DIY Headboard For Under $40

 As summer ended, our family embarked on two room makeovers for each of our kids and one of our PROJECTS was this DIY headboard that we put together for just under $40 for our son's room. Previously, our son had no headboard for his double bed because, despite a year and a half of searching, I found nothing that we loved AND fit our budget. So I started thinking of making our own headboard with 1 x 6 pine boards. Being from a family that owned a lumber mill for over 50 years, this was not a long stretch for me. What was a stretch for me was having to buy the 1 x 6 boards at a local store, but that's a whole other story!

Our kids are of an age now where they are interested in helping with a room makeover, so I had them both busy helping either painting themselves {my daughter} or helping {my son}. Here, Tyler is getting a lesson in rolling before Mom gets up on the ladder to cut in. I think painting a room is a life skill, don't you?

Here is the finished headboard, and it turned out better than I expected and I am somewhat a teensy-weensy proud of this DIY project.

Let me take you through the entire steps so that you can make your own!

Step 1. 56 inches wide. The first thing I did was measure the width of the bed....which for a double bed is 54 inches.I added 2 inches to this because I wanted the headboard to be wider that a puffy comforter, so the total width of the headboard is 56 inches.

Step 2. 50 inches high. I measured how high I wanted the headboard to be. I measured the bed made up with the usual pillows so I could judge how high I wanted the headboard to be above the pillows, how high it should be if someone were going to read in bed, and how I wanted it to look. I decided on 50 inches high.

Step 3. Then I measured how much the headboard needed to go below the mattress for a good fit. 

I could see that the headboard needed to be around 28-32 inches to go from the top and to cover behind the mattress.

I decided to stagger 1x6 pieces with 1x4 pieces just to add interest to the headboard, and here is the final design I came up with. {And really, any home handyman could have designed this..it's that easy.} And it's designed so that everything is screwed from the back of the headboard so the front shows nice and clean. And if you have access to old, weathered boards to use instead, go for it!

Here's the final design: {This is the back.}

Step 4. And then I went off to the local lumberyard with my supply list, and to make things super easy, I had the lumber yard cut everything for me! Yay me!

Supply List: {Boards are pine boards.}
2-1x6x50 inches {legs}
3-1x6x56 inches {headboard}
3-1x4-56 inches {headboard}
1-1x6-26 inches-{brace for headboard}
1 1/2 inch wood screws
Cost: Under $40 {$38.42}

Step 5. Lay everything out as shown, making sure everything is square before fastening together. If the pine boards have some knots or imperfections, they can go either on the front or back of the headboard...depending on how rustic you would like it to look.

Step 6. Fasten everything together on the back of the headboard with a drill and wood screws...being careful that the wood screws don't show on the front side.{Pictured below is the back.}

Step 7. Paint or Stain. Here's where you can have all sorts of fun and paint, stain or stencil the headboard to make it your own. I stained this headboard with some dark walnut that we had leftover from another project.

And here's the final product waiting to dry. I also think this headboard would look fabulous in a distressed wood colour or a myriad of other colours.

 When dry, deliver to the bedroom and screw the legs into the bed frame with bolts that fit the bed frame.

I absolutely love this headboard in my son's room. It simple and rustic and looks amazing with the new wall colour and bedding. And I am so pleased that it only cost around $40 to make!

This is one of my favourite DIY projects ever!

And if you would like to see how we designed a new study space for our son, you can read about it HERE.

And to take a look at our daughter's bedroom makeover, visit HERE.

And for more ideas, you can visit these boards on Pinterest:

Boys Bedrooms

Girls Bedrooms

Bedrooms To Love

Thank you so much for visiting me and wishing you an amazing day!

Linked up with: The DIY Dreamer, Our Sunday Best, Show Me What You Got, A Bowl Full of Lemons, Chef-In-Training, The DIY Dreamer, Gingersnap Crafts,The Inspirations Exchange, Workin It Wednesday, Savvy Southern Style, StoneGable, The Inspiration Gallery, Party Palooza, I'm Lovin' It, The Party Bunch, Show Me What Ya Got,  Tuesday Talent Show, Metamorphosis Monday, Monday Funday, 

Living Room Makeover

As the weather cools down and changes to Fall, I suddenly realized our living room was looking a little tired, so I decided to refresh it with some color and added coziness as we will soon be spending many cold winter days inside. I decided that this makeover would include some vibrant new pillows, an area rug and a few new accessories.

The first thing I looked to for some inspiration for this makeover were some new pillows. Our existing throw pillows had certainly seen better days, so it was time for a new look.

I really wanted a bright and cheerful look to carry us through the gray days of winter, so I chose a mix of patterns that 'talk' to each other but don't necessarily match.

