Wednesday, December 30, 2009

The Upholstered Headboard

Even though I finished this project quite awhile ago... I am finally posting it hehe!

I have always wanted an upholstered headboard, but finding one just right with the right price was always a difficult process. Finally, I decided to just make my own! I like the final product, but am still working on perfecting two elements... I placed the fabric too tightly across the plywood so that in order to pull the buttons deeply into the fabric, I now need a different mechanism other than simply tying a knot behind the board to keep them in place. Right now they do not have the look eventually that they will.


Also, I don't really like how the fabric shows wrinkles and dips, and I am not sure if it is the material and my technique or just one of them. I decided that in the end it was ok though... because its too late to fix lol.

Because my bedroom colors are white (I refuse to paint here lol), blue (my bedset), silver, and black, I wanted to tie in the headboard to the bed with white and to all my curtains with black. Hence the birth of the ribbon idea.


The fabric I used is white satin and the ribbon includes black velvet, black eyelet lace, and then the white sequined lace. The buttons were going to be tufted with satin, but I could not resist these beauties at Hobby Lobby. I have so many more left as well just in case I decide to add more tufting!



Time involved: 4 hours of labor

Cost: $220.00

Itemized list:

1. Plywood cut to size- $12.00
2. Fabric- $15.00
3. Batting- $150.00
4. Ribbon- $12.00
5. Buttons- $15.00
6. Spray adhesive- $3.00
7. Staple gun- $7.00
8. Upholstery needles- $8.00
9. String or Wire
10. Measuring tape
11. Nails and a hammer (instead of an electric driller)

In order to complete this project, I advise purchasing a driller. Nothing is more frustrating than having to use a nail and hammer to create all the holes necessary for the buttons!

Also, to save cost, instead of leaning the headboard on the floor against the wall, you can purchase special hooks made for heavy items and hang it above your bed. This can cut off about two feet of height or make more of a statement in your bedroom. I plan on doing this in the future, when I get the motivation to accomplish this task by myself...

If you have questions about the process, just ask!

1 comment:

  1. I think I've made up my mind to make the head board. But curtains will come first. Also, I think if you ironed the fabric right before you put it on the plywood it wouldn't have the wrinkles. I also think, if you had a staple gun, and used string instead of wire, you could pull the buttons tight, then staple the knot to the plywood. just a thought. for next time :) Good job hun, especially for just making it up as you went along lol

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