Ok, I can’t even tell you how excited I was about this vintage headboard find. There are a few reasons I was particularly excited about this one. First of all, even though we needed a headboard for our guest bed, I wasn’t actively looking for one when I found this. We had always planned to get one, but it just wasn’t very high on the priority list. In the back of my mind I had been planning to eventually make an upholstered one from scratch, but I had a lot of other things that ranked higher on our “to do” list, so it just hadn’t happened yet. The guest bed belonged to my husband before we were married, and he never had a headboard. So it has just stayed that way for the past 8 years that we’ve been together.
Then one day, I was on my way home from getting my hair cut. I did what I always do on these days (the one day every couple of months that I go get my hair done is one of my few opportunities for “me time,” so I take full advantage.) I have a little ritual where either on my way there or on my way home, I stop at this little flea market that is on the main road on the way to the salon. I don’t make it to that side of town very often, so literally the only time I stop at this particular shop is when I get my hair cut. It is a tiny hole in the wall type place, with tons of antiques and random finds in all price ranges. It’s a great place to treasure hunt, and I’ve found some awesome inexpensive finds there in the past. I don’t always buy something, but I always check in just to see what new stuff they’ve gotten in.
They always have furniture out in front of the building. This headboard caught my eye as soon as I got out of my car. But what really got me excited was the price tag: $16.00! Of course I was bringing it home with me. You can’t beat 16 bucks for a solid wood headboard. Part of the reason I’ve been putting off buying one for so long was because I knew it would cost at least $100+, even if I upholstered one myself. (After purchasing fabric and materials, etc., it would be hard to do it for much cheaper than that.) But I spotted this one and loved the style and design, and knew it would be an easy refinishing project. I already had all of the supplies to refinish this, so this whole project only cost $16.00.
I used Benjamin Moore White Diamond (one of my faves), which I had left over from this dresser and this buffet table. After I painted it, I was torn on whether or not I should distress it. I even posted the question on Facebook and Twitter, and you all gave me some awesome feedback and great ideas! I ended up just subtly distressing it enough to bring out the detail, but not so much that it looked too shabby chic. (Shabby chic is very pretty, just not exactly what I was going for with this piece.) I was going for what I like to call, “Pottery Barn chic” instead. I used my new Purdy paintbrush which I received at the Haven Conference for this project. I can’t believe I was using cheapo paint brushes up until this point. It really does make a difference!
Now, I am sharing “after” pics, but the headboard is still curing in my garage and hasn’t been attached to the bed yet, so of course I will post more pics when it is situated in its “home.” But for now, here it is!
Imagine it surrounded by calming, lovely bedroom “stuff” rather than brooms, dust pans, drop cloths, and dirty garage windows.
I can’t wait to show you more pictures when I get the room put together!
Feel free to leave a comment. I love hearing from you!
I am linking this post to:
Southern Hospitality: Thrifty Treasures Party
I love it!!! It looks amazing Erin!!!
Thank you, Erica!
Hi Erin,
I have bed envy – what a great find and the headboard has such a Moroccon look to it – a stencil pattern I am putting on my kitchen floor at home. You did a great job and can’t wait to see you in a workshop soon at Chalk It Up Norcross.
Thank you Lynn! I’d love to attend a workshop. I may be in to buy some Duck Egg blue before then though – I’m dying to try it!
bravo! love this.
hope you can stop by when you have a free moment to take a peek at my giveaway:
http://www.hellolovelyinc.blogspot.com/2012/07/summer-sale-giveaway.html
have a beautiful day!
michele
Thanks Michele!
It looks fantastic Erin! I recently picked up a vintage headboard (from the curb, lol) for my daughter’s and could’ve wrote the beginning of this post! I was initally planning to do an upholstered headboard for her, but now I’m going to paint the one I found and we’ll use it for now. I think it’s going to turn out so cute!
Excellent job on the distressing, by the way – it turned out beautifully!
Thanks Dusty! I was very excited to find such a bargain. Can’t wait to see your daughter’s headboard when you finish it!
Gorgeous! You did a fabulous job, Erin!
Thank you, Chelsea!
It looks so fresh and new! I love it. Amazing what some paint can do. This piece had very nice “bones” to work with too. I’m so jealous you made it to the conference…I wish I’d gone. I’m a new follower from Bloggers Unite on FB.
Hi Sherry! Thanks so much. And Haven was awesome – I highly recommend it! Hopefully you can make it next year.
It looks 1000 times better in white for sure. I love how the distressing showcases the cool molding. Great job and awesome find.
Thanks so much, Beckie! I appreciate that.
Don’t you love it when you find something amazing like this when you aren’t really searching for it??? It’s completely beautful in white and I love the slight distressing, I agree…it’s looks so PB now! I haven’t seen a hedboard like this one with the cutouts, it really is stunning! Pinning this and I am now following you via GFC! Have a good week 🙂 Heather
Thank you Heather! Yes it’s always fun to find treasures when you aren’t looking. Thanks so much for the follow too!
Love, love, LOVE!! I can’t help but distress everything I rework. I ‘loved’ your redo right away; but I fell MADLY in love, when I saw the ‘distress’. But I am confused….you used a Purdy paintbrush, and didn’t sand it?
Can’t wait to see it all put together. Great find – awesome job!
Thank you! Oh, I did sand it Laura! Sorry for the confusion. Yes, I always sand before and between coats when I paint.
ooh, so pretty! I just scored a headboard today and I am thinking of painting it white, too!
Erin, that is a beautiful headboard. Great job, girl! It’s gonna make a great guestroom.
Pottery Barn Chic, awesome!
~Trudy http://thriftscore42.blogspot.com/
Thank you Trudy!
Holy say what?! Sixteen measly bucks?! Wow, score and a half. It’s gorgeous! Much more so after your TLC of course. Great job!
Thanks Erin! I know, the price shocked me too! I definitely couldn’t pass up this bargain.
I’ll be waiting for your finished bed with that beautiful headboard. Planning to restore my old headboard. Thanks!
i love what u did with the headboard. i have a small bedroom with a cherry twin sleigh bed and have been looking 4 a replacement so 2 give me some extra inches. thought about making my own…have seen so many good tutorials, maybe i will just keep lookin at these estate sales and yard sales. u have given me new hope. thanks
looking forwaed 2 therest of the room
Thank you Marcella!