How to Arrange Euro Shams


Bridget: There’s one thing about Casey’s master bedroom photos that always caught my attention. Her bed’s pillows.

 

I would look at my bed (left) and then look at photos of her bed (right) and always ask myself, “how does she do that?! How do her pillows always look so full, perky, gorgeous, and so grown up?”. I never thought mine looked bad, I just knew hers looked a lot more professional and far more jaw-dropping when compared to my less dramatic, more droopy combo. Hers looked like they belonged in a magazine while mine looked like average, everyday Joe’s pillows.

I never really thought to ask her about it though, I guess I never figured there was a concrete answer on getting her “pillow look”. Boy, was I wrong!! I should have asked A LONG time ago because she had a very simple solution that has totally changed my pillow routine …. and the WHOLE look of my bedroom.

The secret ingredient? Casey… please spill the beans!

Casey:ย Girl, you’re making me blush over here. So happy you like my pillow look. My big secret? I use Euro sized decorative pillows!euro shams hiding sleeping pillows

Instead of the standard size (20×26), a Euro sham is a big square pillow at 26×26. I personally prefer the look of the Euro because it’s just so much fuller and fluffier.ย I like them because they hide my sleeping pillows (the non-decorative ones I actually use at night) and keep them tucked nicely behind the 2 big white Euro shams.

Once Bridget got on the Euro bandwagon, we decided to play around until we found a look that worked for her bedroom.ย euro shams add height to a bed

pillows

Because she doesn’t have a headboard (instead she has that gorgeous white planked wall), we decided to add some height to the back of her bed with the Euro pillows.

pillow sequenceeuro shams

So we started with the big ol’ Euro pillows.ย add sleeping pillows

And then added her “sleeping pillows.” Unlike my boring white ones, hers are preppy and adorable with the stripes. So there really is no need to hide them behind the Euros since they add some personality and dimension.ย decorative pillows

Next up, 2 decorative pillows (with a slight karate chop in the middle) from HomeGoods.ย pillow arrangement

And to finish off this symmetrical look, a long textured pillow to bring both sides together. Boom. Now that’s a good looking bed.ย Pillow GIF

Here are a few things we learned from all of our pillow poufing…

Bedroom Pillow Tips:

  • 1 Euro sham for a twin bed. 2 Euro shams work for a Queen/Full sized bed. Go for 3 if you have a King.
  • You don’t need dozens of throw pillows to create a well-made bed (B actually has LESS pillows with her new look). But there’s no denying we both love decorative pillows (much to the dismay of our husbands), so we fill our beds with lots! You can choose to keep things simple with 5 or less pillows, if that fits your lifestyle.
  • Do not just go with the matching set that comes with your comforter! Instead, incorporate other colors, textures, and patterns into your pillow display.
  • If you want to use lots of decorative pillows, only choose a few colors so you don’t overwhelm the bed.
  • Per usual with decorating, odd numbers typically work best. So think 3’s, 5’s, or 7.
  • Don’t forget about storage. Where will you put all of your gorgeous pillows when you sleep at night? We line ours up on our window sill (works double duty as it keeps the cold out) and Bridget will tell you more about where she stores hers tomorrow (hint, hint…she has a new piece of furniture in her boudoir!)

beautiful euro shams arrangement

I must say, her new bedroom is looking very dreamy…so fresh and fluffy with the nautical preppy-ness she pulls off so well. Now all that’s left to do is test out her new poufy pillow look with a good ol’ fashioned cat nap. Sweet dreams friends.

Bridget&Casey


The Year of Casey

Hey there!

Iโ€™m Casey Finn, the voice behind The DIY Playbook. I’m a Chicago gal teaching you how to design, DIY, and maintain your home…by yourself! Learn more about me right here.