DIY Headboard

I am so excited to share this project! I thought about doing my very own DIY Headboard in our Master Bedroom years ago but I wanted to wait until we moved. So, this summer I was ready to get after it. A few weeks ago I hung some craft paper up over my naked bed and let it sit for a week or so. I traced a shape I thought I would like and wanted to live with it  for a while. I never even took a picture of this stage but here is the sad, sad room before. Note the “filing cabinet nightstand”, 10 year old mismatched lamps and the “foot board shin deathtrap”…

I made a few changes to the craft paper template, cut it out then handed it to my husband. The next step included talking my husband into building the frame and cutting the wood for me. He is a night owl so these things magically happened late at night after I was asleep. I actually woke up one morning to a finished headboard. Yes I’m very lucky, I know :) He used plywood for the main shape and used 2×4’s for the frame and the legs.

For the upholstery part I used 1″ Foam, 5 yards of quilt batting, an old sheet and 5 yards of upholstery fabric. First I had to adhere the foam to the headboard. I only put foam on the plywood part of the headboard, not the legs. I had to use two foam panels and spray adhesive directly on the plywood.

I waited about 30 minutes or so to make sure the spray adhesive was dry. Then I trimmed around the headboard.

I did a little research before I started and I learned that many people suggested this next step. I was originally going to layer the foam then the batting then the upholstery fabric. But the tip I found over and over was to add muslin or another layer of fabric between to achieve “total smoothness”. I took it as a sign so I went with it. I’m really glad I did, I totally see what everyone was talking about. Fabric on fabric is easier to smooth out than fabric on batting. I used an old king sized sheet and put that on the floor first then I laid my batting down.

I used 5 yards of batting and cut it in half.

Make sure the sheet is pretty flat (I didn’t iron it but I should have). Then I started the fun part… stapling! My main tip is on the first side just make sure to smooth it as you go but you don’t have to pull, then on the opposite sides you have to pull really tight. I started on one side then did the top, other side and bottom last. I didn’t trim the excess fabric until I was done because in a few spots I had to remove staples and redo them.

After I went all the way around, the corners had some puckering. This is when I took out a few staples and redid them. This is also why it’s important to add the extra fabric layer because the batting catches the fabric a little.

Tada. Layer one done. I didn’t add batting to the end of the legs because we screwed the legs into the bed frame.

Here it is from the back.

THIS. FABRIC. I could die! It’s my most favorite fabric in the universe. It’s so me, made up of my very favorite colors and it makes me so happy. I saw it long ago on a chair. Then months later I started seeing it on DIY projects.  I knew this was the fabric I wanted to stare at every night and every morning. It’s called Santa Maria Desert Flower by Waverly. They now sell it online and at Hobby Lobby. Ironically you can even get a headboard (in a very similar shape) in the same fabric from Land of Nod. Unfortunately my dream fabric is only 54″ wide so I was going to have to sew a couple of seams.

I thought about doing one seam right down the middle but I am not the best at matching patterns so I decided on two side seams. Honestly this was the hardest part of the project for me. I ironed my fabric then placed it right sides together. I kept checking for accuracy making sure the pattern lined up just right.  I had to redo one side  3 or 4 times but on the other side the heavens parted and it looked perfect!

I made this fabric long enough to fully cover the legs.

I used the same technique for stapling. For the corners I stapled one side to the edge, then the other side to the edge then just pulled the fabric up to form a point and pulled it down right in the middle of the two sides and stapled. Once again, we screwed the legs to the bed frame really late at night so I didn’t take any pictures.

I have to say this is by far one of my favorite DIY Projects! I love the way it turned out. Isn’t it great when you picture something in your head and it turns out even better than you imagined? How cool that I get to sleep here :)

I ordered this bedspread almost a year ago and have been patiently waiting to put it on my new pretty bed. I made a triangle quilt pillow too because it can’t go totally pillowless. I found these amazing lamps from JC Penny. I told my husband I feel so grown up having matching nightstands and lamps, it’s the little things right?

Here is the other side. I love this dresser, we just got it from Overstock. My mom made the tree and that’s my Barrel Chair Makeover. Down the road I would love to have this one wall covered floor to ceiling with pictures and art.

I didn’t take a before picture of the previous fan but imagine it white, gold and very very squeaky… much improved! We also want to tear the carpet out one day.

There is it, my favorite piece. Do you have something you have made that you just adore like me?