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You are here: Home / DIY Home Decor / Furniture Projects / The Saga of my Guest Room Headboard

The Saga of my Guest Room Headboard

By Tuula McPhee (This post may contain affiliate links.)

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I’ve been having so much fun spending time outside and doing garden art projects that I totally forgot haven’t had time to share my guest room headboard makeover from my guest room reveal that I posted a while ago.
I didn’t forget… oh no… I never forget anything. I swear! I have the memory of an elephant… a stuffed toy elephant maybe. lol.
I’m also not an opposite talker… you know… saying day for night, yes for no, yesterday for tomorrow etc… and it almost always hardly ever gets me into trouble, but that’s another story.
But I digress… back to the headboard.
Repurposed Shutters into Headboard

This headboard was one of those projects that seemed to take me forever to get done because I couldn’t make a decision.
First I was going to use a $1 bamboo beach mat like the one I used for the window blind, but I decided against it because I thought that would be too matchy-matchy.
And because of her… Miss Pixie. She looks pretty innocent in this photo, but she is quite the lovable mischief maker.
Then I came up with the brilliant(?) idea of using a thrifted green linen-like weave tablecloth over a sheet of styrofoam insulation. I loved this idea for about a day, until I realized that I’d be out of my mind if I actually did it.
Again, because of little Miss Pixie.
Then I was really getting desperate… and I rediscovered a bifold door that’s been in our basement since we moved in 15 years ago (there are 3 of them actually), but cleaning it, cutting it, painting it, and hanging it seemed like way too much work to me… and it was kinda heavy.
So after weeks of having the room pretty much done and not committing to a headboard idea, I finally found the answer at a village garage sale in a freebie-take-them-away pile.
And I took the shutters… immediately.
Repurposed Shutters into Headboard

They were in really good shape. I just had to remove the thin wood pieces that were holding them together on both sides from the side I was planning to use as the front.

Repurposed Shutters into Headboard

Then I removed the screws and the hinges. These will be saved to be used who knows when for who knows what, but I’m sure they’ll come in handy someday for something.

Repurposed Shutters into Headboard

Then I pretty much sanded my arms off. My electric sander is pretty old and using it is quite the reverberating workout.

Repurposed Shutters into Headboard

The height of the shutters was 43″. I measured this height behind the bed to decide where I wanted to hang the shutters. I decided that they were tall enough to just sit on the floor.

Repurposed Shutters into Headboard

We have 8″ baseboards in the guest room so I measured 8″ up the slats on the back of the shutters, cut them with a saw and removed with a  hammer and chisel.

Repurposed Shutters into Headboard

The plan was that the slats would sit on top of the baseboard and flush against the wall.

Repurposed Shutters into Headboard
I set up the shutters in my DIY hot-water-heater-cardboard-box spray-painting-studio of the garage.  Looks like I got some sawdust on my camera lens.
Repurposed Shutters into Headboard

I have no idea what happened to the pics of my spray painted shutters. When I went to look for them they were gone. Whoops!

After they were painted on one side I took the shutters into the house and upstairs. I used one of the slats that I removed from the front to attach the two shutters at the back. I used both liquid nails and large finishing nails.

Repurposed Shutters into Headboard

I decided I wanted to put something on the top of the headboard and I remembered that I had a dump-rescued gingerbread-like thingy somewhere, so I set off to look for it and found it in my greenhouse of all places. I have no idea what it was doing in there.

Repurposed Shutters into Headboard

It has a leafy pattern in it.

Repurposed Shutters into Headboard

I took it apart and spray painted two sections in the same blue as the shutters.

Repurposed Shutters into Headboard

As you can see in the photo below my shutters are not sitting on the floor as originally planned. This is because when I actually saw them in place I thought as a headboard they were just too low.

So the centre slat was attached so that it sits on the baseboard, and I used screws to secure the headboard to the baseboard and to the wall near the top.

 

Repurposed Shutters into Headboard

Then I drybrushed a lighter blue over the dark blue, just to give it some interest.

