Pepper Design Blog

DIY Fabric Headboard for the Master Bedroom

My first project for the master bedroom was to create a fabric headboard for our queen sized bed (see room inspiration board here!). I found this great Calico Corners print and knew it would work perfectly as a neutral backdrop for the rest of the room. Next I needed to find a frame with a bit of architectural detail… and I scored a white wooden headboard from Craigslist that was perfect.

Here’s my step-by-step:

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{DIY Fabric Headboard}

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Materials: Headboard frame, sand paper, spray paint, fabric, foam (1″ – 2″ is easy to work with), quilt batting, staple gun, hem tape, utility knife

1. I asked Kevin to cut off the bedpost knobs since they would get in the way of my vision for a sleek, rounded form. 2. Then I sanded and painted the legs (at least the areas that would show) the same mahogany color as my platform bed.

Forgive the messy workshop… but I was in crunch mode and brought my big project inside for some late night work.

3. After painting, I traced the line of the headboard frame onto my 1 1/2″ foam pieces (one for the front and one for the back). One foam form was about 6″ longer on each edge to allow for folding over the bedposts so that the sides would be just as soft and cushy as the rest of the headboard.

A heavy duty staple gun and utility knife were the perfect tools for the job.

4. Because my rolls of foam were only a couple of feet wide, I also added thicker 3″ foam just below my foam forms so that my fabric headboard would extend at least 2/3 of the way down the frame (this may or may not be necessary if you try this project yourself). Be sure all foam is even and patch where necessary.

5. My final foam finish was a simple strip across the top of the headboard to match the sides.

(Don’t mind the sun discoloration… my foam is faded but it’s a bit cheaper and it doesn’t affect the project!)

6. The next step was to cover the entire headboard frame with quilt batting. This should hide all seams and create a sealed, soft look (especially around the edges and corners).

7. We repeated step 6 but this time with fabric, working from edge to edge and pulling the fabric taut as I stapled. This would be a great time to add tufted buttons (super easy, check out the process during this ottoman tutorial) but I wanted to keep a more modern shape and thought they might be a bit distracting and competitive with the pattern.

8. We finished the headboard by applying a lining across the back to hide all folds and staples (the one picture I don’t have!). The lining was cut just a few inches shorter than the headboard outline on all sides (it followed the staple indentation for a cleaner finish) and was hemmed (hem tape works great) before it was attached to the back.

And here she is! I can’t wait to see how it will look in the room… once we get that put together and decorated.

My DIY headboard set me back a mere $100 for a Craigslist frame, spray paint, foam, batting and fabric (try a complimentary solid shade for the backside lining if you choose an expensive print and don’t forget to take advantage of 40% off Jo-Anns coupons since foam can be pricey). I actually purchase most of my foam for projects from a nearby discount store that collects Jo-Ann rejects (usually because of sun discoloration). It doesn’t hurt the project and brings my overhead down even more.

The labor and time was definitely worth it, I love the look and I know it will tie in so well to the finished bedroom!

Ethel’s First Egg!

You can’t believe how overjoyed and excited we were to learn that the FIRST of our brood has laid an egg. We were beginning to wonder if we’ve been doing something wrong… ever since we built the coop and picked up our ladies from an out-of-town farmer, we’ve excitedly checked the nesting box morning and night.

Well two months later (almost to the day) Ethel has made us proud with her very first egg!

But you might notice that something isn’t right… no, I think Ethel has learned her laying lesson: do not attempt to nest while dangling from the roosting pole (several feet from the ground).

Ethel examines just to make sure. Good thing she doesn’t have any experience in this yet, maybe she doesn’t know that she broke it.

Master Bedroom: the Inspiration Board

Hope you had a lovely weekend! I’m back to working on the master bedroom… and here’s a look at my ideas for the new space. Patterns and fabrics have yet to be decided but I’d love to mix that bohemian/eclectic feel with softer/traditional elements (like batik fabric for an occasional chair with sheer white panels for the windows, a bright sunburst mirror with a conventional everyday dresser).

My colors are swirling around in the navy, tan and brown ranges but I know a “pop” of something would be ideal! Should it be brick red? A muted yellow? Maybe a sea glass green? Oh decisions decisions…

Images from DecorPad, Brooklyn Limestone and Young House Love.

PS here’s a reminder of the before!