Five unique headboard ideas for AW 2018 interior design
A couple of months ago, I was invited to join the lovely Jo Good on her BBC Radio London show, to talk about interior design and answer some questions she had about one topic in particular – Jo wanted me to share some insight into the history of headboards, which is actually a surprisingly interesting topic!
When looking at interior design throughout history, we usually only reflect on the interiors of bygone eras from a purely aesthetic point of view, but I’ve always been fascinated by the origins of furniture and the the functionality of their design. Headboards, for example, were historically designed purely for draft exclusion, and were traditionally crafted from wood as it is less thermally conductive than materials such as metal or stone.
Essentially, design should reflect how you live and your interiors should make life easier, not harder. As a Scandinavian, I am a firm believer that the design of your home should work hard for you, and so when designing a space, it is important to choose pieces that have duality.
This leather, cushioned headboard that I used in a recent project, works for a number of reasons. It balances the space as it spans the length of the room, grounding it and lengthening the perception of width. The tan leather warms up the grey Tadelakt wall here, and picks out the brass accents of the wall light. Also, as it is leather it is durable and can easily be cleaned! I’m a big fan of headboards that are wider than the bed, as they work perfectly with bedside tables and help to cocoon the bed, making it feel cosy.
Here are some other headboard ideas I love…
For a unique take on the headboard, use something unconventional and unexpected. I love the idea here, where wooden herringbone flooring has been used on the wall behind the bed, with integrated spot lamps and bedside tables – perfect for those who like to read in bed.
For an affordable update to your headboard, you can hang a rug or your favourite piece of fabric over it like I did here in my old home.
Rattan is such a beautiful, natural material, and the design of this on-trend, scalloped headboard frames the bed perfectly. Set this type of headboard against a strong wall and the colour will pop through beautifully.
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Finally, this idea from House & Garden, of suspending two cushions from a curtain pole, is a fantastic take on the headboard – it is intriguing and also offers seasonal flexibility as the colours and materials can easily be changed.