Need help creating a stunning focal point in your master bedroom? Whether you want to make a statement with a large headboard or create a cosy sanctuary, our headboard ideas and styling tips will transform your bedroom.
A bedroom isn’t simply a place to rest your weary head, it should be a personal sanctuary where you can rest and recharge.
A beautiful headboard has a big impact in any bedroom, whether bold or subtle.
These headboard ideas will help you take your bedroom’s decor from drab to decadent with minimum fuss.
From budget friendly, diy headboard ideas to a bespoke fabric covered headboard – there are so many headboard styles to choose from. Whether your style is elegant, modern, or rustic, this post is packed with all the inspiration you need to help pick a stylish headboard that fits your bedroom space.
Create a cocooning effect with a wraparound headboard
A tall headboard with a wraparound design will cocoon you in cosiness.
Pick padded styles for a small room. The wraparound feature will give your bed a casual, couch vibe so you can use it for relaxing during the day as well as sleeping in at night.
An upholstered headboard in soft fabric will maximise the cosy effect.
Create wow factor with a bold or patterned headboard
If you want to make a statement here’s a couple of bold headboard ideas: If your existing bedroom decor is neutral, add a bold splash of colour. We love this striking red and green pattern by GP & J baker.
A floral design can be striking and romantic. Pair with crisp, white linen for a blooming lovely headboard that becomes a focal point in your bedroom.
Geometric patterns are attention-grabbing, while folk-art inspired designs make for a personal and striking headboard design.
You could try matching horizontal stripes on your headboard with vertical stripes on your wall.
Pick soothing shades for a headboard
Alternatively, choose a headboard in calm shades to create a relaxing oasis.
Bedrooms are places where one wants to relax, unwind and if it’s a Sunday, to spend an hour or two with breakfast in bed!
Comfortable blue colors and neutrals are renowned for their soothing and restoring abilities.
Soft colours paired with organic fabric like linen are timeless options. If you need to add colour you can pick or bold duvet or throw and add scatter pillows for texture.
Try a tufted headboard
Tufted headboards are where the fabric has been threaded together and secured with a knot or button. They are soft, padded, and luxurious.
This headboard idea will suit any room, but a curved tufted headboard will suit traditional homes best. Be sure to pile on sheepskin throws, textured cushions, and ornate side tables to create a sense of sophisticated opulence.
A straight, tall headboard looks at home in a contemporary bedroom. In this case, it’s best to stick with neutral colours for your headboard and add an accent colour with a throw.
Tufted headboards look particularly dramatic when paired with a king size bed.
Use a room’s existing features
Unusual chimneys and alcoves are costly to take down or completely replace but can often take up valuable sleeping space.
One option would be to add an accent wall in the bedroom which covers the entire wall behind the mattress. Alcoves or fireplace mantels may also serve as shelf space for books or a bedside lamp.
Working with awkward or unusual bedroom features means you’ll save space in an eye-catching but inexpensive way.
Wingback Headboard Ideas
Winged or “wingback” headboards are upholstered headboards featuring two “wings” at the upper right and upper left side of the headboard. They curve around the bed frame but not to as great a degree as full wraparound styles.
Making the right choice with a headboard will have a huge impact on your space, and you can plan your bed room’s decor around it. For example, you could select a wingback occasional chair for visual harmony.
A winged upholstered headboard in plain fabric and piping is a charming and timeless option that will work with any bedroom scheme.
Wall Decor meets Headboards
Turn your headboard into wall art!
If you don’t plan to move your bed around then you could blend your headboard into the wall for wow factor.
This tip works especially well in a large bedroom with ample wall space.
British artist Annie Sloan recommends using “the boundaries of your bed and design up from that width.”
Your diy project could involve decals or chalk painting a design onto the wall that mimics your headboard.
Rustic Wood Headboard
A rustic headboard is perfect for those who want to bring an organic element to their bedroom.
Due to their natural vibe, rustic headboards will suit a modern or traditional bedroom design.
A wood headboard in a dark stain will add a moody atmosphere while lighter styles made from sustainable wood provide an eco-friendly options.
A wood headboard looks even more impressive when styled with matching earthy tones and soft furnishings made from natural fibres.
Upholstered with velvet
For the most luxurious of headboard ideas try sumptuous velvets. A velvet-upholstered headboard adds instant sophistication to any room.
