25 Ideas for Headboards

​​​​​​An eye-catching rattan bed frame is the singular star of the bedroom. Sarah Sherman Samuel snapped the bedroom’s cactus prints herself, blew them up, and had them mounted using the online framing service framebridge.com.

This Palm Spring’s bedroom is dominated by two pieces by Oregon artists: a colorful oil hung as a diptych by Jay Backstrand, and a huge red-painted Joshua tree log turned into sculpture by artist Steve Shigley. Because Walters decided to turn the home’s former office into a closet, Cardella incorporated a workspace into the master bedroom, tucking a desk behind the headboard.

A formal headboard in the master bedroom didn’t fit with the home’s laid-back attitude, so interior designer Allison Bloom Bloom hung a vintage Hmong batik tapestry found on eBay instead.

This vintage bed frame is powder-coated cyan blue to stand out against the large-scale thistle wallcovering by Timorous Beasties. 

The bed barely fit in the small master bedroom, so homeowners Kyle and Lauren Zerbey opted to make the headboard look built-in and “designed.” Built by Kyle (the garage is his workshop, complete with a huge set of tools inherited from his grandfather), the horizontal shape of the headboard also makes the space feel larger visually. “It’s a focal point that doesn’t overwhelm the small space.”

Although Tyke O’Brien loved the Vivienne Westwood tartan wallpaper from Cole & Son, she knew she’d have to use it strategically to prevent it from being visually overwhelming. She hung it on the bed wall (eliminating the need for a headboard), and painted the rest of the room white and gray. White bedding doesn’t compete for attention.

No headboard’s needed when the wall’s made of reclaimed redwood panels. Classic bedding and clean lines make the Midcentury Waterfront Cabin at Oyster Beach outside of Eureka, CA inviting for the night. 

This low-tech bedroom is anchored by a wide, upholstered headboard to make reading in bed even more comfortable than lounging on the couch.

This inviting bed by deigner and blogger Sarah Sherman Samuel ties together the room thanks to its green upholstered headboard. 

Take a leaf from the Murphy bed book: Frame your bed with custom cubbies, forming in the process a headboard in reverse. This mix of open and closed storage lets you display what you want while stashing the rest. Painting the headboard zone in a neutral color keeps the whole thing from being overwhelming.

This “bedroom” is separated from the rest of the house only by a half-wall that also acts as a headboard. A rectangular recess on the wall’s bed side is a handy place for books and a carafe. This design is particularly good for loft dwellers and those who don’t need much privacy.

This bed’s backrest slides up to reveal storage. On the headboard, you push in on a hinged panel to access a similar space.

Using clip art we found online, we came up with the graphic for this custom headboard, then printed it on maple plywood. Side tables by Serena & Lily.

Made of Australian lacewood, this custom headboard includes a niche for storing treasures.

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Although interior designer Sheri Sheridan originally wanted a pricey tufted headboard, she instead bought four-packs of miniature Sorli mirror tiles from Ikea ($4.99) to create a glamorous high-end look.

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This mantle headboard was made with foam architectural trim from Fypon. It’s an affordable and lightweight alternative to wood.

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Originally a pocket door, this headboard got a dreamy update with bright white paint, decorative molding, and delicate sconces that cast a soft light.

Update your upholstered headboard with a pretty new fabric.

1. Have enough fabric to generously cover the front of your headboard and the back side about 5 inches in. Wrap the fabric over the top edge of headboard and secure with a staple in the center, about three inches in from the edge.

2. On the opposite edge, pull fabric taut and staple to secure. Repeat on remaining two sides, then staple all around the edges, pulling cloth tight. Stop 3 inches from corners.

3. Fold the fabric at one corner into a neat finish by tucking the excess underneath and smoothing the top down. Secure with three or four staples, keeping the folds flat and even. Repeat for each corner.

For kids’ changing tastes, inexpensive style is the way to go. The album headboard is made of plywood, plexiglass, and vintage album covers found at a recycled books store. 

The plexiglass face on the album headboard can easily be removed to change the album art or insert photos or fabric.

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This headboard, belonging to L.A. designer Kelly LaPlant, is a cast-off footboard from a tall client who preferred to stretch out while sleeping.

“I call this double reuse,” she says, since it was already from an antique bed frame.

A room divider covered in a gingko-patterned wall paper does double duty as a headboard. The master closet hides behind the wall.

Against a deep chocolate accent wall, this upholstered headboard is wrapped in a shimmery woven silk that’s soft to the touch. Pale blue bedding contrasts with the room’s rich browns.

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The key to decorating a small bedroom: Keep it simple and streamlined, with light colors and low-key accessories. Here, a piece of white fabric serves as a headboard.

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For the look of a fresh new headboard, simply drape a quilt or other favorite fabric over the head rail of a four-poster bed. Here, an Anatolian textile brings a pop of color and texture to a custom bed design from Brindisiamo in Sonoma, CA.

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