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beekeeperswife_gw

Upholstered Headboard--Anyone make one?

beekeeperswife
13 years ago

Redoing my 20 year old's room. Not much time left, she will be back in a week. All the walls are primed, wish I could decide to go with a regal purple that doesn't look crazy, or a safe gray and use lots of purple in the bedding, and accessories...but anyway:

Currently there is a 4 poster hand made Amish Shaker Style Queen size bed in that room. Only because it can't go anywhere else. It used to be in the mbr but we have moved up to a KS a few years ago. Being so tall, storing it in the basement is NOT an option.

After looking at many many photos, I think an upholstered headboard will set the classy-glam look she wants. So rather than going out and spending mucho dinero on one, I've seen them being made on design shows. Anybody here ever do it? How hard?

(If you are in the Philadelphia CL viewing area, there may be a QS 4 Poster, custom bed up for sale soon.)

-Bee

PS--tile contest ends tomorrow

Comments (25)

  • tinam61
    13 years ago

    Search this board - Texas Hottie did an amazing job on hers!

    tina

  • graywings123
    13 years ago

    I bought an inexpensive one from Target on the internet. I doubt that I could have made it for less. And they deliver it much faster than stated on the website - they shipped it within three days and it came a few days later.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Target headboard

  • beekeeperswife
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    tina & graywings, Thanks! Through the power of Google Search I was able to find those threads with the directionsfrom Texashottie!

    Sounds expensive to make! Maybe I will look at some other options like purchasing! lol Target has a great selection! Then I stumbled on Urban Outfitters, and oh, so many more that aren't too bad. Now, I just have to sell off that handmade Amish bed.

  • Stacey Collins
    13 years ago

    We did this with my daughter's vintage 4-poster.... Are you considering adding one to the exiting bed, or ditching the bed and simply using a new upholstered headboard and plain frame?

    Either way it's basically the same. You take a piece of plywood (either cut to fit the existing headboard or the new shape) and cut some foam rubber to fit it.. I think we used 2" thick. It can be several smaller chunks pieced together. We may have used spray adhesive to glue the foam to the wood, I can't recall. Then you wrap the whole thing in quilt batting (we used a package of "baby quilt" stuff from JoAnn Fabrics) pulling it around the edges and stapling it to the back. This softens all the edges and you can control how square or rounded your edges are depending on how much tension you use pulling it around to the back. Then simply cover with the fabric of your choice :)

    You can add embellishments like tufted buttons (drill holes in the plywood in your desired grid pattern first) or trim, of course.

    Stacey

  • alisonn
    13 years ago

    Made my own cheap. The house we bought had some abandoned furniture and the bedroom set had an ugly, rectangular wooden headboard. I covered it with batting and then fabric (like I'm sure they show you on the tv shows). Came out great and only paid for the cost of the batting and fabric. Seriously, you could probably find a headboard to cover by the curb or in a thrift store for practically nothing.

  • bestyears
    13 years ago

    My girlfriend and I made headboards for our daughters. I had long wanted to do it, but thought it would be difficult. Not so, incredibly easy. The one thing I would say is that it is good to have two sets of hands for pulling and stapling the fabric over the batting and foam. Here are our pictures. I would be happy to email you our directions. Just email me at the link to my username here.


    http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/gg279/bestyears_album/Decorating/?action=view&current=DSCF8574.jpg

  • pjtexgirl
    13 years ago

    I was just about to post the same question :) My DS has gotten tall and needs a larger bed. I wanted a mounted,padded headboard so the size of the bed ate up less bedroom floor space. These are wonderful and oh so colorful! My son is 16 so I'll let him pick the fabric and will have some real help with the project.

  • laxsupermom
    13 years ago

    I've made 2, one for our master(which is ready for a decor change) and one for the guest room. They're really easy to do. The one in the master is tufted, the guest room one is not.

  • julies_kitchen
    13 years ago

    When you said you were going for a glam type look, I thought of this DIY headboard I saw a while ago. I think the wood frame around the outside adds a little something extra.

    Unfortunately, I can't find the blog it was on for the directions...

    If you're going for glam, though, those headboards at Urban Outfitters are pretty cool!

  • prill
    13 years ago

    No help on the headboard, but I think u should paint the room purple.

    What's the count on the tile vote?

  • marthaelena
    13 years ago

    I have been looking at many upholstered headboards and Crate and Barrel has a bed called Colette that is the nicest one I have seen (in person and online). It is $1,600. To make a long story short, you can find a very similar bed in URBAN HOME for only 599.

