Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Homemade Headboards For Kids

Get creative with your kids to make a homemade headboard that suits the design of their bedroom. Create custom artistic designs with paint, fabric and tiles to fit the age and design preferences of your child. By using materials typically reserved for your backyard landscape, you can add a charming accent to your kid's room. Does this Spark an idea?

Fabric Headboard


Cover a section of 1/4-inch thick plywood with padding, batting and fabric to make an upholstered headboard for kids. Select fabric that fits the theme of their room, such as fairy-tale princesses for little girls and dinosaurs for little boys. Older kids may prefer fabric with a more sophisticated design palette. Have the wood cut to the desired dimensions to fit the wall space behind the bed, then cut 2-inch thick upholstery padding with an electric knife to cover one side of the wood. Spray adhesive works to attach the padding to the wood. Cut batting and fabric 6 inches wider and longer than the headboard dimensions. Wrap the batting over the padding and staple it to the back of the board, then do the same with the fabric to complete the upholstered design.


Fence Headboard


Sections of picket or wrought-iron fencing work to make distinctive headboard designs for kids in a garden-themed bedroom. Anchor one fence post to the wall using wall brackets near the base and the top of the post. Attach the fencing onto the post, then fit the other post to the opposite end of the fence panel. Attach the second fence post to the wall to anchor the fence panel behind the bed.


Artistic Headboard


Let your kids design their own artistic headboard using acrylic paints and an artist canvas. Purchase one large canvas or tape several canvases together with duct tape to create a custom-sized headboard. The kids can freestyle the design, or use stencils and templates to create a structured image. Another method you can use to make a homemade headboard is to project an image from a magazine or coloring book onto the canvas, trace the design and paint between the lines. This homemade headboard project can be re-purposed as often as your kids change their minds about their bedroom design.


Mosaic Headboard


Create a colorful headboard that highlights your child's name, initials or favorite phrase using mosaic tiles. Cut a 1/4-inch thick plywood board to size and then prime and paint it to color-coordinate with your kid's bedroom. Trace letters onto the painted surface to spell out a word or to make initials. Glue mosaic tiles inside the traced letters to complete the headboard. One-part epoxy adhesive or mosaic glue works to attach the tiles. Glue the tiles with the edges touching, and there is no need to grout the project.

Tags: homemade headboard, your kids, 4-inch thick, 4-inch thick plywood, batting fabric