Upholstered headboards and footboards are padded and covered with fabric, vinyl or leather. They come in contemporary and traditional styles and provide a soft backdrop for reading in bed. Some upholstered headboards are smooth, others are tufted or edged with nail-head trim. Upholstered headboards are easy to make at home, using plywood, batting, fabric and a staple or glue gun.
The most classic headboard is the wooden variety. Sturdy and decorative, wooden headboards are carved from any furniture-grade wood and stained or painted. The styles range from an 18th-century four-poster substantial enough to support a canopy or bed curtains, to the less formal raised-panel or slat styles gracing the head and foot of the bed.
Metal head- and footboards are available in brass, wrought iron or even nickel. Many of these headboards originally were feminine, romantic looking, and decorated with scrolls. Styles available today, however, have a more masculine look. Some metal beds are designed in a contemporary style, such as those with clean-lined horizontal bars and slats.
The classic white wicker headboard has graced many a little girl's bed over the generations, providing a crisp backdrop for a ruffled sham and a Raggedy Ann doll. But woven headboards have grown up and branched out. The new versions are made from woven abaca, rattan and other natural fibers. They come in a variety of natural tones as well as the traditional and feminine white. This is an environmentally friendly option for a head- or footboard, as they are made with sustainable materials.