DIY Upholstered Headboard Part 1

Upholstered headboards seem like the lap of luxury to me. Something my bed in the Hamptons would have. While there are plenty of gorgeous headboards out there, most cost a fortune. (I’m talking to you, Jonathan Adler). Little did I know that with a measly $100 (or less) I could make my own. Boo-ya.

My cheap bedroom make-over starts with an upholstered headboard with nailhead trim. Since my husband sleeps there too, I tried not to get too feminine with the color or design. He’s not a meathead or anything, but seriously...tufting is kind of girly. Our bedroom is slightly dark with taupe paint (Crown Point Sand by BM) and morning light filtered through the trees. To balance that darkness (and our black dresser), I decided to go with a medium color with some texture, settling on Waverly Circa in Aquamarine, on sale at Joann Fabrics for $14 a yard.

Cost Breakdown - $105

Fabric (Waverly Circa in Aquamarine) $40 (includes shipping and tax)

½ inch Plywood (60” long by 34” high) $17

½ foam $20

2 yard batting $3

Nailhead trim (Every fifth nail) $25 (freaking shipping cost as much as the nails!)

The guy at Lowes cut the headboard to size and gave me the leftover pieces, which we'll use as legs to attach the thing to our baseboard.

I cut the foam to size with pinking shears and spray glued it to the plywood. (The last piece of foam is missing here, so you can see the plywood).

Then I laid it, foam side down, on top of the batting on the table. Wrapped that neatly, like a present, over the plywood and stapled, using a staple gun and 1/2 inch staples.

Then I did the same with the fabric. Making a pigs ear of the folding, I'm sure.

Here is the finished product...well, almost finished. I still have to add the nailhead trim, add the legs, and hang it.

More to come soon. The nailhead trim is coming in the mail...