Design Solution: Dual Headboards to Cap a Corner Bed
Neatly tailored but as casual as you please, this corner headboard style is a fitting finishing touch for a flexible, lounge-like bed
Sometimes a bed placed in the center of a room takes up too much space or just doesn't look right — but simply shoving the bed into a corner can be awkward, too. Designer Carla Aston came up with a great solution while designing a teenager's room for a show house: Customized dual headboards on an upholstered frame keep the bed tucked neatly and comfortably in the corner, while creating a casual, lounge-style space.
Tucking the bed into a corner creates the sense of a big couch to sprawl on while leaving room for extra seating. "I wanted to create a cool transition for a teenager who wanted a bit of a studio-apartment-type feel," Aston says.
Aston had a bed frame and two headboards custom made to make sure everything fit together perfectly. An upholsterer made the bed frame with plywood and wood blocking, padded it with Dacron wrap and foam, then covered the frame and headboards in a smooth white vinyl from RM Coco.
"Since the room had a bit of a retro vibe, I didn't want [the bed] to look like leather," says Aston. "So I went with a smooth, rich-looking vinyl."
"Since the room had a bit of a retro vibe, I didn't want [the bed] to look like leather," says Aston. "So I went with a smooth, rich-looking vinyl."
The bed frame's measurements take a fluffy comforter into account, leaving just enough room for a duvet to fit inside the frame. Each headboard has a notch in the corner, so it fits perfectly in the frame.
Thick screws hold the headboards in place through the back side of the bed, with a bracket for support. For a switched orientation, the headboards can be removed by taking out the screws.
Thick screws hold the headboards in place through the back side of the bed, with a bracket for support. For a switched orientation, the headboards can be removed by taking out the screws.
Slats give the mattress extra support, as does Crate & Barrel's Bunky Board — a thin, supportive box spring that Aston recommends for tall beds. The result is a cozy, custom daybed that can turn into a regular bed frame with a few turns of a screwdriver.
While Aston did this all with custom pieces, you could attempt it with premade pieces — although the result would be a bit different. Aston recommends finding two separate headboards and premounting them to the wall. Using a typical metal bed frame, push the bed into the corner and put a bedskirt on it. "The result would be similar, without building a base," says Aston.
While Aston did this all with custom pieces, you could attempt it with premade pieces — although the result would be a bit different. Aston recommends finding two separate headboards and premounting them to the wall. Using a typical metal bed frame, push the bed into the corner and put a bedskirt on it. "The result would be similar, without building a base," says Aston.