An upholstered headboard can create a big impact in your bedroom space – but it doesn’t have to break the bank. In fact, making your own upholstered headboard on a small budget is an affordable way to anchor the room with unique colors, textures and patterns. Paired with other room décor touches, the headboard can be as much an accessory as a statement.

Headboards you buy at stores can cost as much as several thousand dollars, or more, but you can make them for a lot cheaper by hand. Now that I’m working on my second upholstered headboard, I’ve been doing some research on more current design trends that I plan to incorporate into my latest project. Here are some tips on what to consider as you plan your own upholstered headboard:

●      Sizing the fabric. The size will determine how much fabric you need and this is where most of the cost associated with this project is. You could probably find a decor fabric on clearance for at the least $5 a yard, on the other hand you also could spend as much as $100 a yard depending on the look you are trying to achieve and what your budget is.

●      Finding the right lumber. You will need basic lumber for this project – a large piece of plywood cut down to the size of your headboard and 2×4’s attached to the plywood to create a frame. The lumber should cost anywhere from $40-$150 depending on the size of headboard you are making. In my opinion, for a upholstered headboard the bigger the better. It’s a great piece to make a statement with as your focal point in the room and allows you to bring in color, texture and/or pattern to the space.

●      What kind of shape. Do you want something with clean straight lines or something with a nice curve detail to it? Generally speaking, the straighter the plan is the easier it will be to orchestrate when it comes to upholstery –  but it’s definitely doable to add some curvy details without a major headache. You might just need an extra hand.

●      Try some fun and funky details. One tidbit I learned in design school was that every idea is pretty much already taken, so it’s all about how you put your own spin on things that recreates the design all over again. There are all sorts of different details that you could add to your headboard – decorative nails, ribbon, buttons, or tufting (a technique where a cluster of threads are drawn tightly through upholstery to secure and strengthen the padding with a fabric covered button at the end).

For additional inspiration:

Design blogger Isabella & Max Rooms showcases a beautiful large, bold statement piece – in a Calico Corner ‘Bocce’ fabric –  that anchors the style for her bedroom. A headboard made out of small covered squares all hung together could be designed with solid color fabric – as done by designer Ann Wisniewski and featured on HGTV - or it could be created using multiple coordinating fabrics. And check out the possibilities with tufting (picture above) from the Addicted 2 Decorating blog.

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