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.
How to Decorate a Chest of Drawers
Sometimes if you buy a piece of used furniture it can be in desperate need of a makeover. If this is true then paint, stencils and glue can be your best friend when it comes to fixing the piece up.
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The easiest way to freshen up an old piece is to paint it a solid color. There are no real rules here but sometimes a glossy paint looks better than a matte finish. You can also sand and restain the piece to make it look better.
Decoupage is a wonderful way to rehab an old piece that has a battered surface. You can paste any type of image on I that you want. However If you choose the right wall paper the results can be absolutely stunning.
Applying gilt to chests of drawers can also make a used piece look more glamorous. Simply apply tissue thin pieces of metal to the surface. It is quite a labor intensive technique but the results are very impressive. Be forewarned that this is one of the most expensive ways to decorate an antique chest.
Nowadays you can also add subtle architectural details like molding or wood appliqués in the same color as the chest. You can also make chess board like diamonds and patterns using contrasting woods.
Adding a French Polish can make the piece look more elegant. This can complete renew and shine the top of a chest of drawers that has a lovely wood grain. It involves building up several layers of polish to create a mirror like sheen.
Another way to make it look new is to buy new knobs and pulls for it. Nowadays there a tons of different styles of pulls including and plain and ornate, jeweled, metal, plastic and wood ones.
To decoupage you cut out pies of paper and adhere them to the surface and then paint it over with varnish so it looks even. The experts say that wallpaper works best as the pattern is already built in and it won’t rip.
If you are really ambition you can create a mosaic out of wood or tiles on the surface of the wood. Drawer fronts can also be decorated with plaster or cement and bits of chipped glass or mirror. Beach glass can transform a battered chest drawer front into an artful collector’s item.
Finally you can vamp up the drawers by adding a top mirror on a swivel. You can buy these in the same color of the wood to extend the piece and make it look more glamorous.