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Make an Upholstered Headboard
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Upholster a headboard in a bold color or design to liven up a bedroom quickly. This comfy addition requires only a handful of materials, and the start-to-finish build time is around five hours. If you can stretch out some fabric and aren’t afraid of using a mallet to secure a nailhead trim, visit How to Make an Upholstered Headboard, where you’ll find a step-by-step guide and complete lists of tools and materials.
Construct a Spindle Headboard
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This design uses spare staircase parts for a customizable build that can be stained or painted. The construction takes nearly a day of precision-oriented work, but TOH general contractor Tom Silva will help you along. Visit How to Build a Spindle Headboard to watch the video and pick up a step-by-step guide.
Upcycle an Interior Door
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Subtly accessorize with old-school charm by repurposing an old wooden door. Though these sturdy oak, maple, chestnut and mahogany doors are typically too tall for a queen size bed, they can be cut from either end and fitted with a top of crown molding that makes for a handy display ledge. You’ll find step-by-step instructions and complete lists of tools and materials in How to Turn an Interior Door into a Headboard.
Turn Bifold Doors Into a Headboard
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Snugly sandwich your mattress between the handsome woodworking of paneled bifold doors. Purchasing prepackaged doors with hinges makes it easier to fashion both a headboard and footboard, which can be constructed in a day’s work. View How to Build a Headboard and Footboard from Bifold Doors for step-by-step instructions and complete lists of tools and materials.
Use a Headboard Decal
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Not sure of the best way to accentuate your bed just yet? Choose a headboard that sticks! Convincing wall decals mimics a wrought-iron headboard in both classic and intricate patterns, both available in a variety of colors. View these options and others at Traditional-Style Headboard Wall Decals.
Salvage and Repurpose a Mantel
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Rather than frame a fireplace, paint and upholster an old mantel to frame your bed! Choose a favorite fabric or small swatch of luxury upholstery to fill the mantel’s opening then paint to match. View step-by-step instructions at How to Make a Salvaged-Mantel Headboard.
Paint a Headboard on the Wall
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In love with your bedding? Customize your headboard to perfectly match and complement the colors and designs of the fabric. For more tips on this process, view How to Paint a Whimsical Headboard.
Upholster with a Drop Cloth
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From plain drop cloth to pretty headboard! A This Old House reader tried this idea and added detail with some tufting. Learn more about this project in Best Reader Reuse Ideas 2013. For a step-by-step instructions check out How to Upholster a Headboard (and make a few modifications).
Build a Shipping Pallet Headboard
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The rustic look can be achieved for the price of nails (if you salvage some pallet wood). Project designers created the floor-to-ceiling headboard in a couple days’ work, and finished the project with a wash of paint leftover from another project. See the full how-to and some other low-budget projects in Home Bloggers’ Crafty Ways to Save.