Headboard heads-up

Aheadboard provides a focal point and frames the bed, says Diane Dewhurst of The Headboard Company. ‘‘Plus, an upholstered headboard is lovely to lean up against if you’re reading.’’

Patterned, colourful headboards are eye-catching and can be the starting point for designing the rest of the room, says Dewhurst. The advantage of a neutral headboard is that you can easily change out the cushions and linen and create a completely different look.

Yolande Thompson covered a Gib frame with cowhide wallpaper. ‘‘It’s fun and it doesn’t need to be perfect.’’

Get the size right

To help work out the right shape and size, cut a paper template and attach it to the wall with masking tape so you can see how it looks. Aesthetically the headboard anchors the bed if it’s about 5cm wider either side.

If you plan to read in bed, make sure the headboard is tall enough and is comfortable to lean back on. A general rule dictates that a headboard should not be as high as the bed is long because it makes the bed look out of proportion in the room.

Fabric

Fabric headboards need regular vacuuming, as they’re inclined to gather dust. When it comes to choosing fabrics for upholstered headboards, the design team at Warwick says velvets, bold textures and patterns are on trend. ‘‘We are seeing more opulence in the bedroom.’’ Choose fabric that is railroaded (where the pattern runs along the roll instead of across it) to avoid a seam in the middle of the headboard.

If you want to use a pale fabric, make sure it can be sponge-cleaned, as it can be marked by the oil from your hair if you lean against it.

Can’t decide if you want to go bold or neutral? Jacquie Mckenzie of Harvey Furnishings says Coverquick Headboards are an easy way to update your bedroom. ‘‘These headboards can be easily customised to match your bedroom decor by simply swapping the fabric,’’ she says.

Dare to DIY

Yolande Thompson, interior designer from Thompson Interiors in Timaru, says making your own headboard isn’t difficult and adds originality to a bedroom. ‘‘It’s fun and if you’re wrapping it with wallpaper or fabric, it doesn’t need to be perfect.’’

The benefit of creating your own, she says, is being able to tailor it specifically to the bedroom’s colour palette.

She created three bespoke headboards for her Timaru home. For her 16-year-old daughter’s room she covered a Gib frame with chambray pink weatherboard-look wallpaper and for her own room she covered it with cowhide wallpaper.

For her 14-year-old, pony-mad daughter’s room she found an old gate, sprayed with lacquer and attached it to the wall behind the bed.

‘‘Give it a go,’’ she says, ‘‘and if you’re unsure where to start, Youtube it.’’