I also found a nail-trimmed orange tray that became the perfect pop of color for the coffee table.

I spray-painted the coffee table white to help lighten the room.

However, I am thinking of changing the color again from white to something else...cause I'm a tweak freak like that!

{I am thinking a nice turquoise. What do you think?}

The crowing glory to the whole space is our brand new area rug.

I have been searching for 8 long years for a rug that fit both my love of stylish trends AND our budget.

I finally found what I was looking for at O.com in this beautiful hand-hooked trellis rug!

This lovely rug comes in 12 colors, and after careful consideration, I chose navy for our living room because I thought navy would work the best for color in the room while also handling the heavy traffic that this room gets.

I love how it pulls our living room together and lends a wonderful style to a room that is sometimes overwhelmed by dark brown sofas.

This beautiful rug is warm and cozy and is the perfect piece for this room.

It's also very easy to care for with just a quick vacuum.

And imagine my surprise when this issue of HGTV magazine arrived and...

...this exact rug was named as a designer's favorite rug.

Seriously, if you need an affordable wool rug for any space in your home, this rug is a great choice, and how could you go wrong with 12 colors to choose from?

My rug also came in less than a week and arrived on my doorstep in perfect shape.

If you haven't hear of O.com....it's an online discount retailer  that sells a broad range of products including furniture, rugs, bedding, electronics, clothing, jewelry and cars.

If you have never visited O.com, go over and have a visit!

Here is just a sampling of what O.com has for Halloween:

You never know...you might find just the thing you are looking for at an affordable price!

Disclosure: A special thank you to O.com for providing this rug for purposes of review. However, all opinions are my own.

This post is linked to:
Transformation Thursday, Inspiration Gallery, Crafty & Chic Party, Tidy Mom, Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons,  Inspire Me Please, Remodelaholic, Pity Party, Party Palooza, The Sunday Showcase,  Craft-O-Maniac, Uncommon Designs, Block Party, Gingersnap Crafts, Savvy Southern Style,  The Inspiration Exchange, The 36th Avenue, Liz Marie Blog, Chic & Craft Party, Share Your Creativity, Super Saturday Show & Tell,  The Sunday Showcase, Inspirational Monday, Show Me What You Got, Metamorphosis Monday

Teen Girl Bedroom Makeover

So while many families spend Labour Day weekend camping, playing in sports tournaments or having a last hur-rah before school starts, our family does room makeovers!

Yup. You can find us wielding paint brushes, straddling ladders, eating sandwiches on drop cloths and having a blast. And oh how we love our Benjamin Moore paint! It is our  'must-have' paint for any room makeover.

Our daughter had been planning this bedroom makeover for awhile now. She wanted a fresh look for her senior year of High School.  But before we get to the nitty gritty, let's back up a bit and have a look at how this room has transformed over the years.

Let's chat 2005. It was a pink room for an 8 year old who had just moved with her family 3000 miles across the country. She chose this pink girly look along with adorable pink and green patchwork bedding. It was so sweet and cozy!

And then we hit 2009. Our junior high girl wanted a more sophisticated looks, so we treated the walls with Benjamin Moore's 'Whisper of Gray' for a light lavender look, complete with new bedding.

This time our daughter wanted to paint her room herself, so we gave her 'carte blanche' to do as she wished. She chose Benjamin Moore's Blue Bonnet and set to work to take her room to a new look for 2013. One of the reasons we love Benjamin Moore paint is because of it's excellent quality which is also perfect for beginning painters...it's goes on beautifully with very little splatter! The paint that we used for this project was Benjamin Moore's Aura Paint. It delivers amazing coverage, incredible durability and beautiful deep colour that makes any room look stunning. I have used Benjamin Moore  for over 15 years and I don't ever plan to use any other brand!

After a day and two coats of Aura paint, we had a brand new fresh room! 

Would you like to take a peek?

The room became the fresh, calming oasis that my daughter was after! The walls in Blue Bonnet set the stage for everything!

With a few colourful pillows and fresh white bedding,  the room really came alive.

{Pillow sources: blue chevron pillow, yellow weave pillow, HomeSense. 

Flowerpillow: Trendy Home. Bedding: Target $79.99}

We also invested in a few small pieces like a small Ikea bedside table and basket weave lamp from HomeSense.

And my daughter wished for very sheer, white curtains and I found a very inexpensive pair at HomeSense on clearance for $15.00!

And then we shopped the house for a few accessories like a this tray,vase and white box.

 And my daughter created this study area for herself with a new study surface and wall lamps from Ikea. She really loves clean, no clutter surfaces!

I love this room so much! But I keep getting kicked out! How about that?

My daughter loves her 'new' room. And I loved that she was able to tackle this painting project herself with the help of Benjamin Moore!

I think it looks fabulous!

