Creating a headboard from scratch

Faking a headboard is one of the most common projects undertaken in DIY home decor. Designer and consultant, Alana Daniel, half of the duo that is Concepts and Designs by Cali sat with WMN to share some tips as well as ideas from her own bedroom.

What you need:
• Plywood
• Foam
• Upholstery
• Adhesive glue
• Staple gun

First things first, measure the space behind your bed and decide how large you want your “headboard” to be. If you’re unable to source the plywood in the desired size or you aren’t capable of sizing it yourself, you may need to enlist the help of a carpenter. (Unless you’re good with power tools, keep the carpenter on hand for when you need to drill your masterpiece into the wall later on.) Somewhat less troublesome to resize, cut your foam to match the size of the plywood using a scissors or craft knife. The foam can be one to three inches thick, but definitely not thinner than an inch, as you would want your headboard to have some solidness to it, if it’s to sit above your bed to make a significant enough statement and to round off the look.

Spray the plywood with adhesive glue and fix the foam in place. To the back of the wood, use the staple gun to really fasten it in so that it stays firm on the edges.

If you’re really looking for a challenge and wish to achieve that cushion aesthetic, you can create a tufted headboard, which would require you to drill through the back of the plywood at the points at which you plan to attach your buttons later on. For the tufted look, you would need batting (the thick material used in quilts), which you would attach to the foam using adhesive glue spray.

Here’s the fun part: go wild picking out upholstery in your favourite colour or pattern. Choosing a neutral colour like grey that matches with everything can solve the issue of changing bed sheets and potential matching fiascos.

Alternatively, you can choose patterned fabric for the upholstery to maximise the matching possibilities.

“If you love colour,” Alana suggests, “use colourful fabric so the sheets will always match a colour on the upholstery. “And of course, when you’re buying your sheets, you keep your headboard in mind,” she advises.

There are options when it comes to mounting your headboard: You can drill holes into the wall to fasten it with nails, or if you’re renting or you aren’t allowed to break the walls, you can simply rest it in place or have a carpenter attach legs for it stand, like a small table. In addition to soft, cushiony headboards, mirrors or works of art can also have a similar effect.

“Some people use mirrors,” Alana explains, advising that, “I personally wouldn’t, as I wouldn’t want glass so close to my head.” Of course, it goes without saying that if you decide to go with the mirror option, that you ensure that it is fixed very sturdily in place to avoid any shattering or injury.

Alana shares a little bit of what her own “faked” headboard looks like. “Mine is made three pieces of artwork that make up one image; puzzle paintings are popular these days.” An elegant work of art or hanging sculpture whose hues correspond to the tones of the bedsheets (and advisedly, the rest of the room) can also make for a lovely headboard.

The designer encourages that if you’re going to embark on the project as a DIY undertaking, do ensure to use the Internet as a resource of inspiration. Suggesting Pinterest as one site where useful home decor ideas can be found, Alana admits that even she, as a professional designer and consultant, peeks at the page now and again to spark her own creativity.

Fake it