I have an eclectic decorating style and love curb shopping and thrift store finds. Put the two together and some pretty unique and cheap home decor happens. Lately, I’ve been thinking about redoing my bedroom, and looking for some trash-to-treasure ideas for an interesting headboard. These are my favorites. Tell me what you think.
- Old Doors. I’d prefer old wooden doors, but I’ve also been looking at old cabinet doors and french doors. Several cabinet doors with hardware removed, painted and distressed would be a nice headboard. An old french door hung sideways with the panes either stenciled or with pictures framed behind them would be interesting too.
- Nested Picture Frames. This is something I have pictured in my mind, with all the frames painted a bright color, or even different colors, arranged on the wall right above the bed. I was thinking maybe the smallest inner frame could have something inside it to tie them all together, like matching fabric or botanical prints.
- Fence Slats. This idea came to me when I saw someone tearing down an old privacy fence. The bottoms were rotted, but if you cut that off, it would be just right for a headboard. It could be painted or simply left weathered, depending on your style. If you want to start with something new, fence slats and picket fence sections are not that expensive.
- Mini-Blinds. Now this one would take some work, but I’ve seen some beautiful mini-blind mosaic art that would be used as a headboard. Mini-blinds are always being tossed out, and if you can’t find any roadside, they are very cheap at thrift stores. If you can’t find a lot of different colors, just spray paint the slats with paint made for plastics.
- Old Windows. This is one of my favorite ideas. When people take out old wood-frame windows in favor of newer, more energy efficient windows, they often donate them to salvage stores or put them up on free sites for pickup. You don’t need the glass, just the frame, although if they have the glass, you can make them into picture frames. Hung sideways or even side-by-side, they create a very nice shabby-chic look, especially if they are weathered.
- Wrought Iron Gate. These aren’t a dime-a-dozen, but you can find them at swap meets, flea markets or salvage stores if you’re lucky. Many times, they are very ornate and make beautiful headboards for Victorian style rooms.
- Tree Branches. Being a gardener, of course I would think of something natural. I haven’t quite figured out how to attach these to the wall, but having a nice little forest right over my head at night really appeals to me. Of course, you would have to make sure there were not bugs or termites in them, but that could be taken care of pretty easily by soaking them in boiling water and letting them dry.
If you follow some of the links above, you’ll see I’m not the first to think up these ideas, but then, great minds think alike. Do you have any ideas you can add? I’m always open to suggestions.
More from Deborah Aldridge
Should You Reuse Baby Food Jars for Canning?
Out-of-the-Box Uses for Hanging Shoe Organizers
Inspired Storage with Plastic Crates and Thrift Store Finds