We advise picking a tall headboard in a neutral colour. This means you can invest in a timeless headboard and change your room’s furniture, decor and walls around it.
Opt for a curved headboard when pairing with velvet if you want feminine elegance or choose sleek lines with tufting for a contemporary feel. Contrast buttoning and piping is a lovely option.
Floral headboard
Florals are perfect for the bedroom.
Flowers represent renewal and beauty, perfect for a space where you’ll spend a lot of time napping and sleeping! You have a couple of choices when it comes to picking a floral headboard.
Dainty floral patterns will look whimsical and romantic, while bold tropical flowers offer drama and vitality.
Scale-up your headboard
A large bedroom deserves a large headboard.
Proportions are important, and large-scale furnishings can make a bedroom space feel expansive and upscale. Extra-tall headboards create visual impact and ground the bed frame within the room, preventing it from looking tiny.
Even in a modest scale bedroom, a large headboard will make the ceiling appear higher.
Adding two nightstands on either side of the bed frame, or wall sconces, will visually extend the width of the bed – a queen bed could look like a king!
Shape is an important element, too. Long, clean lines will draw the eye up to the ceiling while curved designs add charm, echoing a traditional headboard.
When it comes to texture, a tall, tufted headboard in velvet will look plush and luxuriant, adding to the drama of your room scheme.
A stunning headboard can be a beautiful (and time-saving) alternative to patterned wallpaper.
Bespoke headboard
If you want a truly unique headboard you can’t beat bespoke.
There’s a wealth of ready-made furniture online, including headboards. However, if you’re looking for a shape and style that’s different to everyone else’s, a bespoke headboard is worth the investment.
We spend on average 7-8 hours per night in the bedroom, therefore a statement piece that reflects your personality will be an instant mood booster from the moment you wake up. Many headboard companies will also offer a reupholstery service if you have a favourite old headboard you’d like to upcycle. Details like ruched borders and contrast piping are the key to a unique design that lasts.
Pick your own design and fabric, then sleep safe in the knowledge that bespoke means quality.
Vintage headboard
For a unique headboard try placing old shutters behind your bed for visual impact.
Another vintage find that makes for a beautiful diy headboard idea is a wicker screen or antique room divider.
Reclaimed tiles or a barn door will create a diy headboard with a story. And don’t forget that an existing headboard can be transformed with new fabric or a coat of paint.
Diy headboard ideas
Diy headboards are popular now.
Making your own design means you can combine your favourite diy headboard ideas into one.
Your diy project could be as simple as giving a bamboo screen a few coats of paint or getting handy with the staple gun to upholster an old headboard in sumptuous velvet.
Give new life to an old door by turning it into a diy headboard and bedroom focal point.
You could also add studs to an existing headboard for a luxurious upgrade.
Pay attention to the extra details
Don’t forget about the other elements in your bedroom space.
Bed scatters can perhaps be a little bolder than the headboard – and are easier to change! Place a different fabric on the reverse and use a contrast piping. It’ll make them more interesting, and you can change the look easily by turning cushions over.
We stock beautiful cushions by Christopher Farr Cloth, which feature hot pink piping and Kit Kemp’s beautifully bold geometric prints. These Designers Guild William Yeoward Valetta peacock cushions would lovely against cream linen.
Furniture and lighting play a crucial role in bringing a room scheme together. We love making a statement with large bedside lamps, if you have the space. Pooky Lighting offer some great lighting options.
We love their marvellous Morris & Co collaboration and the chic but simple Daisy table lamp.
Soft colors and warm, yellow lighting will create a sense of intimacy. A nightstand on either side of the bed frame, or two comfy occasional chairs, brings balance. A large ottoman at the bottom of the bed is a budget friendly way to create extra storage while remaining sophisticated.
Finally, white bedlinen always. It’ll make all your accessories shine, especially the headboard and scatters!
Looking for a custom made headboard?
Our custom made headboards are the first choice for the UK’s leading names in interior design. Each design can be tailored to suit any taste, colour scheme or interior, in your own choice of
fabric. Our headboard designs are generously padded with a rolled back edge to cover fixings and can be made with borders or plain edges.
Want to order your bespoke headboard? Get in touch – we can make headboard designs in any fabric, style and size you like! If this post inspired you to try a dramatic headboard, you might like to read How To Care For Your Upholstered Headboard to get the most out of your investment.
