Which headboard when my bed is against a brick wall in my new bedroom?

10 years ago

last modified: 10 years ago

I am moving into a new apartment and I want to get a new bed (I love my queen-sized mattress). The bedroom is an incredibly tight fit, because the bed will be blocking the door no matter what.

I currently have a dark cherry sleigh bed (not pictured), but I hate it -- I always stub my toes on it and hit my ankles, and it pushes the bed at least 7 inches away from the wall -- space I clearly don't have to spare here.

I am very tactily sensitive and I love to read in bed. Because of the brick, I'm pretty sure I need a headboard, so I'm not leaning against stone. I am considering a winged upholstered one, what do you guys think? (like this: http://img2-3.timeinc.net/ew/i/2013/03/27/MINDY-GRACE-BED.jpg). Any other suggestions?

Will it close in the room too much? I am also open to design tips, for window treatments, wall ideas (I don't think I'm allowed to paint). I am thinking about doing a curtain rod across the brick and having curtains on the sides of the room. Too weird?

I plan to put a cherry wood vanity on the opposing wall on the left side of the closet (see picture in comments), and I have a cherry wood night table that I can use, but I'm open to going another direction (and getting new furniture). I also have a huge chest of drawers (matching cherry) that I am thinking of putting where he has his tall dresser (next to the closet on the right side and against the brick), but I'm not sure if I need the storage; I also have a (matching cherry) lingerie chest that I could put there. (My old bedrooms have been "matchy matchy" and I'm ok going against that. But I can't paint the furniture -- it is too nice for that). I have two duvets that I alternate between: white with a green bamboo embrodery at the bottom and white with a gold embrodery thing on sections (I'm looking for links).

Help!!

NOTE: NONE OF THE FURNITURE (OR MESS) IN THE PICTURES IS MINE; IT IS ALL LEAVING.

Featured Answer

PRO

Interiors by Kelli

10 years ago

I would go for the upholstered heardboard - this one from Joss and Main is 8" deep which includes the "wing" - the depth of the actual headboard including padding is only about 3". Upholstery against that the brick wall will look terrific and will feel luxurious when you are leaning on it to read.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (45)

colonialgp
10 years ago
That bed looks like the bed in Barefoot in the Park. Are you sure a queen will fit in the room?
M
Original Author
10 years ago
He said that it's a queen; so mine should fit too.

Also, here is a picture of the corner where I plan to put my vanity:
Related Professionals
Bull Run Architects & Building Designers · Hockessin Architects & Building Designers · Universal City Architects & Building Designers · West Palm Beach Architects & Building Designers · Ocala Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Schenectady Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Toledo Furniture & Accessories · Fallbrook Furniture & Accessories · Columbus General Contractors · Geneva General Contractors · Jackson General Contractors · Los Alamitos General Contractors · Merritt Island General Contractors · Redding General Contractors · Travilah General Contractors
Nancy Travisinteriors
10 years ago
Yeah, you don't need a headboard. Just prop pillows on brick and add your sleep pillows to mix. Get nice bedding go a gray blue, will work with brick. Add accent color like teal, mix with gray and black. What if you move bed to run long ways on that brick wall. Keep in corner add long body pillows to back and add pillows propped up. Make it like a sofa, add round big bolster pillows to head. Put dresser on opposite wall. And add very small night stand next to head with small lamp add lamp to dresser. If wood or tile floors add area rug. Pick a color.
M thanked Nancy Travisinteriors
colonialgp
10 years ago
Looks like you will have to consolidate due to space. Think about sconces for bedside reading and a shelf for a night stand. A padded headboard would be nice, but will have to ultra thin so as not to take up precious inches You may have to forgo that and just use more pillows.

