler pillow inside the back and display the front of the pillow sham. Some pillow shams have hidden closures or buttons or zippers to keep them closed. 

Pillow shams usually augment other items on the bed, including the bedspread. Their color and design may also complement other fabrics in the room, such as furniture coverings and draperies. Some pillow shams are also decorated with trim or special designs that add to the overall look. 

Most pillow shams fit a standard sized pillow, but there are oversized shams for larger pillows and undersized pillow sham versions for smaller pillows. For instance, you’ll find king shams and Euro shams, as well. 

Can You Sleep on a Pillow Sham? 

Usually, you sleep on a pillowcase rather than a pillow sham. That doesn’t mean, though, that you can’t use a sham for sleeping. Just keep in mind that shams tend to feature thicker fabric and may not be as comfortable as a pillow with a pillowcase. Denali pillow shams, however, are quite comfortable. Many people find that shams are also useful to use as a comfortable backrest when you sit up in bed. When you’re sleeping, you can remove the pillow shams from the bed or use them to prop up your sleeping pillow. 

It is easy to clean pillow shams. Most are machine washable. You simply slip the pillow out of the sham and wash it. This makes pillow shams more useful and easier to clean than other decorative items, such as throw pillows. 

Quickly Style Your Bed and Bedroom with Denali Pillow Shams 

Denali pillow shams make an easy decorative statement on your bed. Add shams to your bed and enjoy elevated design options. Use our colorful plush shams to hide your bed pillows and create depth and height to the head of the bed. Denali pillow shams match the colors and fabrics of our bedspreads. This creates a cohesive, classic look for your bed and bedroom.