Our New Headboard

This particular post isn’t about a refurbished piece of furniture, but an exciting DIY project I recently finished!

I have always loved the look of upholstered and button-tufted headboards!  Unfortunately, the good quality ones are just, well, expensive!  When I came across a tutorial on Pinterest for a DIY version, I immediately “pinned” it and started planning how I could make my own!  I loved the look of the side wings and the nail head trim as well!  I used the tutorial as a starting point, but ended up changing the design of the structure a bit.

We have a king size bed, so I started by ripping down a piece of 1/2" plywood to size (have I ever mentioned how much I love my circular saw?) and trimmed it out with some 1 x 3 lumber.    

I used my trusty Kreg Jig to screw together the 1 x 3 frame and then glued/nailed the frame to the plywood.  

  

I knew I wanted to add 3 rows of 9 tufted buttons, so I measured out a grid pattern and drilled ¼” holes into each intersecting line.

For the main back rest, I had originally planned to cover the plywood with 2" -3” foam.  I ended up taking apart an old crib mattress we had that we could no longer use after the plastic cover was torn.  It was made up of two dense polyester batting-type pieces that had been glued together.  I peeled them apart and laid them end to end on the plywood.They ended up working perfectly!  It was about 4” taller than I needed, but instead of trimming it, I folded it over the top of the frame to give the top of the headboard a rounded edge.  I then stapled on 2 layers of polyester batting to smooth everything out and soften the edges.

  

Time to add the button tufting!  Covering the buttons was not an easy task.  I’ve tried a few different button kits over the years and hadn’t had a lot of luck.  I purchased these ones at our local fabric store and they worked out to about $0.85/button.  Covering each one was tedious and took a LONG time (I was extremely picky about the fabric lying perfectly smooth around each one!), but was really happy with the way they turned out!  I did add a small amount of gorilla glue to the inside before snapping on the back covers...I wanted to make sure these buttons weren’t going to fall apart!

Starting from the center and working my way out, I attached each button by threading a piece of  nylon drapery cord through the back (using a LONG upholstery needle), added the button, and then went back through to the back of the headboard and tied a knot.   

To keep the knot from sliding through the hole, I threaded a metal washer on one cord before tying the knot.  This also helped “cinch” up the cording and prevented it from slipping when I tied the knot.   

After all the buttons were on, I pulled the fabric around the edge and stapled it to the back of the frame.

For the side “wings”, I had purchased a few 1 x 6’s and 2 x 4’s planning to build a hollow box that would give me space to add a bolt to attach the side wing to the headboard.  Unfortunately, I realized too late that once I added the foam, batting and fabric to the main back rest, the wings would barely stick out an inch from the rest of the headboard!  I was determined to stick to my budget and didn’t want to buy any new lumber, so I came up with a creative way to extend the wings.  Using my kreg jig, glue and some screws, I screwed the two 1 x 6’s together and screwed the 2 x 4 to the back!  PERFECT!   

They may not be pretty, but they’re solid and I knew once the batting and fabric was on it, it would be my little secret! (well...except now that I’ve shared it with you, I guess it’s not really a secret anymore).  

To cover the wings, I wrapped them in a layer of quilt batting to make sure everything was smooth, and then the fabric.  I had originally planned to follow the directions in the tutorial, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get the front edge to fold nicely while keeping the fabric smooth.  I ended up cutting a thin strip for the top edge and sewing it to the main panel.   

This allowed me to still wrap the fabric around the wing, but didn’t require any odd angles or bulky folds.  

We purchased the upholstery tacks off Ebay.  To keep my fingers safe, I held each tack with a pair of needle nose pliers and hammered them in with a rubber mallet so I wouldn't damage the surface of the nail. I tried a number of different methods to nail them in, but still found it next to impossible to get them perfectly lined up!  Oh well!

To attach the wings, I had purchased some special hardware called “thread inserts”.  They were supposed to be permanently screwed into the wood and have a hollow center with screw threads that would allow me to screw a bolt into it but still allow the bolt to be removed if we ever needed to disassemble the bed.  Unfortunately, the fabric and batting was getting torn to shreds when I tried to drill into it, so I gave up and ended up just using 2” wood screws.

I was so excited to finally set it up in our room!

Before and After

I’m really happy with our new headboard!  It was fun to build and I’m looking forward to making a few more changes in this room.  Since I've taken these pictures, I've already purchased new matching lamp shades and a gorgeous blue throw pillow to replace the small white one.

Thanks for stopping by!

"Happy" New Year?

Wow, I can hardly believe it's already February!!!  It’s been a rough start to the new year for our household.  With all of us dealing with stomach bugs, colds, and then me getting bronchitis, my moments in the garage have been few.

