Personally, a headboard is something I can live without and often have lived without, but it can really frame the bed and complete the look of your bedroom. But if your decor budget is a little slim, there's no reason you can't improvise a little and do things on the cheap.
In fact this bargain idea could cost you as little as nothing. We've all got things lying around the house we could re-purpose: fabric, paint, old doors, and so on. If you don't have anything hidden in the recesses of your basement or garage, these ideas are still easy and affordable.
Above: a right-on-the-wall painted headboard (via Real Simple); hang a curtain panel to give the illusion of a headboard (via Better Homes & Gardens)
- Paint a Headboard: there's nothing to say your headboard has to be made from something physical. Tape off a design on your wall and fake it with paint
- Hang a Curtain: perhaps you've got an old set of loved curtains that just don't make sense where they previously lived. Try giving them a new lease on life above the bed
- Fake it with Wallpaper: if you've been eying some overpriced wallpaper this might be a good way to add impact and stretch your budget
- Iron On: with some fabric and minimal supplies, you can iron a headboard straight onto your wall!
- Re-purpose an Old Door: OK, we don't all have old doors hanging around our house, but some people do. If you've been debating whether or not to throw that old door out, you might find it's worth slapping on a lick of paint and giving it a second life
- Cover It Up: this may not exactly be faking a headboard, but if you've got a bed frame that works perfectly fine and you're not so hot on the style, you could try draping it with some fabric to get you through to the next time a bed is on your purchase list of big ticket items
Jessica McLaughlin is a freelance writer by night in Toronto who spends her days as a web manager. You can find her at homeware.tumblr.com where she blogs about kitchen and dinnerware.
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