Bedtime Stories: Dream Big With a Creative Headboard
You can wake up your bedroom design with a headboard made from a repurposed or unusual object: shutters, a wood slab, a fireplace surround
Wooden headboards are classic and tufted headboards are oh-so-glam, but these bedscape staples leave some design enthusiasts craving a look that’s a little more unique. For folks who eschew anything that’s too familiar, there’s a whole world of novelty out there just waiting for a little imagination and an appreciation of the eclectic and unexpected. Check out this collection of alternative headboard ideas that venture into the uncharted territory of world maps, architectural salvage, mixed materials and more.
Shutters. Once an item that you might find discarded on a roadside or buried in piles at the architectural salvage depot, shutters are now a hot commodity at flea markets. If you’re going for the bohemian look, find a pair that really shows its age with exposed layers of paint, such as this example in a Los Angeles bedroom.
World map. I love the idea of using a large mural as the backdrop to a bed, especially in a smaller space, where it can distract from the diminutive size of the room. Here, a vintage world map imparts grandeur to this masculine bedroom and adds some faded, neutral color to balance the cool, steely grays.
Wood slab. While many headboards are primarily decorative, they become functional when you add reading lights. Wood provides a more solid surface for mounting than fabric or metal; this live-edge slab imparts a nice balance of modern and rustic to this Colorado bedroom.
Bed cubby. This isn’t so much a headboard as it is a head cubicle. We’re used to seeing beds enveloped by canopies and sheltered by four posters, but a lower-profile cubby that cradles the sides of the bed can be just as comforting. I love the way the nightstands nest perfectly into the corners so that the whole bedscape feels like a single unit.
Built-in canopy. This hybrid canopy-headboard has a lot going for it, but the most striking feature is its integration into the room’s lighting design. Two bedside pendants provide focused light for nighttime reading, but the soft glow emanating from the sides of the wood headboard and overhang boost the room’s romantic ambiance. The decor’s emphasis on texture more than color and pattern ensure that the custom bed and lighting take the spotlight.
Electric art. Here’s another way to include your alternative headboard in your bedroom’s lighting design. This rectangular shape has the familiarity of a conventional headboard, but the multiple glowing lights are a clever twist. A neon sign mounted above the bed would provide a similar effect.
Fireplace surround. Another item to repurpose as a headboard, and one that’s even more unexpected than vintage shutters, is a fireplace mantle. If you’re lucky, you’ll score an oversized unit from some old Victorian mansion into whose recesses a bed fits just perfectly. If you really love the idea but can’t find an antique model to accommodate a king-size bed, you could always have one made by a carpenter to fit your mattress’ exact dimensions. This romantic Los Angeles bedroom shows off the best of both worlds with a traditional tufted headboard fitted inside the surround.
Recessed bookshelf. Essentially no different from the built-in shelves you’d find in a living room or office, this design deviates only insofar as it has a narrow slot for the bed to slide into.
Mirror. Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest headboard of all? This standing wall mirror is a strong contender for its charming blend of romance and simplicity. An additional benefit to using a mirror as headboard is its ability to visually open up a space.
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Headboards That Welcome You to Bed
Bedtime Stories: Fancy Up the Foot of Your Bed
More
Headboards That Welcome You to Bed
Bedtime Stories: Fancy Up the Foot of Your Bed