You can purchase shutter doors and use them side by side to
create your headboard. You can attach them right to the wall
and put your bed tight against them. They do this in hotels with their headboards. Then you can attach your sailboat metal art to them. You can either stain or paint the shutter doors.

Here is an example of using door for a headboard. I think the shutters would give you a cottage look although this would be a nice backdrop to the metal art that you have.

I would buy beautiful birch plywood and mount the boats to that.

Like this, only much taller. This even incorporates built in nightstands!

Shutters and paint sounds like possibilities. I appreciate your input!

Perhaps floating bookshelves

I have instructions for how to make a fabric covered headboard here http://nikkidesigns.ca/2010/06/making-an-upholstered-headboard.html

You could have a wood headboard and attach the sail boats to it.

The wood plank concepts from lalalander are great! You could also create a headboard that extends beyond the sides of the bed with a shadowbox effect around the wood planks to help frame the 3D art piece and also capture the outside edges of your nightstands.

Use a big picture frame minus the glass and voila!

A big wave decal

Brio, sort of along the lines of the photo I posted above? Bet a local cabinet maker could knock that out at a very reasonable price.

@pcmom1, sort of, but the center panel or panels could be recessed rather than flush with the face.

The big wave decalque would look wonderful.

Mark, I'm loving the big wave! How unique! I didn't know they made decals like that. I'll have to look online :)

I am really loving this site. People here are so generous with their time, ideas and expertise! A special thanks to all above!