Quick Slipcover Solution For An Upholstered Headboard

A quick slipcover solution for an upholstered headboard. This DIY headboard slipcover is simple and affordable and will give your tired headboard new life. Skip reupholstering and try this fun and pretty trick! 

Last year I came across a steal of a deal. While scrolling though the Facebook yard sale page, I found a Pottery Barn upholstered headboard for free! It was in need of a new cover but everything else was in great condition. I was thrilled to find it because I had been craving a change in our master bedroom for some time. I loved the idea of an upholstered headboard in the space, creating a cozy place to watch movies as a family and today just happens to be the first Saturday of the month. That means I’m joining a few friends for the Cozy Living Series started by Jennifer at Town & Country Living. This quick slipcover solution has given our bedroom the much needed coziness we had been wanting. I think it’s the perfect post for the series this month. 

Our previous headboard was a DIY and was meant to be a temporary solution until we found something more permanent down the road. It was only around $50 to make and really made a great statement in the room. The downside to the wall-mounted, wooden headboard was that it wasn’t the most comfortable to lean back and watch TV or movies. It was during the quarantine that I really decided to get the upholstered headboard covered and put into place. 

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It took me some time to decide on the right fabric. I tried several different samples from here and there but nothing felt quite right. In my mind I pictured Meg Ryan in her shabby chic brown stone in You’ve Got Mail. You know the room, right? It’s that feminine, cozy and lived-in style that I wanted the headboard to convey. When my friend, Sonja from @ourcraftmancottage on IG shared her guest bedroom headboard, covered in a beautiful green and cream check fabric I was in love! It was just the look that I wanted for our space. 

Our headboard is a King size and creating a slipcover without a seam down the middle was going to be tricky. This is where using duvet covers and sheets come in handy. They’re the perfect size for upholstery protects. I used a duvet from Ballard Designs outlet to create a slipcover for our family room’s upholstered coffee table and for this project I did that same thing. I purchased this duvet from the outlet along with the bed-skirt to complete the custom look. 

Instead of sewing an entire slipcover that would cover the back of the headboard as well, I opted to cut the duvet to just cover the front and to wrap around the back about 3 inches. This left me with left-over fabric to use on other projects! I finished the edges of the cover by sewing a 1/4″ folded seam. 

I did not want to staple my fabric to the headboard, although you certainly could. It’s important to me that the cover can be removed for washing. Upholstered headboards can get dusty and grimy over time, so having the ability to throw it into the wash was a must. My solution – push pins! Our headboard has a wooden frame that runs up the sides and across the top that the pins stick to well. The push pins hold the cover in place perfectly, yet still allow it to be removed easily. 

I held the fabric firmly while pinning but did not pull too tightly. You want the cover to have a little give. It is a slipcover after all. For the sides, I simply folded them over, while folding in the top, just as you would fold the ends when gift wrapping. It took just minutes to cover and pin! 

I absolutely love how this project turned out! The soft, sage green has added some nice color to the room and the check pattern gives the space a cozy and timeless look. It also plays well with so many other patterns and colors. 

The toile duvet is also in the same matching green and white. I also purchased it from the BD outlet. I’m still working on some custom throw pillows. I have a couple of fabrics options I’m considering, unless I find the perfect pillow covers already made. 

I recently moved my antique pine chest to use as my bedside table. I love the warmth that the wood gives the room. I also shared our $15 bedside lamps and their makeover on the blog last week. We replaced our over-sized wall lamps for traditional table lamps. Josh and I couldn’t be happier with them. 

Our bedroom is now an even cozier retreat with a soft place to lean. I look forward to sewing different covers in the future to have the ability to change up the colors and patterns. It’s such an easy and fun way to customize your bedroom! 

Be sure to check out the rest of the cozy home series today! As usual, they’re some creative and cozy ideas waiting for you. Have a great weekend, friends! 

 

Finding Silver Pennies / Making It In the Mountains / Town and Country Living / Sincerely Marie Designs

Vinyet Etc. / It All Started with Paint / Duke Manor Farm

 

Room Sources

Wall Color – Dove White by Benjamin Moore 

English Pine Chest – Soul Sisters Antique Store, Dawsonville, GA 

Brass Lamp – Facebook Yard Sale Find

Brass Dog Figurine – Soul Sisters Antique Store, Dawsonville, GA

Nora Murphy Country House Book 

Inspirational Interiors – Classic English Interiors Book

Living In New England Book

China Bowl – Antique Find

Framed Landscape Art

Vintage Baskets – Cotton Mill Exchange Antique Store, Canton, GA 

Iron Stone Pitcher – Antique Find

White Quilt – Ikea

Euro Sham Pillows

Headboard

Headboard Fabric in Color – Spa

Toile Duvet & Shams

Blue & White Check Throw Pillows