    I came accross to the linked site called copycatchic, which I do not know if the members of this forum know about it but just in case I am sharing it with you, it is pretty interesting to browse. You can select a store/brand name on the right and it will show many brand name pieces and similar options for a very low price. Scroll down to see the colette bed

    Here is a link that might be useful: copycatchic

  • RNmomof2 zone 5
    13 years ago

    I got a thick piece of foam off of ebay for not much money. Way cheaper and better quality then that from Joanns. We put it on a piece of plywood, covered it with a quilt batting, and wrapped the fabric. We put 3 buttons on it (king size) by stapling the foam down with the electric stapler. I then was able to run a heavy thread thru one of the staples and a covered button. We thought this may have been easier that drilling the holes and trying to get buttons lined up.

    Instead of having legs on the headboard, we attached a 2x2 to the top and bottom of the back of the headboard running the length. Then we attached another 2x2 to the studs above the bed. We then hung the headboard on the wood attached to the wall and screwed the two pieces together a few times.

    Sturdy and doesn't flex or move!

  • greatgollymolly
    13 years ago

    Here is a very pretty, yet easy one.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Centsational Girl blog

  • greatgollymolly
    13 years ago

    Here is a modern version.

    Here is a link that might be useful: headboard

  • arcy_gw
    13 years ago

    We have made a few. Not difficult nor expensive. It is all in the shopping and where you get your materials. Anyone with a staple gun can do this. Go for it!!

  • drybean
    13 years ago

    I made one for my 5 year old's room.

    Given that foam is so expensive, I bought two of the foam egg crate mattress covers and used those instead of buying foam from the fabric store. Much less expensive.

    I used a thick white linen-look fabric from Ikea and tufted it with button.

    I hung it on the wall with picture hangers.

    All told, it cost me about $70, including the fabric, wood, button cover kit, etc.

    I'll make my daughter's bed and take a picture.

  • nhb22
    13 years ago

    Here's one that I made for my daughter's college dorm. Sorry that I do not have a close-up of the headboard. It was really easy to make. I purchased the Toile from eBay, covered a plywood frame with batten, and stapled the fabric to the board. I then stapled intermittently and hot glued large black buttons to get the tufted look. The rest of the fabric was made into a duvet cover for an older comforter.

    {{!gwi}}

  • arlosmom
    13 years ago

    I can't help with the headboard question, but I recently painted our master bedroom purple and we LOVE it.

    Here is a link that might be useful: our purple bedroom

  • djsaw
    13 years ago

    Yes I am currently making one and it has been nothing but a pain in the big fat A. The part that is currently stumping me is the tufting and I am not strong enough to pull the button tight enough through the foam and when I staple the string to the back the staple doesn't hold.

    Here is a link that might be useful: The headboard I am trying to copy.

  • beekeeperswife
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    WOW!!! So many responses!

    I was all set to just buy one from Target for about $300, but maybe I can do it. I know Texashottie estimated hers cost $300 to make, because the costs really add up quickly.

    I'll have a chat tonight with dh about this.

    And, thanks to all for the Tile Giveaway votes! GW Rocks.

  • jlt37869
    13 years ago

    Last year, I was all set to make my own, but then opted to buy the Seville tufted headboard from Target. At that time it was 15% off, plus free shipping ,,, and I figured I couldn't make it for cheaper. Besides all the positive feedback/ratings on the headboard, it was pretty much exactly what I was looking for in terms of style (tufted and curved) and color. I am thrilled with the headboard, it exceeded my expectations.

    Good luck and let us know what you end up doing!!

  • jerseygirl_1
    13 years ago

    I found the most expensive item needed to make a headboard was the foam. I made mine similar to NHB only we drilled holes in the plywood for buttons. Once is was upholstered, we decided not to use buttons but they can always be added. If you decided on buttons, I know there is a fabric store at the Berlin Mart in NJ that covers them reasonably. I also found their price the best for foam which they can custom cut. I know it's out of the way for you. Try 4th Street in Phila for materials.

    This is our Guest BR. We used a very tweedy fabric. Please ignore how the bed is made in this picture.

  • nappyhairbigteeth
    13 years ago

    I bought a queen size, padded headboard (EE Headboard-in-a-box, Roll Top) from Amazon for $176.23 and I'm happy with it. Shipping is free. They make a few different styles and sell slipcovers that fit perfectly. I bought a slipcover in blue. You have to assemble the headboard. It's very heavy and nice-looking. One warning is that it's fairly tall, so it may not look right with a low bed.

  • cooperbailey
    13 years ago

    Oooh Bee- I am not too far away- give me a heads up before you post the four poster on CL!

  • young-gardener
    13 years ago

    Yes, I made a self supporting one several years ago because I knew I'd change my mind about placement in the room and fretted over holes in the wall. I'm afriad I don't remember the cost. I slipcovered it so it can be removed/washed/swapped out.
    Here are some photos:

    during

    part of the framing

    Foam: I used a mix. I bought a big sheet of 1 1?2 or 2 inch heavy duty batting. That didn't fill the whole board, so I used so leftover pieces I had and filled in the rest.....I know, cheap, but you can't tell!

    after