These are not your basic backdrops.
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The most important design decision in your bedroom is the headboard. After all, it's the focal point and can change the vibe of a room instantly. Whether you want to elevate your space, make it cozier, or add some serious color, these ideas will get your creative juices flowing.
For this headboard, wood, leftover chalkboard paint, and dustless chalk come together to create a fun and simple statement.
This paneled headboard design comes with two cubbies just waiting to be filled with your favorite hardbacks, adorable succulents, or framed pictures.
BUY NOW Lonny Platform Bed with Headboard, Pottery Barn; $630
There's nothing more striking than a headboard in a different shape than you've ever seen before, like this curved design. Even better: the velvet surface looks like a dream to curl up against.
BUY NOW Amerie Headboard, West Elm; $499 and up
If you want to add a rustic statement, look not further than this DIY headboard. The unique viewpoint and use of the wood adds texture to the room, while the dark colors pop against the white wall.
Mandi of Vintage Revivals dip-dyed two wicker headboards a spearmint green and combined them with clear fishing line. It's surprisingly easy to do, and a great way to add in a little bit of color if you're nervous about a saturated, over-the-top piece.
In this Florida guest bedroom, designer Tammy Connor covered twin headboards in Matteo's nubby Knot throws to amp up texture. This is a fast and easy fix for adding color and interest.
In the master bedroom of this Charleston guesthouse, vintage, one-of-a-kind screens are used for the headboard. The custom cypress platform bed has a roll-out trundle for guests with children.
Designer Lindsey Coral Harper piles on patterns in her Manhattan bedroom. The Madison headboard from Lamshop is upholstered in Kravet's Guilty Pleasure and steals the spotlight as the brightest element in the room.
The laser-cut motif on this headboard was inspired by geometric Moroccan patterns and is perfect for someone looking for a headboard that's attention-grabbing, yet neutral.
BUY NOW Moroccan Headboard, West Elm; $424 and up
For a whimsical, romantic look, paper flowers will turn your bedroom into a fantasy garden. Natalie of Design Love Fest secured paper blooms to her headboard with thin artist tape and floral wire.
Worried a "busy" bedroom will detract you from a good night's sleep? Just balance a playful headboard with simple, solid bedding for inspiring results. "The master bedroom has a very retro feel to it," designer Mona Ross Berman says this New Jersey beach house.
This is an interesting design trick for a kids' or guest bedroom: Unite twin beds with a long headboard, like seen in this Manhattan room, designed by Amanda Nisbet.
Rugs don't have to be relegated to the floor — drape one over a wooden headboard for an unexpected design detail.
Covering the walls, headboard, and bed skirt in the same fabric (in this case, a striped Ralph Lauren Home silk) is a tried-and-true decorating solution for unifying a small room, as proven by designer Sam Allen's Connecticut apartment.
This Venice master bedroom "feels like the inside of a boat, and the key was to keep it simple and cozy," says designer Matthew White. He designed a screen, made by Il Prato out of their hand-printed paper, to function like a headboard.
If you're not happy with your old headboard, try a slipcover like designer Nick Olsen did in his Brooklyn studio. It's an inexpensive way to change up your room's style.
Kassandra of Design Everyday nailed old books from a thrift store to two wooden boards to create a truly unique headboard. To secure loose pages, she used double-sided tape.
$40 and more
A commitment-free, budget-friendly option (renters, take note) is to apply a cool decal to the wall. There are plenty of designs for every design personality.
Take your favorite textile, tapestry, or even curtains and hang them on your walls. You can even switch out the fabric every season if you feel like you need a change.
To save space in her New York City bedroom, designer Kelly Giesen secured her headboard to the wall. It was upholstered in a silver fabric and accessorized with pillows covered in crystals to up the glam factor.
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