what is a bed sham

A bed sham is a decorative pillowcase that is used to add some aesthetic variety to the bedroom. Typically, bed shams are used on decorative pillows that are removed from the bed at night. Bed shams may also be called pillow shams. Other related terms that you might see include Euro sham, standard sham, or king sham. All three of these terms refer to distinct sizes of the same product that match the corresponding pillow size. Because they are designed purely for decorative use, bed shams are typically only embellished on the front side, while the back is made with solid fabric. Most bed shams are fastened at the back of the pillow using overlapping fabric, a hidden zipper, or buttons. Bed shams can be found in a wide variety of colors and styles, from simple solid color designs to modern, intricate designs. Bed shams can be used as pillowcases in some situations, although this is not what they are intended for. Most shams have some sort of decorative stitching, lace, or embellishment that may feel uncomfortable to lie on. Likewise, many bed shams should not be machine washed, so they are more difficult to keep clean.