{DIY} How to Make a Paneled Padded Headboard

Today I am sharing with you one of my favorite client projects and details on how to make a padded headboard. This is part of the beach house I have been working on. This project is near and dear to my heart as it was a surprise for the client’s daughter and it took some serious blood, sweat, and tears to pull it off! The end result is a custom faux leather headboard {made for less than $100} and a plethora of soft pillows! … My client wanted to surprise her teenage daughter with a new space. Her daughter found the image below and told her mom she would love her room to look like that.  So I took on the challenge and re-created the look in under one week. I wanted to mimic the look but incorporate her love of the color lavender as well. I would love to know the original source of the design, so if anyone knows, please email me.   {via tumblr} The major dilemma was that her bed is a queen and is turned sideways more like a daybed. She loves it that way and that meant we needed a headboard that would span roughly 84 inches. Not happening. So it was a DIY in the making! I found white vinyl which gives the appearance of leather at Hobby Lobby. At just $10 a yard. this was off to a great start. For an 84” x 48” headboard I used 2 1/2 yards of fabric. I had maybe three inches left to spare! Step 1: Lay the fabric upside down and mark of six sections. I wanted my panels to be roughly 23” x 27”.  Add 2-3 inches to each measurement to allow for the fabric to wrap around your wood. So I marked off rectangles measuring 25” x 29”   Here is what my panels of faux leather look like once cut.   Step 2:  I chose to use pieces of MDF as my backing. I did not want them to be too heavy or too thick. They were already the perfect width so Home Depot made one cut on each for me. The other supplies necessary:  I” foam, batting, and a staple gun.   Step 3: Now it’s time to lay all of your layers down on the floor. Start by placing the vinyl on the floor {right side down} and then layering with batting, foam, and wood.   Step 4: This really takes two people. Fold up the fabric onto the back and staple all the way around. I tried buying an electric staple fun to make things easier, but it did not work well at all. It was back to the hand held horribly painful manual staple gun. Oh, well! I always do one side and then the opposite side first. Then work your way to the other two sides. When it comes to the corners, I fold them like I am wrapping a gift so they stay as flush with the panel as possible. And truly my hubby gets the credit for these being stapled! He sort of rocks.   Step 5: Once you have created all of the panels, practice lining them up next to one another. Due to variation in edges a bit, play around with them to find the best fit for all six panels. Once you do that, number them on the back so you know which panel goes where on the wall. Step 6: Once the panels are complete, you can trim any extra batting that may be on the edges. You will want the panels to be as flat as possible on the back. This way, you can use the Velcro strips to adhere each one to the wall. By creating six different panels, I was able to avoid having one large heavy piece to transport and hang. The strips hold up to 16lbs. Each panel was well under two pounds so the weight is no issue. I also love that the walls are free and clear of any holes or damage.   Over the weekend, I was able to sneak over to the beach house for the installation of the room. My client’s daughter was away for the night so the surprise was in full swing! I made sure to measure exactly where I wanted my first panel with how it aligned with the edge of the mattress. Once I knew where to place the first one {I began with the bottom left and worked my way across the first row}, I held it in place with a level on top to be sure it was straight. Then I marked the wall with a pencil so I could take it down and peel off the strips. They really all went up so easily and fit nice and snug next to one another. If you are thinking I did the happy dance, I sure did. It’s always a moment for me when I see an idea actually put into practice and it works!     The fun part was putting all of the finishing touches on the bed. The pillows are a fun mix of textures and soft colors.   Another great thing about building this type of headboard is that it takes up very little space in the room. The panels are only about two inches thick and by going vertically with them, it really creates a  dramatic look in this small space.     …………………….chic teen room … There was nothing better than receiving the photos yesterday of my client’s daughter seeing her room for the first time. So cute to see her totally shocked. She wasted not time snuggling up in her cool new bedroom. It was truly a pleasure to re-create this space for such a sweet girl.