No headboard? No problem!

This image perfectly demonstrates how you can literally use anything you can get your hands on!

This industrial style bedroom features the side of a salvaged wooden crate that has been hung over the bed.

Think about pieces of driftwood, rowing oars, antique floorboards, the quirkier the better!

Shelves or a picture ledge

Image courtesy of Walls and Floors Ltd featuring Alpine Wood plank tiles

Bedroom in Calamine by Farrow & Ball

Loft master ensuite by frenchStef Interior Design via Houzz

Image courtesy of Houseology featuring Murmur Dune bed linen

1. Top left: image courtesy of Walls and Floors Ltd featuring Alpine Wood plank tiles
2. Bottom left: bedroom in Calamine by Farrow & Ball
3. Centre: loft master ensuite by frenchStef Interior Design via Houzz
4. Right: image courtesy of Houseology featuring Murmur Dune bed linen

The concept of shelves over the bed is not a new one but should certainly be considered in the absence of a headboard. How you style the look is entirely your own choice. Create a picture ledge, use it to display your favourite selection of trinkets, candles and decorative items or fill with your most intellectual looking books. When space is tight, it provides a useful and space-saving alternative to a bedside table and a handy surface to attach clip-on lamps. If a bed is against a wall, as in the bottom left image, you can also consider putting the shelves up alongside the bed instead which takes the focus off the head of the bed.

Tapestries and wall hangings

If you like the idea of a piece of statement art but crave the softness of a fabric headboard, a tapestry or wall hanging could be the answer. For those who are fans of a bit of boho chic, grand traditional styles and Eastern design, this is right up your street but don’t dismiss the idea if you’re a contemporary minimalist or a neutral addict. Tapestries aren’t all about tassels and overly fussy patterns. You can create any kind of look to complete all styles depending on the design, colours and size of your chosen wall hanging. Check out some of these inspirational images.

Point. Proven.

Pile up large cushions and pillows

Image courtesy of ALSO Home Ltd featuring Alyssa bed linen, and Olivia grey 65×65 pillow

Image courtesy of Eadie Lifestyle

Image courtesy of ALSO Home Ltd featuring Vancouver bed linen

Left to right:

1. Image courtesy of ALSO Home Ltd featuring Alyssa bed linen, and Olivia grey 65×65 pillow
2. Image courtesy of Eadie Lifestyle
3.  Image courtesy of ALSO Home Ltd featuring Vancouver bed linen

There’s nothing more inviting than a mountain of cushions on a bed and an array of intentionally positioned pillows can be all you need to create a sumptuous, casual headboard effect. Go for the large square ones so that they sit higher than your regular pillows and line up two or three at the back in a different colour to your main bedding. Make sure the pillows are really plump and squashy – no saggy pillowcases here! Then you can arrange your standard pillows and scatter cushions in front of them. Just add a lovely throw and you’ve got a bed that looks like it’s straight out of a magazine shoot.

Put up a vintage sign

Vintage and antique signs look fantastic in industrial, retro and vintage interiors. Root around at local salvage yards, antique shops, eBay, and Gumtree for the real deal. Alternatively you can buy one (check out Etsy or Notonthehighstreet.com) or even make your own DIY version!

A clever use of wall coverings

Not being a fan of a feature wall, I’m not simply suggesting you paint or wallpaper the wall behind the bed willy nilly. However, a wall covering or contrasting colour can be used to great effect in the absence of a headboard. In the bedroom above, smart joinery beautifully frames the bed in this clean and simple room. A bold patterned wall covering has been applied within the shelving to create a headboard effect.

Rather than an entire feature wall, consider painting or applying a wall covering to just a section. Take the width of the bed and go straight up to the ceiling, stop part way up the wall, or literally emulate the shape of a headboard. This is more unconventional, a little unexpected and makes more of a feature of the bed (which is the whole point). Cover the whole wall and you’re not really sure what to look at.

A ‘headboard’ painted in Pale Powder No. 204 on a London Clay No. 244 wall by Farrow & Ball.

A section behind the bed is painted in Pelt® No.254 on a Cornforth White® No.228 wall with Wimborne White® No.239 on the ceiling, Cornforth White® No.228 on the woodwork and shelf in Breakfast Room Green® No.81

1. Left: a ‘headboard’ painted in Pale Powder No. 204 on a London Clay No. 244 wall by Farrow & Ball.
2. A section behind the bed is painted in Pelt® No.254 on a Cornforth White® No.228 wall with Wimborne White® No.239 on the ceiling, Cornforth White® No.228 on the woodwork and shelf in Breakfast Room Green® No.81. All Farrow & Ball.

Before you say anything, yes I know there is *technically* a headboard on that bed frame in image 2 but you can hardly see it and I think it still illustrates my point. Ok?

Decorate with fairy lights

There’s nothing like fairy lights to introduce an element of magic to a room and what could be more romantic than using them around the bed? Zig zag them across behind the bed head, let them hang down one side or even create a quirky outline like this:

Make sure the lights are LEDs which will last for ages as well as being safer and remaining cool to the touch. This is a great one for kids and teenagers but also perfectly acceptable in classy grown up interiors such as in this minimalist bedroom via Houzz:

Position the bed under a window

I was in two minds whether or not to include this. A bed that is over a window, as in blocking a window, is something of a pet peeve of mine. I feel it gives the impression that a lack of thought has been put into the layout of the room by not factoring in the inherent features of the building. However, as always, there are exceptions and a stunning window that sits above a bed can be made into a marvellous feature. I think the key is to ensure that the window is entirely above the bed so that no part of it is behind the bed itself, which is probably why it works in a no headboard situation. Having an architecturally attractive window style will certainly help too!

Image courtesy of norsu interiors featuring the Boho Bedroom collection

Image courtesy of PASX featuring the Elephants duvet cover set

1. Image courtesy of norsu interiors featuring the Boho Bedroom collection.
2. Image courtesy of PASX featuring the Elephants duvet cover set.

The less is more approach

Sometimes the answer is staring you right in the face. Sometimes less really is more. Sometimes the answer is just to leave it the hell alone because it looks amazing already and you just need to get the preconceived idea that ‘all beds need a headboard to look finished’ out of your head!

It isn’t always going to work but on occasion, leaving the wall above the bed blank and embracing the space is the way to go.

You may have an interesting feature on another wall as a focal point and don’t want anything to fight with it, or perhaps you are fortunate enough to enjoy a spectacular view that you’d rather look at.

There are times when you can defy convention and make it work. A blank, empty space isn’t always a bad thing.

And that’s it! Bit of a long one today, but hopefully some good ideas for you to consider. Many of these concepts work well in combination with each other. Try fairy lights with a bed canopy or wall stickers amongst a gallery wall or pile up the cushions underneath a tapestry. You’ll notice many of the images used in this post show more than one of these features.

Do you have a bed without a headboard? Are you going to try any of these? Let me know in the comments section!

J x

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