Turn Two Canvases Into A Stylish Alternative To Boring Headboards
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Your bed is the focal point of your bedroom, so why would you want it to have a basic and boring headboard? Whether you're using a non-traditional alternative to a bed frame that doesn't already have a headboard, such as a platform or pallet bed, or your existing bed frame has a ho-hum plain wood or upholstered headboard, there's a way to jazz things up. In a two-part series, TikToker NaturallyNiche shows how she transformed two plain, pre-stretched canvases into a headboard that's an actual work of art.
She used dried leaves, string, and a stencil to create her unique design, plus joint compound and wall spackle to add plenty of texture. The project took her several days to make and, according to the comments on her second video, has held up nicely for the past four years.
If you're ready to ditch the bulky headboard and make your own from canvas, first, you need to know what size to make – and the number and size of canvases needed — based on the size of your bed. Headboards are usually slightly wider than the mattress width — so a queen headboard usually measures 62 inches and a king headboard is 80 inches, for instance. The height varies based on the mattress size, with a queen or full bed typically having a headboard that's 28 inches higher than the mattress top and a king-sized bed having a headboard that's 58 inches taller than the top of the mattress.
How to DIY a headboard from pre-stretched canvas
When looking for pre-stretched canvas, you may not find two pieces that match your target headboard size perfectly. That's okay, as you have some wiggle room as long as the headboard is at least as wide as the bed itself. To make a queen-size headboard, you may pair two 24 x 36 inch canvases, like the 2-Pack 24x36 Stretched Canvas, or for a headboard that extends considerably beyond the bed's width, two 28 by 40 inch canvases. Alternatively, use several smaller canvases and arrange them slightly spaced apart to create multiple layers of texture and visual interest above your bed.
@naturallyniche Needed a headboard... #artistsoftiktok #headboardideas #creative #art #abstractart
Once you have your canvas, it's time to get creative. As you can see in the video, NaturallyNiche tosses and scatters objects over top of the canvas to give it texture while centering a medallion stencil in the middle of the headboard. Try placing materials on top of the canvas and sealing them in with paint or spackle. You could also impress something, like a coarse jute fabric or woven basket, into the spackle to add texture. While she uses brushwork to create layers and textures of paint, you can take a shortcut and apply a crackle finish to the canvas.
@naturallyniche Love how this turned out! #headboard #art #artistsoftiktok #creative #abstractart
If you don't like the weathered look, skip the texture and crackle finish entirely and simply paint the canvas with a design or pattern. For a kids' room, you might use a stencil with animals or flowers. For an adult's room, try a bold geometric pattern or stripes.