Bed headboard design has become even more important than the bed. Choosing a headboard now takes up more time than choosing the bed - apart from the mattress of course. People are no longer interested in the bed itself - the framework upon which the mattress sits and to the headboard is bolted. Probably because that is a part of the bed that is rarely seen!
History of a Bed Headboard
We are not discussing those all singing all dancing bed panels with all the bells and whistles such as an integrated radio, alarm clock, bookshelf and lights. We are discussing plain boards with no bells and no whistles. Your headboard can set the decorative style of a bedroom, and can also express your own style of creativity.
Some refer to the headboard as being the frame to the bed's painting. In fact, it has gone further than that and has become the painting itself. The footboard contributes to an extent, and so does the quilt or bed covering. The bed frame, as stated above, is not seen. However, in general parlance, the bed is the whole item, and the head of the bed, footboard frame and bed coverings are simply components.
Through the ages, the top part of the bed has been developed to protect people from drafts while sleeping, and has also been used as a backrest and headrest, as a table for eating in bed (the board would be unlatched and placed over the lap) and as today, for preventing pillows falling behind the bed.
Today, they are mainly decorative, and chosen to either set the decorative theme of the bedroom or to follow it. There is a massive selection of different styles available in every color of the rainbow. However, it is the solid wood versions that most people choose, both for their looks and their style.
Styles of Headboard
An example of style is the sleigh bed, where the board curves backwards in the semblance of a typical Father Christmas sleigh both at the top and at the end of the bed. The footboard is often ignored in such discussions, yet it too has a part to play in the overall design of a bed. Others styles come in form of paneled wooden boards, wrought iron and a combination of the two.
The style of the headboard can be used as the focal point of a bedroom. Some people prefer this to be in a color that contrasts or clashes with the main color theme of a room. For example, a bright red panel in a room otherwise decorated with pink or earth pastel shades.
Nevertheless, the most popular styles of headboards are crafted in solid wood - oak, cherry, maple, mahogany and American walnut are five of the more popular woods. These are normally paneled, and may also display tete de lit some form of decorative carving. Upholstered versions are frequently deep buttoned, sometimes tufted to give the headboard a quilted appearance.
Headboard Fixings
One option is a detached style which is attached to the wall, the bed being pushed hard up against it. A potential problem with these is that when you come to replace your bed, you either have to redecorate the wall or use a new board of the same size and shape - or even keep the same headboard! You can also get floor-standing versions that are not fixed - a better option than wall-mounted styles.
Some are fixed as an integral part of the bed itself, so when you decide to change the bed you must also change the headboard - and if you want to change that, then you must also purchase a new bed! Not just that, but if you have a beautiful antique headboard, you cannot use it with that type of bed. The most flexible type is one that is attached to the bed with screws or clips, so you change one or the other separately.
Factors to Consider when Choosing
Fist look at your bedroom as a whole. How big is the bed in comparison to the bedroom? Since most people choose the headboard along with the bed, the question will generally be how big the bed should be. That should be determined partially by the space available and partially by the height of who is to use it.
Then look at your current décor - is that to be retained or changed to suit the bed? People do not generally redecorate their bedroom when they need a new bed! Is natural wood best, or would prefer it to be colored - painted or upholstered. These questions can only be answered by you, and your answers will determine the style and finish of your new bed headboard.
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