Get Creative in the Bedroom With These Easy DIY Headboard Ideas

A roll of masking tape, a level, and a three-inch paint roller are all you need to create a faux headboard that’s easy on the budget. Start by marking out the canvas area on the wall using the masking or painter's tape. Use the level to make sure your tape is accurately aligned. For a standard bed frame and mattress set, the height should be about 52 inches from the floor, and the width should be about 2 to 4 inches wider than the mattress. Freehand your design or use stencils or sponges along with coordinating paint colors to produce your masterpiece. Tip: use chalkboard paint to make your faux headboard a canvas for customizable chalk designs.

You don’t have to be an experienced carpenter to build a wood, wall-mounted headboard. A simple piece of plywood can quickly become a bedroom focal point. Stain it or whitewash it to enhance your decor colors. Using reclaimed barn wood adds a rustic touch to your bedroom and can be found at most home improvement stores. Repurpose wood shutters, pallets, doors, fence sections, or lattice sheets to create a design that is uniquely yours.

With the help of some drywall screws and spacers, a level, and a drill, you can mount pegboards on your wall to create a headboard that is artistic, inexpensive, and useful. Paint the pegboard in any color you choose or map out a geometrical design with painter’s tape to create a multi-colored mosaic pattern. The best part about using pegboard is the versatility it brings to your headboard: hooks, bins, and shelves are available that fasten to pegboard and can be used to add plants, lights, or a bit of organization to your bedroom.

If your goal is to fuse natural elements with your bedroom decor, you can’t go wrong with jute. This natural, planter-derived fiber is woven into threads to create a vast array of products from ropes to clothing to rugs. It’s extremely affordable and can usually be found at hobby stores in a variety of sizes and widths to cover an existing piece of wood. If you don't want to weave or create a jute headboard completely from scratch, piece together jute placemats, table runners, or hot pads to create a beautiful pattern.

Hand-knotted tapestries and accessories were everywhere in the 1970s, but the technique dates back to the Chinese and their knot-tied, ceremonial and decorative wall hangings in the third century. If you’ve never tried it, start with a few basic materials and learn the how-tos from online tutorials. Incorporate natural elements, and add beads and other trinkets into your macrame creation to construct a one-of-a-kind headboard. Yarn, available in a huge selection of colors and textures, is another great material for headboards. Twist strands of yarn together and braid them, or use singular pieces to wrap around a frame. Don’t be afraid to mix and match textures and colors. It’s sure to be a focal point of your bedroom.

To enhance the available light in your bedroom or to make it look larger, mirrored headboards are the answer. Mount 3 or 4 budget-friendly, framed mirrors behind your bed for an easy DIY version. Paint the frames in any color or add a design element using ribbon, tiles, beads, or other colorful accessories for an interesting effect. Use mirrored tiles for a reflective, geometric result. LED lighting strips around the edges or along the top add a soft, comforting ambiance at night.

Most people avoid putting their beds up against windows, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create your own window, complete with a view you prefer. Create a faux window by grouping craft store frames together. No need for real glass here. Add a curtain. Alternatively, try a shadow box with a solid-wood back, an opaque material or frosted glass on the front, and fill with string lights. Add a faux-stained glass front using an at-home acrylic-paint-and-glue technique. Or, try flexible mirror sheets made from plastic. Experiment with self-adhesive reflective chrome vinyl decal film for an intriguing mirror effect.

They may look complicated, but a tufted headboard isn’t a difficult project, and it can boost the glitz-and-glam factor in your bedroom. First, build the frame. Foam, batting, and buttons work together with the cover material to accomplish the tufting effect. The visible material type provides the overall vibe you’re seeking. Chenille, velvet, and polyester are soft, producing a comfy surface to lean against when you’re reading in bed. Fabrics with a tighter weave, like cotton and linen, are less soft, but they hold up well.

Wall panels can hold so much potential DIYers because the selection of colors, patterns, and textures to choose from are endless. From simple, lattice-inspired choices to intricate geometrical designs and realistic wood, brick, and stone textured tiles, you’ll find PVC decorating options that are compatible with any style. Plus, they’re waterproof and dent-resistant so they’ll hold up to daily wear-and-tear.

A DIY headboard doesn’t have to be rectangular. Consider ways to add curved lines to produce softness in your decor. When choosing design elements, consider geometric shapes and patterns to create a “wow” factor for your boudoir. Creating patterns with circles, crescents, ovals, squares, and triangles can add life and movement to the wall and space around your bed. Whether you’re planning a cut-out effect on a wood headboard or creating an intricate chevron pattern in colorful paints, each shape offers a unique personality.