Do you have a creative streak, carpentry skills, or craft skills and want to put them to good use? Earn money doing what you love by selling DIY headboards online. Headboards are a hot commodity because most of them don’t last as long as metal bed frames do. Solid wood headboards can last decades with proper care, but most headboards today are not solid wood and are covered with veneers or fabric headboards, both of which get worn out or start to look old and fade much faster.
Eclectic and Bohemian interior design styles are extremely popular right now, and that has increased the demand for unique headboards. A unique headboard creates an eclectic focal point for the bedroom. Society as a whole is also returning to the mantras of the 80s: reduce, reuse, recycle. Making and selling DIY headboards takes advantage of both of these trends.
Is a DIY headboard something you can make and sell? You need more than carpentry or craft skills, tools, and materials to start making headboards for sale. You must have an intimate understanding of interior design, keep up with the latest trends, nail down suppliers and shipping options, and manage finances.
You can make tables, chairs, cabinets, and even headboards for the bed yourself and sell them in your online store. They are easy to make with various materials such as wood glue, staple gun, duct tape, extra fabric, and more. Most importantly, it’s an original idea. Good luck!
Use these DIY headboard designs, ideas, and tips to decide if a DIY headboard business is right for you and to get started.
DIY Headboard Low-Cost Start Up
As you consider whether or not a DIY headboard project could be worth your while, think about what type of headboards you want to make. The most popular headboards today are fabric, with upholstered headboards and tufted headboards the most popular. The storage headboard is also making a big comeback.
You also need to think about what tools, materials, and suppliers you might need to move seamlessly from one DIY headboard project to another. Some of the most common materials needed are relatively inexpensive, such as:
- Wood glue
- Staple gun
- Duct tape
- Extra fabric
- Painter’s tape
- Tape measure
- Plywood
- Saws to cut boards
- Masking tape
- Paint
Make sure you have a decent workspace and organization for all of these items. You will also need to decide how and where you will sell your headboards. We’ll cover that more in a moment. First, let’s look at some ways you can make and sell DIY headboards.
DIY Headboard Designs and Ideas
Every DIY headboard project needs a beginning. Most people make headboards by reusing or refurbishing discarded items rather than manufacture the headboard from scratch. Making a DIY headboard from unconventional materials is extremely popular for the Eclectic and Bohemian interior design styles, and upcycling is once again popular.
Here are the best DIY headboard ideas:
Folding screen DIY headboard
A folding screen can be turned into a headboard very easily. If the screen has a solid wood frame, you may be able to attach it to a stabilizing board that you can trim out for a finished look. This is better than someone just leaning a folding screen against the wall behind the bed frame, and will last much longer.
Rustic headboards
A rustic headboard is a very easy DIY headboard idea, because rustic is almost synonymous with weathered or distressed. If you get your hands on a headboard that looks a little worse for wear, you may be able to just paint it before reselling.
Coastal shutter headboard
Coastal interior design is also becoming more common, as people bring weathered items from outdoors and incorporate them into the room’s decor. Shutters are an item frequently found on the coast that can be refinished or upcycled into a headboard. Here is an example from HGTV with instructions to make your own headboard from old shutters.
Window headboards
Windows can be used to create a unique pattern to the headboard. You can refinish and mount a window frame against a wood headboard base or other wood backing that has been trimmed out for a complete look. Here is one idea from Instructables.
Hanging fabric headboard
Some people are now hanging a backdrop behind their bed in lieu of a headboard. While someone could simply find some drapes or extra fabric that work well with their decor, it is much better to create unique fabric headboards by altering quilts or other material and hanging them on an antique or traditional curtain rod. You can also create faux hanging plants to hang from a unique curtain rod.
Upholstered DIY headboards
Upholstered headboards are all the rage right now, whether they be flat fabric or tufted headboards. In either case, make them as unique as possible by staying away from traditional upholstery options. Cut apart and sew together various solid or patterned fabrics of the same type (such as cotton) to create a unique mosaic. Old quilts are a great choice.
Where to get a vintage find for a DIY headboard project
With all of these options for upcycling materials for headboards, your next step is to determine where you can get the materials you need. Here are a few of the best options you should look for in your area:
- Thrift stores — You never know what you might find, and browsing can inspire very
low-cost DIY headboard ideas. - Garage sales — Again, you never know what you might find. Check for neighborhood garage sales or those run by organizations to buy in bulk as you get started.
- Flea markets — You’ll pay a bit more at a flea market, but you will also find the most unique items here. If there isn’t a flea market in your area, look for a swap “n shop, junk shop, or antique mall.
- Estate sales — Estate sales are very similar to garage sales, but there is usually a much larger variety of items available, and such items may be auctioned rather than priced outright. You can often get
high-end headboards from estate sales and antique shops.
Now that your head is filled with creative and easy DIY headboard ideas, let’s talk about how you can sell them. You could sell your DIY headboards at many of the same venues listed above, but if you want to sell online you’ll need some basics.
How to Sell DIY Headboards Online
Even if you are only going to offer local delivery for your headboards, it is still a good idea to sell them in an online store. Doing so automates much of the sales process, as well as helps you manage social distancing and no contact deliveries.
Having an online store also makes it easy to process payments, track orders, and maintain inventory. If you want to sell your DIY headboards on Etsy or a similar platform, you’ll need an online store set up to connect it to.
Most ecommerce platforms are too expensive for a loan craftsman selling a few items per month. You do have a more scalable option with Ecwid. Ecwid offers enough free features to make a basic account sufficient for beginning craftspeople selling headboards online. With an Ecwid online store you may not need other platforms at all. For more advanced features, like connecting your online store to marketplaces, you can upgrade to paid plans when you want.
Ready to get started? Check out some more ideas for making DIY headboards from HGTV.
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