Headboard

Recently, I had my first order for a headboard and had a great time making it!  My client gave me a picture from a magazine and asked me to replicate it right down to the 300+ decorative nails on it.  I figured it couldn't be much harder than a cornice, and I have done quite a few of  those.

I started out by drawing out the design on graph paper then drawing it to proportion on brown craft paper.  Then I traversed the yard to FH's shop to cut it out of mdf and then attached the legs.

I lugged my newly built headboard back to my studio where I added the foam and covered it with the batting. 

Next came the face fabric for the headboard.  Don't mind the mess in the back ground.  I usually have multiple projects going on at any given time (btw, the blaze orange is a jacket with a zipper problem, not someone's decorating idea gone bad).  I have to give credit here to my friend Rose, (www.rosesupholstery.com) as she came over to help me after I struggled for hours trying to figure out how to get the channel in for the second row of nail trim.  Thanks Rose!  She made it look so simple, who knew it couldn't be done in one step with one piece of fabric?

After covering the whole headboard with fabric and covering the back, I was able to get to all those dreaded decorative nails.  It was a lot more difficult to get the nails to go in straight and not bend the shaft than I ever thought it would be.

Ta-dah!

I have been wanting to add a padded headboard to my existing four poster bed and my sister has been asking me to make one for her as well.  I think I can move it higher up on the to-do-list now that I have the experience of making this one, though mine won't have quite so many decorative nails {neither will my sister's for that matter, unless she comes to help and brings the wine! :-)}.  But then that would have to be another blog for another day!