Making a headboard

During the winter months, we always find plenty of jobs to do at La Chiesa di Santo Stefano to just add little touches of comfort, and last year we were faced with a problem. More people were requesting twin rooms, but not everybody wanted twins. So we clearly had to create rooms which could either be twin or double.

The big problem was - what to do about a headboard?

We wanted something comfortable, and something that matched the lovely new cushions that we had bought from Lombok - so decided to make a headboard ourselves. And it was so easy!

Our only problem was that the headboard has to work whether the beds are set up as singles or a double, so the board had to be wide enough to allow some space between the twin beds. Given that the resulting piece of board was too big to fit even in the back of our Discovery, we had to have it sawn into two pieces, which did mean that we had to create a wooden frame on the back of the headboard to create support.

But if you don't have this problem, all you need is

• a piece of board the right size, (you can use MDF - about 12 mm thick, or you can use plywood - something that isn't going to lose its shape and bend, though). It's up to you how high you make the headboard
  
• a piece of foam about 5 cm thick the same size as the board
• some cotton batting, about 20 cm bigger than the board (see below)
• a piece of fabric which is at least 30 cm bigger all round
• a staple gun
• some contact glue to attach the foam
• two brackets to hang the headboard on the wall (you can buy these here)

With regard to the batting, I actually bought this in John Lewis - but in the dress making department. I don't know why - but that's where it was. You can use a thin wadding, but this tends to tear apparently - so whilst the cotton batting is expensive, it is really good.

Attach the foam to the board with the glue, lining up the edges carefully. Stretch the batting over the whole board, taking great care to make the corners as neat as possible. Attach the batting to the back of the board with a staple gun.

Now stretch the fabric over the whole thing. You need to get the fabric tight, but not so tight that it is distorted. It's best to put in a few staples in strategic positions first, to make sure that you have any pattern completely lined up. Then just run round with your staple gun.

Be prepared to spend a bit of time on the corners. It's tricky to get them straight - but worth the extra effort. We also sprayed the finished article with Scotch Guard, just in case there are some gelled heads resting on it!

Then attach the brackets to the back, measure them very carefully and line them up perfectly - then the other half of the brackets to the wall - and voilà - a perfect headboard!