a mid-century inspired tufted headboard

paul sent me his hack a while back and i almost lost this goodie in my very disorganised inbox. so glad i didn't because i really like the hacked headboard.

"this particular hack involves a metal ikea heimdal bed frame (i can't find it on the ikea website). the frame was fine, but it definitely lacked the elegance and mid-century appeal i was trying to go for. well after surfing a few furniture websites, i came across the tate bed from crate and barrel. i like the look of the tufted headboard and the tight upholstery along the sides. so, i headed to the local fabric store (joann's) and luckily they had foam padding and faux suede fabric on sale.

i cut the foam padding according to the bed's measurements and used heavy duty spray glue to adhere the foam to the metal frame. the hardest part was sewing up the faux suede fabric to wrap around the foam padding and bed frame. to make it look more tailored, and not look like it was just fabric wrapped around the bed frame, i sewed seams running down the sides of the faux suede fabric that would be used to cover the side rails.

the hardest part of the entire project however was measuring out how many squares to make, and to make each of them perfectly even on the headboard. on the back of the fabric, i used a straight edge to draw the grid pattern that would guide me in sewing up the fabric to create that seamed, tufted look. once i drew my grid on the back of the fabric, the next step was to create the seams on that are on the headboard. i didn’t want to cut each square out and sew them together one by one to create the seams running across the front of the headboard since that would have taken way too much skill and time. as a shortcut, i just folded the fabric over itself ever so slightly at each of the lines i drew on the back of the fabric and sewed a seam, using the lines i had drawn as a guide.

once the headboard fabric was all sewn up i wrapped the piece of foam that was for the headboard. finally, to finish the headboard, i took the same fabric to make buttons. joann’s fabric or any fabric store should have button making kits. i sewed the buttons onto the headboard at corners of the square seams. you have to used fishing twine to achieve this tufted look, because you have to pull the buttons down very tight to achieve that depressed, tufted look. my fingers were in so much pain from doing that many buttons because the foam was incredibly thick. lastly, wrap the foam and fabric tightly around the headboard frame and you’ve got yourself a great, mid-century inspired bed!"

bravo, paul. i could never be as good, nor as patient, with the needle.