Duvet Covers & Shams

Duvet Covers & Shams

As the top layer of bedding on a warm, comfortable bed, the duvet cover and sham pair have an important role to play in terms of both function and style. With the right strategy, you can select the ideal Williams Sonoma duvet cover and pillow sham set for your home.

Size and Material

Two basic points to start with are the size and material of the duvet cover and shams you need. You can use filters to narrow down your options based on both mattress and pillow size. Our mattress sizes range from full through California king, and we offer both standard and Euro sham sizes. Euro shams are square in shape and require a special pillow, while standard shams are rectangular and can take a standard bed pillow.

You can also use fabric filters to narrow down your options and focus on a particular material to suit your texture and softness preferences. One important factor to keep in mind when you choose your duvet and sham material is that different fabric types may require different laundering and cleaning approaches. Some fabrics, like cotton percale or linen, may also be more prone to wrinkling. Read the Use & Care instructions in the product description for each duvet you consider so you can bring home bedding that suits your preferred laundering approach.

Color or Pattern

The duvet cover and shams you select for your master or guest bedroom should match with the general color scheme and decor of the other elements in the room, including your bedding. Consider the existing decor in the room. Do you have solid or patterned walls? While it can certainly be possible to successfully layer different prints and patterns in different parts of the room, it’s often best to choose patterns for either the walls or the bed. This helps create a sense of design harmony and makes it easier to foster a serene atmosphere for sleep. If you’re opting for a patterned duvet and sham set, consider the motifs and themes that might make most sense for your personal style and decorating preferences, and then factor color into your decision. Solid colors and pure white duvets and shams are often easiest to match with existing room decor, so this can be a good choice if you’re already happy with everything else you have going on decor wise in the space. Patterns, on the other hand, can be a good jumping-off point for a redecorating project.

Helpful Terminology

Understanding the specific vocabulary used to describe bedding can make it easier to choose the right duvet cover and sham set for your unique taste. Vocabulary that describes decorative texture, such as “pintuck” and “rouching,” indicates that the duvet cover in question has dimensional detailing created by stitching the fabric in a specific way. Jacquard bedding is similarly textured in a decorative manner, but in this case the decor is created by weaving in the fabric itself rather than how the duvet is constructed. “Sateen” and “percale” are both bedding terms used to describe the weave of cotton fabric. Sateen is heavier, with a slick, slightly shiny finish, while percale is matte, crisp and lightweight.

The duvet and sham combo is a nice way to tie your room together, but it’s not the only thing you need to make a cozy, stylish bed. To complete your bed setup, browse our selection of beds and headboards. The right furniture can match with the tone you want to achieve with your duvet and shams and create the perfect finish for any bedroom in your home.