Okay, my DIY upholstered headboard started where I'm sure many have: Grace's DIY Headboard on Design*Sponge. I followed her basic guidelines for the execution. As for the gray velvet, it was a bit of a Betty Draper meets Jonathan Adler moment.
The template on D*S was the wrong dimensions for my queen sized bed, so I borrowed some of Jude's "canvas" (AKA butcher paper) to trace the tape we had drawn on our wall. This acted as a template for my grandfather (AKA woodworker extraordinaire) to cut out the 1/2" plywood. We skipped the leg part of the original design and hung the headboard with a flush mount hanger like this
I followed Grace's instructions, and all went a little too well ... until it was time to staple the velvet. It was really hard to get it smooth around the curves and almost impossible to make the little straight bits after the half circle come out well. For the curves I notched the fabric as you would a curved seam in sewing, which helped considerably. As for the straight bits: I pulled as hard as I could, cursed, perspired, and stapled like mad.
I'm sure it could look better, but I'm okay with it.
(Pst - Don't take wrinkled velvet to your local - but not stellar - dry cleaner to get steamed unless you like the big curved marks left by the steamer. And please ignore the wrinkled pillowcases, I'm just not an iron the sheets kinda gal.)
I had grand plans of button tufting or nail head details, but I decided to stop while I was ahead. And all told, I only spent about $100, which is pretty sweet. Plus, it's super comfy ...
Here's to soft beds and sweet dreams.
