by Laura Lee Winger

Created on: October 07, 2009

Gone are the days headboards were limited to wood constructions attached to bed frames. Headboards are a flashy way to attract the eye to the focal point of the room and the bed, and can come in infinite shapes, sizes, colors, materials and styles. Headboards can be purely decorative, adding artistic flair to the place of relaxation, or they can be stylishly functional. What is the price tag for such a feature? It depends on your design, but a headboard could be made virtually for free or at the price of a can of paint. Even the material-heavy designs cost fractions of what similar store-bought designs would cost, up to $150 compared to $400 - $800 store-bought headboards. There are many different approaches to headboards, some you may be familiar with, some you may have never thought of or heard of. With headboards, imagination is the only limitation, so here are some ideas to broaden your view and inspire you to create your own headboard!

Re-purposed Headboards

Modern headboard designs can consist of re-purposed materials such as old farm doors, garden lattices or window shutters. Whether your style is shabby chic, contemporary, modern or eclectic, these materials can be transformed into majestic headboards that give anchor the room in a unique way.

The first step you'll need in any re-purposed headboard design is to prepare the material and finish it to your liking. First, use a screwdriver to remove any hinges, doorknobs or other unwanted hardware. Fill the holes left by hardware screws with painter's putty. Next, you want to treat, stain, paint and sand the door.

For an aged look, paint the door a dark color first, then apply a coat of white paint, and sand the door to varying degrees around surface, exposing some of the darker color underneath the white. For a more modern look, sand the wood well before painting, then use at least two coats of a high-gloss paint. Vibrant colors work well in modern rooms for big impact, or use ebony black for a distinguished anchor to the room. A fun, contemporary look can be achieved by painting stripes using painter's tape. If your piece is completely flat, wall decals can also be used to bring in unique designs with no artistic ability required.

The simplest design is a wall-mounted or "floating" headboard. The door or shutter will be mounted horizontally, about two or three inches below the height of the mattress. Use a stud finder to identify studs that can be used for support. Secure the door to the wall

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