Stay tuned for another room makeover coming up soon...our son's room.

We would like to thank Benjamin Moore Canada for very generously supplying the paint for this  beautiful room makeover. To learn more about using Benjamin Moore paints for your next painting project, you can visit their website HERE.

To see some of my other recent makeover projects:

Teen Boy Study Space

 A Deck Makeover

A Hostess Station

This post is linked to:
Metamorphosis Monday, Inspire Me Please, Tidy Mom, The Inspiration Gallery,  The Frugal Girls, Whipperberry, Link Party Palooza,  Funky Junk Interiors, The DIY Showoff, Inspiration Monday, The Sunday Showcase, Block Party, Craft-O-Maniac, Uncommon Designs, Aalderberry Hill, Chef-In-Training, Homestories A to Z,I Heart Organizing, Time To Sparkle, Thrifty Decor Chick, Gingersnap Crafts, Savvy Southern Style, The DIY Dreamer, Someday Crafts, I Gotta Create, StoneGable, Transformation Thursday, Inspiration Gallery,  Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons, Inspire Me Please,Remodelaholic, Pity Party, Party Palooza, Block Party, The 36th Avenue, Sharing Your Creativity, Super Saturday Show & Tell, The Sunday Showcase, 

Teen Boy Study Space

For my son, the start of this school year brought Grade 7 and with it more responsibility, more independence and, much to his chagrin, more homework.

It has been more than 5 years since we last made any changes to his bedroom, with the exception of a bigger bed for him, so it was long overdue for a BIG makeover for our BIG grade 7 boy.

It was time to dump the crayons and toys for a space suited to a twelve and a half year old young man!

Lucky for us, I was able to create this study space suited for our Junior High boy with the help of Walmart Canada and the #FrugalHeroesChallenge. {You may remember in the Spring that I was absolutely thrilled to take part in this same challenge and was able to create a wonderful new look for our front porch!} I was beyond tickled to be invited back to take part in this fun project again!

This time I was challenged to create a study space for less than $100  and armed with a gift card from Walmart, I could not wait to surprise my boy with a new space!

This challenge from Walmart could not have come at a better time!

 I had been coveting some amazing items at Walmart for our son's room to spice up the space, which just consisted of a lonely chair, boring table and a fun graphic artwork piece that was in desperate need of some companion pieces to make the space both fun and functional for a teen boy.

One of the items from Walmart that I thought would be a great addition to this study space were some modular tiles which can be mixed and matched to create any look you like! I chose one 17" modular magnetic dry erase tile in silver and two 17" modular cork tiles to make an arrangement above the desk. 

Together, they provide the perfect spot for displaying mementos, photos and schedules to make the space feel special and personal.

Another thing required for this smart study space was some kind of lighting. This funky but masculine-looking lamp fit the look I was going for perfectly!

Next some type of desktop organizer was needed for holding the various supplies for homework tasks. This black box with 5 different compartments fit the bill nicely and then I loaded it up with supplies that a young teen in Grade 7 would need such as a scientific calculator, mechanical pencils and Post-It notes.

So how did I do?

Here is the breakdown of the $100 budget for this space:

2-17" x 17" cork tiles @9.97 each =$19.94

1-17" x 17" magnetic tile $11.97

Table lamp $24.98

Desk organizer box $9.97

Push pins $2.00

Highlighters $1.00

Pencils $4.00

Coloured Pencils $1.00

Erasers $1.00

Mini Stapler $1.98

Ball Point Pens $1.00

Tape $1.00

Post-It Notes $3.00

Calculator $6.00

Glue Stick $2.17

Graph Paper $2.00

Loose Leaf .15

Total = $97.83

Walmart had everything needed to make this area into a stylish and smart study space perfect my teen boy!

And what does the boy think?

He loves his new study space and I love that he loves it!

With a new study space complete, I cannot wait to share some of the other projects we have tackled in creating a bedroom makeover for boy who first walked into this room as a 4 year old, but now needs the room to reflect the 12-soon-to-be-13 year old boy he has become!

{Disclosure: A special thank you to Walmart Canada for making this makeover possible with a $100 gift card. I was honoured to be chosen to take part in #WalmartFrugalHeroes challenge.}


This post is linked to:
Inspire Me Please, Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons, Tidy Mom, Inspiration Gallery, The Frugal Girls, Whipperberry, Link Party Palooza, The Sunday Showcase, Craft-O-Maniac, Uncommon Designs,  Aalderberry Hill, Made By You Monday, Give Me The Goods Linky Party, Time To Sparkle,  Homestories A to Z, The 36th Avenue, Inspire Me Please, Chic & Crafty Party, Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons, Funky Junk Interior, I Heart Organizing, Thrifty Decor Chick,