When I did have a couple moments to spare, I started working on this beautiful old dresser.  

Unfortunately I ran into some issues with the drawers and they’re going to require some structural alterations and repairs, so I’ve had to set the project aside for now. 

Since then I’ve started working on this cute little 3 drawer dresser that is getting a pretty big face lift. 

 

It’s slowly coming along, but looking great so far.

I’ve got SO many projects just waiting for their makeover turn and I can hardly wait to start on them.  I decided to start on a few of the smaller projects first that would be a little faster to complete to make some extra room in the garage to work on a few of the larger projects.  I'm hoping I'll have a completed project to show you soon!!!    

Thanks for popping by!

From Roadside to Center Stage

 

Another successful makeover...and this one almost didn’t happen!  Let me explain. ;)  My husband and I had decided to take the kids for a relaxing Sunday afternoon drive when we drove by this dresser at the end of a driveway with a “free” sign leaning against it.  I glanced over at my hubby who knew, without a single word from me, that he should probably turn around so I could look at it.  I quickly tossed the suggestion aside thinking there was absolutely no way we’d be able to get it home in the van, so we carried on our way.  Long story short, we ended up coming back to look at it, dropped one of the van seats down and just barely managed to squeeze this beast in for the ride home.

 

After getting it home and having a chance to inspect it a bit more, I knew the center door would have to go.  It had been badly damaged with the hinges ripped out and was beyond repair.  Rather than replace the door, I chose to fill the existing holes and leave the center drawers visible.   After that, it was sanded down and primed.  Wow, what a difference just a coat of primer can make!

 

When it came time to paint, I was tempted to go with color.  My first thought was actually light PINK!  I could easily image it in a little girls nursery.  Knowing that this piece would be listed for sale once finished though, I thought it would be best to stick to a neutral color.  ;)  I chose to paint the top a rich dark espresso and the base in a linen cream.  Because the top is such a dark color, it needed to sit for a few weeks to allow the paint to cure.  To finish it, I applied a glossy protective clear coat.

With the center door removed, I wanted to add some visual interest to the simple center drawers.  I think the addition of the numbers works perfectly!

I’m always excited to see the dovetail drawer construction!

              Love the detail along the edge....

                                                                         

              ....and that glossy top!

I liked the shape of the original hardware and it was still in great shape, so I chose to reuse it.  To update it, I sprayed it in an Oil Rubbed Bronze paint.  

I’m happy with this makeover and look forward to seeing it in its new home.  This piece has now been listed and is available in my shop.

Thanks for visiting!

 

Frumpy to French Country

I love the way this sofa table turned out.  LOVE it!  This particular table was part of a package deal of furniture I bought a few weeks ago.   When I first saw it, I knew I wanted to paint the bottom and stain the top.  I find a two tone finish on furniture so rich and warm.  

(Click the pics for a closer peek)

The lovely brass "hinges" were only decorative and I managed to pop them off easily with a screwdriver!

I started sanding off the finish along the top and quickly realized that it was not real wood, but a manufactured wood product.  Staining that wasn’t going to work.  My next thought was to just paint the top a warm rich brown instead. 

Oh my...it looked terrible.  I wasn’t sure if it was the paint (it was a new color I was trying), the dated oval top or the combination of both, but I hated it!  I removed the top and set it aside so I could start on the base of the table.  

After a couple coats of primer,  I sprayed on a few coats of a soft creamy white.  Oops...I forgot to take pictures at this point.  It has to be one of my favorite creams.  It’s not a bright white, but it’s not overly yellow either! 

 

Back to the top.  I decided to go back to my original plan of staining the top and purchased a premade laminated pine panel to replace the oval. 

These pine panels are a bit rough in areas and they’re certainly a little more rustic with the knots, but I didn’t mind and thought it would add a little more character to the table.  

I found the panel to be a little longer than I wanted, so with my circular saw, I just trimmed off one side.  After some sanding and a coat of pre-stain wood conditioner, I started to apply a couple coats of chestnut colored stain.  I was a bit nervous as pine is a soft wood and stain can end up looking blotching and messy.  By applying the wood conditioner first, it helps to raise the grain in the wood which helps it to absorb the stain more evenly.  It was starting to look exactly as I’d originally envisioned.  Yay!

After the stain had set, I lightly distressed all the edges of the table base and applied a few clear coats to the entire table.  I think the soft cream color of the paint and the warm stained wood top complement each other quite well.

Not only will this table fit perfectly behind a couch to hold a lamp and a favorite book, but it could also be used in a front entrance to drop your keys and mail on the way in, or even in a guest room as a table/desk.  



This table is now available for purchase in my shop!

Thanks for stopping by!