Once you move in, you will probably find you don't need all that furniture (think underbed storage instead). Curtains for your window will need to simple, just something for privacy, as too much fabric will swallow up space. Curtains on the brick wall, also not a good idea. Hanging art work will probably be a better solution.
M thanked colonialgp
lefty47
10 years ago
HI -- What ever you do in this bedroom , it will have to be very minimal in size . You should find a bed with under storage or drawers . Keep the window coverings very tailored , maybe blinds are better than drapes . For a head board , it should be as thin as possible with no flare outs or really thick padding . Some of your furniture pieces ,may have to be in the living room . What size is the room? Maybe work with a floor plan on some graph paper .
M thanked lefty47
M
Original Author
10 years ago
The problem with turning the bed is that it will put my head in the window/air conditioner (see the 4th picture, from the living room into the bedroom). So if I get a headboard that way, I will be blocking the AC and window, and if I don't, then my head and pillows will be in/on the window sill.
kimstofficksnyder
10 years ago
Why not put some sort of rustic raw pine behind the bed. Love the natural, organic feel of brick and wood may be a good choice to tie it in. Although the idea if throw pillows is a winner in my book too!
M thanked kimstofficksnyder
M
Original Author
10 years ago
Also, the closet is HUGE! So I'm less worried about storage under bed, though that is a thought. (The picture attached is just one side of the closet). So are you suggesting that I don't do either the big chest or the (much more narrow) lingerie chest?

PS In case I'm not sounding incredibly greatful for the suggestions, I AM!!!!
M
Original Author
10 years ago
Also: I plan on storing all the furniture I don't use a long with a bunch of other things, so there is no need to make everything fit. I am seriously cutting down on the amount of furniture in the rest of the apartment too... the previous renter had way too much furniture.
RosemaryR
10 years ago
Is that your furniture in the apt shown?
M
Original Author
10 years ago
@RosemaryR: Nope.
Debp
10 years ago
What if you turned your bed sideways as someone else mentioned but didn't tuck in in the corner? Leave it freestanding. Put some bright cushions on it and pretty art over it. Since you have lots of storage in the closet, you can minimize the other furniture you use. Maybe only the lingerie chest.

http://houzz.com/photos/43648
groveraxle
10 years ago
I would center the bed on the brick wall and make it the art in the room. Nothing else but pillows, a bedside table and lamp, and a thick flokati rug.
RosemaryR
10 years ago
Agree w/groveraxle, center bed on wall, let the bed and wall be the star. I think the headboard you want will give you even less room. If you really want a headboard, make your own with a piece of plywood, not so thick padding, cover in burlap that way you won't take up a lot of space and maybe the next place you move to will have the space for your desired one. Good luck in your new apt.
M
Original Author
10 years ago
I love the idea of putting the bed in the center of the wall, but I'm worried it will literally block the entrance/door and make it impossible to get in and out of the room without climbing over the bed. Thoughts?
Debp
10 years ago
Could you post a floor plan with measurements? I still think turning the bed sideways might work.
M
Original Author
10 years ago
Sure; I'll go search for the dimensions.

Though I'm not in love with the idea of a floating sideways bed... All my pillows will fall off when I sleep!
Nicole Lee
10 years ago
how about rather than an actual bed, just a headboard?

the bed may take up too much space especially if you're concerned with having space to get in and out of the door.
groveraxle
10 years ago
I didn't realize the space was that tight. Now I see the other pictures show how much the bed blocks the door. Looks like your only options are the current position, turning it 90 degrees, or getting a twin bed and putting it where the current bed is now.
M
Original Author
10 years ago
@groveraxle: exactly :-(, though a twin is not an option. Any thoughts on a headboard that will not be too heavy for the room or not block the window too much and look funny?
Debp
10 years ago
Would you have room to put the bed sideways and instead of a headboard put a low, long dresser against the head end of the bed with the drawers facing out. It would add storage, form a headboard of sorts and contain your pillows! Grasping at straws. Maybe make this room your office or living room and put you bed or a Murphy bed in the living room.
Debp
10 years ago
Check this out.
http://houzz.com/photos/3159095
Debp
10 years ago
And this....
http://houzz.com/photos/4027334
Debp
10 years ago
If you could find a queen bed frame where the footboard and headboard were almost the same height it wouldn't look bad. Lots of pillows against the wall during the day. Do you know anyone who could build you one?
PRO
amydutton Home
10 years ago
For what it's worth, I hear you about reading in bed. I would get (3) Euro (26 x 26) pillows and let them act as your headboard. That way you can push the bed as far back as possible but still read in bed comfortably. It's also a great look. You'll want a few accent pillows in front as well. I suggest blue / treys or greens in here - steer clear of reds, oranges & yellows. Cool room, have fun!
M thanked amydutton Home
Beth Wray
10 years ago
Just a thought about your furniture. I encourage you to use as little as possible in the room, as others have suggested. With a large closet you have storage covered. I have even put dressers inside large closets at times in order to free up space in the bedroom. While you're downsizing, get ruthless and get rid of anything that is not sentimental or that you absolutely love and just have to have. Sell or donate to Habitat Restore or some such place. I have a friend who put a lot of stuff in storage for two years and ended up getting rid of it all in the end anyway. She spent so much money storing stuff that she could have used instead to furnish a new apartment when she moved on!
M thanked Beth Wray
Beth Wray
10 years ago
P.S. If you do keep your cherry pieces, think about re-purposing them in other parts of the house instead of using them in the bedroom. Dressers can make great sideboards or entry tables, for example.
laurabutler28
10 years ago
Too much furniture is covering a beautiful feature wall!
M
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks everyone! This is so helpful!

