Upcycling couple crafts unique headboards
Husband-wife team design, construct custom pieces from salvaged materials
AEonna Aspden and her husband, Kevin, are the original recyclers — having built and created so many stunning headboards during the past three decades and transforming discarded materials into pieces of art for clients to use in their most personal of personal space: their bedrooms.
“We have been in the building business for over 30 years. Upcycling is a way to build anything in a creative, different and less expensive manner,” AEonna Aspden said.
“We have always been a great team and built our first headboard for our daughter out of an old church window. From there, it escalated.”
From rummaging through rummage sales, and salvaging at salvage yards, no stone or discarded corbel is left unturned; the Aspdens see value in all kinds of unwanted and unused items, making every headboard they craft exceptional.
Teamwork is key. Kevin has the skill and knowledge to build anything AEonna envisions, making the designs not only esthetically pleasing but sturdy, well-crafted pieces.
“We use anything salvageable to create our vision,” said AEonna, including driftwood, old beams, luxurious materials and leftover building materials. Making and creating one-of-a-kind headboards for family and friends has helped expand their side business after others see their distinctive furniture in person or through social media.
“We have always been drawn to unique wood and always like
the used, worn look rather than the pristine, modern, new look, although we have combined both in our designs.”
The couple started this handy hobby out of necessity, both preferring distinctive furniture and finding most offerings screamed “mass-produced.”
“We build our unique furniture to get away from the usual everyday furniture you see in stores.”
The Aspdens also get their inspiration in many ways, including simple economics.
“Auilding on a budget makes you more creative. You use what you have or you can find, and end up being more creative with your design,” AEonna said.
Their pieces can take anywhere from five hours to five-plus weeks to create, and range in price from $1,000 to $8,000, said AEonna. “It is a process. We search and find, then design according to your find to make sure the design is solid, then build, then clean and refinish.”
Customers can request custom headboards, but the Aspdens much prefer the client “trust us with our artistic vision and go with the flow ” to alleviate back-and-forth changes and to keep the client’s costs down.
“Our own uniqueness can get lost in someone else’s vision,” AEonna said.
Not only is this hobby bringing good things back to life, it helps feed her creative spirit.
“Hobbies, quite frankly, are good for the soul,” she said.