Repurposed Shutters into Headboard

I attached the table leg pieces to the top of the shutters with liquid nails. Here you can also see the difference between the drybrushed side on the left and the non-drybrushed side on the right.

Repurposed Shutters into Headboard

I thought I’d better add some painter’s tape to hold the legs in place until they cured, and I filled in the miscellaneous holes and painted over them.

Repurposed Shutters into Headboard

Once done I added this thrifted $1 vintage Paris silver souvenir ash tray with the Eiffel Tower front and centre.

Repurposed Shutters into Headboard

And that’s it! This headboard cost me just $1 for the Paris centrepiece. I just love an almost free project.

Repurposed Shutters into Headboard

There were days when I thought the guest room was going to be headboardless for another 15 years, but I guess when the right one comes along you just know it.

Thanks so much for reading!

XOX

Filed Under: Furniture Projects, Guest Bedroom Projects Tagged With: Spray Painting Projects

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Suzan Sweatman says

    August 5, 2013 at 9:51 am

    I L. O. V. E. it Tuula – how gorgeous – the gingerbread thingamajig is perfect – and you know of course that I adore anything with le Tour Eifel on it.
    What a beautiful unique headboard.
    When is your B & B open for it's first visitors?
    XOXOOX

    Reply
  2. Mel@Mellywood's Mansion says

    August 5, 2013 at 11:00 am

    Tuula they're amazing! I think your naughty little cat has done you a favour by scratching, your work around is brilliant. The ash tray is genius

    Reply
  3. Our Pinteresting Family says

    August 5, 2013 at 11:18 am

    So beautiful! I love how you added the accent pieces to the top of it too.

    Reply
  4. Gail says

    August 5, 2013 at 11:58 am

    Tuula, you did some serious woodworking and planning on this lovely headboard! Putting it all together really makes for an awesome piece! I must say, ingenious idea!!!

    Reply
  5. Reduce, Reuse, Renewed says

    August 5, 2013 at 2:25 pm

    I never would have thought to use anything decorative on the top of the shutter headboard. It looks lovely. The one we have in our master bedroom is plain and boring, I'll have to keep my eyes open for something fun to accent it with.

    Reply
  6. Amy of While Wearing Heels says

    August 5, 2013 at 3:40 pm

    WOW. I am so impressed with all the pieces you pulled together to make a headboard that looks so finished and lovely. I adore Miss Pixie…mostly because I am the owner of a cute but mischievous animal as well 🙂

    Reply
  7. Danni Baird @ Silo Hill Farm says

    August 6, 2013 at 1:12 pm

    Tuula…this is just amazing! I love that gingerbread wooden thingy and you are a genius to think to put it all together!

    Reply
  8. marty (A Stroll Thru Life) says

    August 6, 2013 at 3:05 pm

    I think it turned out great. Fabulous idea to add the extra architectural pieces. Thanks for linking to Inspire Me. Hugs, Marty

    Reply
  9. Michelle Hargreaves says

    August 9, 2013 at 8:18 am

    I really like the idea of using shutters for a headboard! I love the bright blue color you chose as well. I found you through the BlogLovin Blog Hop–I hope you'll get a chance to visit me as well this week!
    xoxo
    Michelle @ Ya Gotta Have a Hobby

    Reply
  10. Amy@BuffaloRoam says

    August 9, 2013 at 6:49 pm

    Ooooo….. That turned out very pretty! What a beautiful shade of blue!

    Reply
  11. Pamela Rosenberg says

    August 11, 2013 at 8:10 pm

    The blue is so fun and out of the box. The embellishment makes it truly unique. Thanks for sharing.
    p

    Reply
  12. Donna Wilkes says

    August 15, 2013 at 1:17 am

    Miss Pixie certainly steered you in the right direction. Love your creativity! The old legs and the ashtray are wonderful embellishments.

    Reply
  13. Heather @ The Beating Hearth says

    August 16, 2013 at 2:15 pm

    I am thinking about refinishing my headboard…Need more ideas like this! Very fun.

    Reply

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