1. Make Your Own: If you want a fabric covered, padded headboard, it is actually relatively easy to make on your own. Take a sheet of plywood the right size for your headboard, glue foam or a cushioning product like quilt batting to it, then cover it with the fabric of your choice and staple the fabric to the back of the board. It's simple, easy, and adds impact immediately. Screw the headboard directly into the wall behind your bed or attach it to your bed frame. If you want to add some decoration to your headboard, pre-drill the plywood with evenly spaced holes so you can tuft the headboard after you have put it together. Add buttons to the tufts and hang a curtain to come down on either side of it to add more drama and visual interest.
2. Reclaim A Door: When you think of a headboard, you probably think of the classic wood look. If you want that look in your room, reclaim an old wood door to use as your headboard or reclaim any old wood, like barn wood for a more rustic look. An old door can be sanded down and stained to match the existing wood in your room, painted, distressed for a vintage look or if it is paneled, can be used to frame artwork. An old door or reclaimed wood creates a one-of-a-kind headboard that is budget friendly and helps save the planet.
3. Use a Folding Screen: Folding screens come in huge varieties from the expensive imported wood lattice work screen to simple fabric screens you can pick up at the local furniture store. Whatever look you are going for, there is probably a folding screen that could double as a headboard and help you achieve your headboard goal for less than half the price of a headboard. A folding screen can be attached to the wall or left free-standing as a simple headboard solution. For a more elegant look, find a wrought-iron screen and paint the wall behind your bed in a dramatic color.
4. Frame it with the Floor: Pick up a piece of plywood the right size for your head board and cover it with tongue and groove wood flooring or wood shingles for a wood headboard look. A plain sheet of plywood primed and painted can be a great solution too if you add some finishing pieces to it. Finish the top with base board or an elegant crown molding stained or painted to match and the sides with an wood veneer strip or an edge finishing product. This type of headboard can be sanded down, repainted, or changed when your mood changes. Attach the headboard directly to the wall for a no hassle change.
5. Photo Gallery: For a more personalized headboard look, arrange framed photos close together to give the illusion of a headboard. You can use different sizes, styles and colors put together like a jigsaw puzzle for a more eclectic look or a uniform frame for a more formal look. This is a great headboard solution as they are easily used elsewhere in your home when a headboard is in the budget.