You do not have to buy an upholstered headboard to make your bed look more fashionable. You can easily make one yourself. All you need is a tape measure, paper to make a pattern, plywood, sandpaper, saw, upholstery foam, decorative fabric, a stapes gun, cording, braid and any trim you desire to make it look nice.
Your first step is to measure the bed and decide how wide and tall you want the headboard to be and what shape you want it to be. The most attractive headboards are equal to or slightly wider than the width of the mattress. When it comes to how tall it should be they tend to look the most balanced with about eight inches of headboard rising above the pillows leaning against it.
To decide on a shape cut different ones out of paper and simply position it against the bed. It should be quite evident to you what might look best. Some people like a plain rectangle shape and others might like a head board with rounded corners or a beveled top.
Once you have decided on a shape you can use the paper as a pattern to cut a shape out of plywood using a power saw. You can then lightly sand around the outer edges of the plywood headboard with sandpaper. Cut a sheet of foam to the size of the wood frame and then secure it in place with tacks and spray adhesive. You can then cover the layer of foam with upholstery batting that is two or three inches thicker than the wood. This layer is then covered with plain sheeting and then wrapped in the outer layer of decorative fabric you have chosen. The fabric is stapled to the back of the headboard so that it is smooth.
It is not necessary but you can also staple a plain lining to the back of the headboard to hide raw hem edges. You can trim the top edge of the headboard with cording or ribbon. Some people even quilt the headboard with buttons so that areas of it puff out. It is easy to get really creative and attach all kinds of ornate details to your headboard if you think it looks good. You can also use any fabric you want including patent leather, satin or vinyl.
Most home made headboards can be stabilized behind the bed but you can also attach legs to it if you want it to be freestanding.
