Head of the bed
Upholstered headboards
A staple gun and a trip to the lumber yard can help you make a big impact. Create your very own bespoke piece by wrapping some plywood with batting and stapling fabric into place. Try an ornate shape like this one, or go for tufted elegance — the options are limitless.
Woodworking (for headboard shape), by Wm Perry Studios. Fabric, at Designer Fabrics. Duvet cover and shams, at Pottery Barn. Sheets and pillowcases, at BlissLiving Home. Lamp, side table, knit basket, at Ikea. Delicate Lace wall colour by Behr Premium Plus Ultra.
Found Objects
You can make a headboard out of anything. Here, a discarded door finds new life with some fresh paint and a little trim.
Chelsea Papers wallpaper in Petal Stripe wallpaper, by Farrow & Ball. Door paint, James White and Lamp Room Grey, by Farrow & Ball. Quilt, at Anthropologie. Lavender sheets, at HomeSense. Embroidered sheets, at Blissliving Home. Lamp, at Ikea.
The two-dimensional approach
The illusion of a headboard can have as much impact as the real thing. Wallpaper, cut to size and given a decorative edge, is a modern stand-in.
Wallpaper, by Barbara Hulanicki, at Graham and Brown. Lamp, at HomeSense. Duvet cover and shams, at West Elm. Silk shams, at Blissliving Home.
Sofa beds
A corner offers the perfect opportunity to create a cozy sofa bed. Padded plywood panels on both walls create a look that's both inviting and original.
Paint, Moroccan Henna, by Behr Premium Plus Ultra. Duvet cover and shams, at Blissliving Home. Printed pillowcases, at HomeSense. Cushion, at Pier 1 Imports. Side table, at Ikea. Canvas colour, Divine Pleasure, by Behr Premium Plus Ultra.
Un-headboards
Create a serene niche with flowing floor-to-ceiling sheers and a decorative picture frame hung above the bed.
Frame, at Ikea. Cream sheets and duvet cover, at West Elm. Side table, at Urban Barn. Frames, blanket and rug, at Ikea. Lamp and bedskirt, at HomeSense.
