Ideas for Bed Headboards for Teens

Pink Padded Headboard

• Covering a headboard with satin pink fabric stuffed with foam is an easy way to create a soft, feminine touch to a girl's bedroom. Padding and fabric can be applied over a cut-to-fit section of plywood, or over the existing headboard. Simply staple a layer of foam, followed by a layer of batting onto the front of the headboard, wrapping and stapling the edges around the back. Then stretch the pink fabric over the foam and batting and secure the edges at the back of the headboard with staples. To add an extra touch, hang a hoop canopy directly above the head of the bed and drape it around the headboard.

Collage Headboard

• Turn a plain, boring headboard into an exciting visual display by covering it with pictures of your teen's favorite things. For example if your teen loves music, collect images of musical instruments, sheet music and his favorite artists. The pictures can be photographs from magazines or printed from a computer. Adhere the pictures to the headboard with an all-in-one glue and sealer, such as Mod Podge. Paint over the images with the same glue and sealer to create a clear, protective coating.

Basketball or Baseball Headboard

• This is a good one for teens who are athletes. Cut a large round shape out of plywood to fit on the head of the bed. The round shape will be used to create the form of either a basketball or a baseball. The width of the circle should be just slightly wider than the end of the bed. Curvilinear cuts can be made with a jig saw. Most traditional headboards are made with legs that rest on the floor, which adds stability. To achieve the same stability in this headboard, cut a flat edge on one side of the circle to serve as the base of the headboard where it can sit flush on the floor. It is also possible to have the headboard raised from the ground, as long as it is bolted securely to the bed frame at two points on either post or is screwed to the wall instead of the bed. Paint the circle to look either like a basketball or a baseball. Be sure to sand and prime the plywood before painting it. Seal the paint job with a clearcoat for a lustrous, easy-to-clean finish. Once it is dry, bolt the headboard to the bed frame.