Bargain Block's Keith Bynum Shows You How To Create A Unique Wooden Fringed Headboard
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DIY decor projects can save you a lot of money and allow you to fully customize your space. If you've already had your fill of making DIY coffee tables and storage cabinets for your living room, it may be time to work on sprucing up your bedroom — more specifically, your bed. While making an entire bedframe is a major project, a headboard is perfectly suited for a high-impact, low-cost DIY idea. To get some inspiration, look no further than expert designer Keith Bynum.
Bynum's idea is playful, original, and surprisingly simple: a wooden fringed headboard. The co-host of HGTV's "Bargain Block" loves a creative, DIY approach to home decor, and this tropical-inspired headboard concept featured in Season 1, Episode 2 (via YouTube) is no exception. Fair warning: This project involves making a big structure out of wood, so you'll need a large enough workspace and some basic carpentry skills to pull it off.
When it comes to supplies, you'll need screws, an electric screwdriver, and a lot of wood. For the wood, your easiest option is to buy a bunch of 2-by-4 boards. These are simple to find at a home improvement store for a low price, such as at Home Depot, where a 10-foot board costs around $6. If you don't already have an electric screwdriver, the Black and Decker cordless screwdriver is only about $33 on Amazon. If you want to give the headboard a nice finish, you'll also need wood stain or paint in your preferred shade. Then, get ready to build!
Making the wooden headboard
The first step for this easy DIY headboard is to make the frame. To follow Keith Bynum's design, you'll want the headboard frame to be quite large, reaching the ceiling. Using the 2-by-4 boards, construct a rectangle that matches your desired headboard dimensions. For a more polished look, trim down the two vertical sides so that they taper toward the bottom.
Next, secure horizontal planks across the inside of the frame. These planks should be evenly spaced out a little shorter than your fringe length. Each plank will become a row of fringe, so install as many planks as you want rows. Bynum did six rows of fringe. Use incrementally wider planks the higher you go, so each row of wood fringe overlaps the one below it. Using screws, mount the headboard frame along the wall, right above your bedframe. Use a level to make sure the board is straight before securing it in place.
Adding your wooden fringe can be a long, repetitive process and will involve a lot of small, wooden pieces. Bynum used more than 200 wood pieces to make his fringed headboard. Naturally, the skinnier the pieces, the more you'll need to have to fill out the headboard. You can use any width you like, but ideally, the pieces should be thin enough to create that full, feathered effect of fringe. Screw each wood piece to the horizontal planks one at a time, starting with the bottom row and working your way up until the entire board is filled.
Stylizing a wooden fringed headboard
Don't leave your DIY wooden fringed headboard looking plain. To make the most of the wooden aesthetic, use a nice wood stain like Varathane Premium Fast Dry Wood Stain, available on Amazon for less than $10. Tropical designs typically call for lighter finishes, but if you prefer, you can create a moodier, earthier feel with a dark mahogany tone.
Paint is an alternative option if you want a pop of color in your statement headboard. Look for matte paint, as glossy or satin will distract from the fabulous fringe texture you've created. For most paints, you'll need to start with a primer to ensure that the paint will stick nice and evenly to the wood. But, if you want to keep the process as simple as possible, you can also try chalk paint. Home Depot sells Rust-Oleum chalk paint for about $23, which has a really soft, matte finish and is advertised to work without a primer. Or, for a more glam wooden fringed headboard, try out a metallic paint such as Shabby Chic metallic paint, which costs around $23 on Amazon. And with that, you'll have a fabulous custom headboard for your bedroom.