Living in a White Box: Creative Headboards

Posted on 06/01/2015 by Angela Conley in Bedroom, Decorating Tips, DIY, Furniture, Living In A White Box, Rental Decorating, Repurposing, Tutorials // 2 Comments

My love of unique headboards started in my childhood. I remember applying lots of stickers to my headboard as a young'un. I also remember my mother not being too fond of this bold move. She should've been more upset that it was a hideous look. As a teenager, I shunned headboards and decorated my bed in other ways. Like taping pages from Tiger Beat and Bop on the wall next to my bed. (I'd still do a "headboard" made of yummy Keanu Reeves photos today... Vanilla Ice, not so much.) My love of creative headboards still reigns---and why should it stop? Non-traditional headboards are a great way to spice up a boring apartment bedroom. Continue reading for the latest installment of Living in a White Box and for some wonderfully unique headboard alternatives.

Of all the headboards I’ve made, this one is my fave. I made this canopy-inspired “headboard” for my current apartment’s beachy-slash-bohemian bedroom. This was super simple to make and put all those beads in my stash to good use.

Kara Rosenlund fell for these salvaged windows and used them as a headboard, first removing the glass. These are so lovely and perfect for adding texture and pattern to a bedroom.

Macramé has made such a big comeback. What better way to usher it back in our homes than as a headboard? Check out how Mandi at Vintage Revivals created this custom headboard for a room makeover. I love how the copper pipe makes the macramé fresh and modern.

Another great use of basic craft supplies is this ribbon headboard that Sandra from Sawdust Girl created. Just nail the frame to your walls and you’ve got a sharp, geometric piece of art in your bedroom!

Hanging textiles on the wall to simulate a headboard is easy and provides lots of options. One way to do this is to hang a rug on the wall, like this hemp rug from Eco Chic. Psst: you can DIY a rug like this too. Google it.

I’m seriously contemplating making this next one. Technically, there’s a headboard here, but this look would be perfect on its own. Aimee from The Crazy Craft Lady used paper and molding to create a faux wood plank headboard.

If you can paint the walls in your rental home, you can easily create a “headboard” with color-blocking. Alexandra Angle made a simple yet snazzy headboard by painting a portion of the wall with a happy shade of coral.

Wall decals make great alternatives for a headboard because they’re easy to “install” and easy to remove. This geometric decal from Urban Outfitters is no longer available, but you could surely duplicate this look with some washi tape.

Geometric wall decal headboard Urban Outfitters

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Colleen at Fresh Vintage hung an old school world map above her bed in lieu of a headboard. I’d have loved this as a kid!

What say you—have you tried any headboard alternatives in your home? Or do you prefer the traditional versions?
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