Create a sense of luxury and comfort in your home with classic head boards made from natural fabrics.
Linen headboard
Make a simple padded headboard and cover it with a soft linen fabric.
You will need
• 1 420 x 620 x 75mm piece of high-density foam
• 1 420 x 610 x 18mm piece of chipboard
• 180 x 100cm medium-weight linen in a natural colour
• 135 x 55cm bull denim in a natural colour
• matching-coloured sewing thread
• staple gun and staples
• two 1 100 x 450 x 22mm pine strips (legs)
• drill and 5mm wood drill bit
• 10 x 5mm screws and screwdriver
Before you start
Measure the width of your bed to determine the width of the wood, foam and fabric that you will need. The headboard featured here was made to fit a double bed.
To make
1 Place the high-density foam on the chipboard. Cover the foam and chipboard with the fabric, folding the corners neatly. It is a good idea to steam the fabric as you work as linen creases easily. Make sure the same amount of fabric is folded over the foam around all four sides. Using matching-coloured thread, slip-stitch the corners neatly in place so that the folds on the corners are perfect. Staple the folds at the corner edges onto the back of the chipboard, pulling the fabric taut.
2 Fold in the raw edge of the bull denim and press. Place the denim on the back of the chipboard so it covers the overlap of the linen fabric. Staple in position, spacing the staples 30mm apart.
3 Depending on the style of the bed, you may need to secure the headboard to pine strips to act as legs. Decide if you want to have the headboard resting against the wall at a slight angle, as shown in the photograph, or if you prefer it to be upright against the wall. Place the headboard in position against the wall before you attach the legs and take the measurements necessary to enable you to fit the legs accurately.
4 Place the pine strips on the back of the headboard, approximately 200mm from either side, and drill a set of two holes at the top of the strips, a second set where the strips meet the base of the headboard, and a third set halfway between the first two.
5 Screw the strips to the headboard, making sure the screws are firmly attached to the chipboard.
Plush headboard
Drift off to sleep in style with this sumptuous bedroom make.
You will need
• 1 420 x 620 x 75mm piece of high-density foam
• 180 x 100cm piece of heavyweight batting
• 180 x 100cm champagne-coloured dupion silk
• masking tape
• 50 faux crystal beads
• dressmaker’s pencil
• upholstery needle
• matching-coloured sewing thread
• staple gun and staples
• 1 420 x 610 x 18mm piece of chipboard
• 135 x 55cm bull denim in a natural colour
• two 1 100 x 450 x 22mm pine strips (legs)
• drill and 5mm wood drill bit
• 10 x 5mm screws and screwdriver
Before you start
Measure the width of your bed to determine the width of the wood, foam and fabric that you will need. The headboard featured here was made to fit a double bed.
To make
1 Cover the high-density foam with batting, folding the corners neatly. Note Steam the batting as you work to remove any creases. Cover the foam and batting with the silk, making sure the corners are neatly folded in, and use masking tape to attach the fabric to the foam.
2 Starting at the top of the covered foam and working downwards, plot the positions for the crystal beads using a dressmaker’s pencil. The first row must be stitched 12cm from the top, spacing the beads 14cm apart. Place the second row 12cm below the first and this time position the beads between those in the first row. Repeat these two rows.
3 Using an upholstery needle and matching thread, sew the crystal beads in position securely, sewing through the fabric, the batting and the foam. Pull the thread through tightly so the fabric puckers and forms the plush effect. Continue in this way until the headboard is covered with beads.
4 Remove the masking tape and refold the corner edges neatly, if necessary. With matching thread, slip-stitch the corners neatly in place so that the folds are perfect. Using a staple gun, staple the folds at the corner edges on the back of the chipboard, pulling the fabric taut as you staple it in place.
5 Fold in the raw edges of the bull denim and press. Place the denim on the back of the chipboard so it covers the overlap of the silk fabric. Staple the denim in position, spacing the staples 30mm apart.
6 Depending on the style of the bed, you may need to secure the headboard to pine strips to act as legs. Place the headboard in position against the wall before you attach the legs and take the measurements necessary to enable you to fit the legs accurately.
7 Place the pine strips on the back of the headboard, approximately 200mm from either side and drill a set of two holes at the top of the strips, a second set where the strips meet the base of the headboard, and a third set halfway between the first two. Screw the strips to the headboard, making sure the screws are firmly attached to the chipboard.
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