Re: the cost of storage, I'm storing everything in my parents attic, so the cost of storage is not an issue.

What do people thing of this type of thing,making a little bed alcove on the corner?

http://houzz.com/photos/175522
Ty
10 years ago
Missarissa can you create a sliding door? Is this a one bedroom apt? I just removed a door from a closet and created a sliding barn door because when the door swung open it would hit the night stand. This way you can center the bed on that wall. I really like that idea.
M thanked Ty
Ty
10 years ago
oh, i do like the alcove idea also. it will open up the space in the room.
M thanked Ty
M
Original Author
10 years ago
@tsks: the door to the bedroom is a sliding door now, doublewide; I'm less worried about the door and more worried about blocking the entire opening with the bed
PRO
Sustainable Dwellings
10 years ago
If all of us could think back to "Barefoot in the Park", we would surely gain a lot of forgotten insight.
Ann
10 years ago
I would go the Murphy bed route and then center the unit. Just leave it up during the day. I would also take the doors off the closet and put up some soft flowing curtains in its place
Debp
10 years ago
How about something like this? It's queen sized.
M thanked Debp
shipmanjennifer
10 years ago
You could think about turning the bed so the head was against the wall with the ac unit. Do the alcove headboard idea with just that bit of wall to the left of the window and along the length of the brick wall. You would have to have a low bed so as not to crowd the window. Alternately a full or double bed in current bed's position with an upholstered headboard w/o wings tho. They'd look too heavy. Not sure if this would work but could u put the foot of the bed against the window wall? With a decent head board that looked good from the back u could avoid blocking the door. Not sure if it would crowd the closet too much tho....
M thanked shipmanjennifer
M
Original Author
10 years ago
@shipmanjennifer: Ooo interesting Idea re: the feet by the window, turned, with a headboard ... maybe even a three sided headboard, sort of like a daybed... that's a really interesting idea
M
Original Author
10 years ago
about the murphy beds... I have a fairly large living room/dining room/open concept kitchen, so I'm not sure I need to hide the bed -- that can be the bedroom's only function.
@debbie: Interesting idea with the daybed in the middle, with a queen
M
Original Author
10 years ago
Thinking about something like this, with the head at the wall with the window... this way, I'm not against the wall, and the headboard doesn't block the light, and it raises visual interest up, but also doesn't block the feature wall... what do people think? (possibly with a body pillow to be put against the brick when sleeping)

http://www.overstock.com/search?keywords=canopy+bed&SearchType=Header#Home-Garden/Quatrafoil-Queen-Canopy-Bed/6613777/product.html?recset=76775d60-f304-4fec-a621-ebcd6972b21a&refccid=GIVSLFXLCGRJY5KMUIDPK6NBZQ&recidx=3&recalg=61&searchidx=3
groveraxle
10 years ago
I would not have that much bed in that little room. I know the posts go up, not out, but it's going to overpower the space.
janett56
10 years ago
Could you take the closet doors off, then drape curtains all across that wall. Then would the bed fit by floating it with the head towards the closet wall? Use a simple headboard, but no footboard. Would you be able to walk around?
Brandi Nash Hicks
10 years ago
If you need bed space and not storage ,gut that closet and stick the headboard in there ,lots more room,with foot of bed towards window
Laura Whitfield
9 years ago
missarissa - you are so lucky to have a brick wall in your bedroom! it's right on trend w/ the whole rustic elegance movement, so I'd capitalize on it & show it off by clearing out all the other pieces, utilizing closet storage, center your bed & add a chandelier! (see photo)
Plus, instead of nightstands that will just take up your precious space, hang some floating "rustic" shelves on each side of the bed for books, candles, etc. Lucky girl w/ the brick wall!
Geneviève
7 years ago
about an old gate for headboard ?
1-27 East Bay boulevard · More Info