Is a Headboard Essential?

And other deep quandaries.

When I was putting together my list of priorities for the year, make bedroom beautiful, came to the surface. I dreamed of turning my bedroom into a luxy posh hotel-inspired boudoir. A tall headboard, mirrored nightstands, decorative pillows and a plush carpet the size of the whole room.

But, when you are decorating multiple rooms at once, big decisions need to be made. What are the priorities? With a limited budget, does a headboard make the list?

As I perused Pinterest, I realized there are alternatives.

The purpose of a headboard is what – to frame the bed? I’m talking sleeping here, not extracurricular stuff. 😉

If the purpose is to frame the bed, and create a focal point, what are the alternatives?

1 – WINDOWS

Have you ever noticed that in movies, beds are often placed in front of windows? This is one of those tricks I’ve seen repetitively and wondered to myself – why do they do that? Does it make the scene more interesting, more full of life and light?

Anywhooo…I think a window is a great way to create a frame and visual interest around your bed. I may try this.

2 – ART

Why not use art as a focal point? Soft bedding, harmoniously styled side tables and plants. This seems like a no brainer to me.

3 – PHOTOS

Why not lean bigger pillows up against the wall and hang your favorite vacation shot above the bed? I love this. I guess you’d want to be sure you’ve hung the photo properly so it doesn’t fall off the wall in the middle of the night. There is nothing serene about that!

4 – DECORATIVE OBJECTS

This is what I’m currently using. A string of metal stars. Why not use one of your favorite wall hangings, or personal objects to create the semblance of a headboard?

5 – SHELVING

Like larger scale photo frames, you’d need to hang this safely, but I love this option. A bookcase would also look amazing.

AND SO IT IS…

And so, I believe I have answered my own question. A headboard is not essential right now. There are many other ways to make a room feel like a serene harmonious happy place, without this high-ticket item.

Whenever I’m making budget-related choices, I always have to go back to the question – do I need this or do I want what it represents? Maybe I just want to be in a fancy hotel right now. Perhaps it’s time to replace the luxy hotel dream, with a new dream. Parisian, scandi or SoHo loft…there is always another dream.

And if I’m still dreaming of this headboard in a year, I’ll revisit this post. At the end of the day, the objective of decorating a home is to make us happy on the inside. Not how it looks to others, or how we think our home should look on the outside. If spending that money on other things makes more sense, it’s fine. Getting creative always fills in the blanks in ways that money can’t.

I believe this applies to any lost dream in life. There is always another dream. Just take the time to mourn the loss, and a new dream will eventually take shape. A bed supports the dreamer, headboard, or not. A headboard may make a lovely finishing touch, but maybe I’m not finished. Maybe I’m still a work in progress. And that’s ok.