11 Charming, Clever DIY Headboards

Now that I am officially done with mourning the loss of summer, it’s time to pick myself up and focus on the best thing about autumn. The perfect windows-open sleeping weather is here, at least in Cleveland. My constant desire to snuggle under a cozy blanket has me thinking a lot about beautiful beds and I’ve come to a conclusion: it’s hard to have a proper adult bedroom without a headboard.

Jamming your pillows right up to a plain wall just doesn’t seem quite as luxurious as the finishing touch of something to lean against while watching the Big Lebowski for the eleventy-third time. Sadly, this is my life!

My 100-year old apartment has tiny bedrooms and losing a few inches to a headboard means my glorious king bed won’t fit.

But, I’m determined to rectify this so I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite unconventional headboards that scoff at spatial and budgetary constraints. I’m skipping using room divider screens, palette wood, and reclaimed doors because they’re all over the interwebs.

11 Charming, Clever DIY Headboards 

My favorite is always the classic upholstered headboard with linen bedding. Do it on a budget by upholstering a large sheet of foam core

Work wallpaper into a strong vertical line by placing it to the ceiling, but not much wider than the bed. Your ceilings will look taller. There are a bunch of inexpensive removable wallpapers on the market right now. Or, you could starch a piece of fabric to the wall for the same look.

Spruce up a DIY palette bed with a ye olde wall map. You could work a palette as a headboard, but I’m a little tired of seeing them. Is that just me? Probably.

Wallpaper or stencils can be applied to mimic a traditionally shaped headboard, but without the price tag or commitment to power tools.

Go big with height and width and install reclaimed ceiling tiles right to the wall. Make sure the edges aren’t sharp! You could always frame around the edges with strips of 1x to ensure nothing snags. Bonus points for a regal pet.

Keeping the reclaimed building materials theme going, how sweet is this mantel turned headboard? It’s a great alternative where there isn’t the width for bedside tables.

In a nod to traditional tapestry hangings, a dowel rod and a favorite fabric will pull the eye up and lend an extra layer of softness.

So will a rug. A RUG! I’m doing this in my next guest bedroom.

 Can’t find a proper headboard to fit under a high window sill? Use floor or seat cushions!

I’m obsessed with the idea of framing cork or peg board as a headboard.

And last (and most definitely not least), just paint a headboard right on the wall. Bravo to this designer for having the guts to do it in black chalkboard paint. Just use a chalk marker so you don’t get the dust of normal chalk.

And there you have it, a bunch of well-put together beds that will make you feel like a proper adult.  Just remember to Treat Yo Self and invest in quality sheets to make your slumber that much more luxurious.

P.S. 11 ways to make your home feel happier + more like you