Hello, World.
When I was trying to make my dorm room feel a bit more grown up, I decided that I wanted a headboard. I found this headboard at PB Teen, but it was super expensive, and I wasn’t sure I would need the headboard for more than a year. But then I got to thinking, and I decided I could easily DIY the headboard. I’m not usually a big DIY person because I’m not particularly creative, but I figured this would be simple enough. My brother-in-law works building custom doors and furniture, and so I asked him to cut a piece of wood into the general shape I wanted. Then my sister and I did the rest. If you want to recreate the look, here is what you need:
Foam Padding/Backing for the stuffing, you can make the padding thicker or thinner depending on how much you layer it. I didn’t make my headboard overly thick since it is more for decoration. That said, it is still comfortable when I sit up and read or watch Netflix in bed. Second, you need a fabric of your choosing. I bought about 3 yards, which was plenty. I used a sturdy, almost canvas material. Third, you need a staple gun.
Steps for a DIY Headboard:
- Make sure the piece of wood you’re using is properly sanded (I left this to my brother-in-law because he’s much more talented than I am).
- Use either a strong adhesive or your staple gun to adhere the foam backing to the wood. Cut excess foam to fit the shape of the wood. Since my headboard is curved, I trimmed it as close as possible to the curve of the wood.
- Once the foam is adhered, lay fabric of your choosing on the ground, with the side you want as your headboard print face down, and put the wood/foam combo on it. Begin stapling the fabric from the bottom up to the curve. As you go, when you finish a side, cut excess fabric to make it easier to continue following the shape of the headboard.
- Once all sides are adhered, you can cut any extra fabric that is still left on the back.
- If you opt for the little studs, you can then begin punching them into the fabric. I decided I liked mine better plain.
Two things about this DIY: I love the white fabric, but because my walls are white, you couldn’t see the headboard well, so I put navy curtains behind my bed to sort of break it up a bit. Also, my dorm has the weird Triscuit walls that are basically burlap. I despise the wall, but I deal with it.
Do you want to make a DIY headboard for your dorm room?
Truly,
Callie leigh