Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More »
I don't think I ever had an actual bed with a headboard when I was in my twenties. It was usually a cheap metal frame and a box spring and mattress from 1-800-US-MATTRESS. I had grand plans to mount old shingles or a wrought iron garden gate to the wall someday, but lacked the objects and the skills!
Finally, when I turned 30, I realized I had a bunch of pairs of shoes in my closet that I wore maybe once a year that cost more than the bed I wanted from Crate and Barrel that I would use about 350 nights a year. Upon this stunning realization, I reached into my ridiculously overpriced handbag and finally ordered up a "real bed."
The following are a mix of some beautiful "real beds" with traditional headboards, and a slew of creative ideas for headboard replacements.
I love creative headboards! Here is a headboard we created for a client using old teak doors from Bali. Each of these doors is a single piece of teak. Side tables also from reclaimed teak.
I recently hung a wooden sign from Waterman's Lobsters in Maine as a headboard in our Maine cottage. A great look for a cottage that looks out at lobster boats on a lobstering Maine island.
Um BECKY here, I was trying to figure out how I wrote that comment directly above this one without ANY recollection of it, then found out later it was my mother - I had signed into Houzz when I was at her Houzz and never signed out! I knew all of that stuff was true, but it didn't seem like something I would write like that in my own ideabook :) Here is the sign of which my online doppelganger speaks:
In other weird commenting news between my mother and I, I keep telling the commenter with Mariette in her username "hey, my middle name is Mariette" when I see that her name is Mariette. Well, lo and behold, the Mariette on Houzz is the one who ditched "Mariette" onto me and took her maiden name as her middle name. Namely, my mother, who already knew that my middle name was Mariette because she picked it. ;)
Great ideabook Becky, I wish I was so creative :-)
Maybe Kit Pollard can post an ideabook about the upholstered headboards. She is really good with DIY projects...
This headboard was made from some re-purposed Shoji screens. The paper windows were removed and fabric and batting were added instead for a padded look. Any fabric would work and it can easily be changed if your decor changes.
These are brilliant! Thank you so much for adding pictures! I have a dumb question for Sunny - what exactly are these "shims" - what are they repurposed from? They are GORGEOUS, and I love the variety in color. And also, do you have any pictures that are closer up of the Shoji screen headboard? I'd love to see exactly what that is for future DIY projects.
Sorry for the late reply Becky, wood shims are used in construction for leveling when dealing with irregular surfaces (like window framing, or installing cabinetry). They are very thin wedge shaped pieces of wood. They are sold in bunches at home improvement stores (Home Depot, Lowes, etc.) I don't have any close up pics but can try to get some, the screens are made from the Shoji frames (rice paper removed) then I cut a toile print fabric to fit and used a staple gun to staple the fabric and 1.5 inch thick batting to the back for the "poofyness" I wanted once it was mounted to the wall.
This question is for Sunny......I love the headboard you made out of wood shims and I want to make one for my sons room. I just wanted to know how you made it. Did you glue them to a piece of wood or on the wall?
I suggest posting your question with a picture of the headboard in question to the Buzz board so that there may be more of a chance of Sunny seeing your question - this ideabook is kind of old and I don't know if it will be seen!
