Have an awkward space and want to use a headboard as a room divider, but are wondering how to make that work?
You’ve come to the right place.
We recently used a headboard as a room divider and learned a few things the hard way along the way.
Here are four tips for how to use a headboard as a room divider.
Tip #1: Solid headboards work best for delineating spaces.
I’m sure there’s an exception to every rule, but of all the pictures I’ve looked at and in our personal experience, a solid headboard seems to work best as a room divider.
By that, I mean a headboard that is one continuous surface that you can’t see through like you could with a spindle or slatted headboard.
The solid nature of these types of headboards gives a visual cue to your brain that this headboard is functioning like a pony wall or half wall.
Tip #2: Consider the height of the headboard in relation to your space.
How high your headboard should be off the floor to function as a room divider is totally up to you and the effect you are trying to achieve.
Do you want the headboard to function as a privacy wall? If so, it might need to be higher.
Do you want to be able to see completely across the room? If so, the headboard might need to be lower so it doesn’t block your view but still functions as a room divider.
Do you want to use the back of the headboard for something functional? If so, that will also affect the height of your headboard depending on the function you’re trying to create.
Tip #3: Make a plan for how to secure the headboard in place.
This might be the trickiest part. How do you secure the headboard when it is floating in the middle of the room so that it isn’t wobbly?
Headboards are or should be secured to the bedframe, so I’m not talking about the headboard just falling over and crushing everything in its wake.
Consider if the bed itself can shift around, particularly if you have a bookcase or something like that on the backside of the headboard. You don’t want items on that bookcase to fall off.
Consider if the headboard wobbles if someone leans against it while sitting in bed because it doesn’t have the support of a wall behind it. Over time, this might put pressure on the screws attaching the headboard to the bed and the headboard will start leaning.
If either of those things occurs, you can secure the bed to the floor or to the wall. Our bed is pushed against a wall on one side, so the headboard is screwed directly into a wall stud. It is also screwed into the floor. We’re also considering attaching it to the ceiling because it still has a little bit of flex in it when someone leans against it.
Tip #4: Decide how to use the back of the headboard.
You’ve created a room divider with your headboard. Now what?
How or if you use the other side of the headboard is up to you!
Are you creating storage on the other side of the headboard with a bookcase, dresser, or credenza?
Are you creating a living area on the back of the headboard with a couch or loveseat?
We used the other side of our headboard to create a dining area for the kitchenette in this space.
If you’ve lived in a small space or need one room to serve multiple functions, then you know you have to get creative with space planning and furniture layout!
Using a headboard as a room divider was not our first, second, or even third idea of how to set up this space to serve as a home office and guest room.
However, we are so happy we eventually landed on this idea! We wish you luck with making a space that works well for your unique needs.
Have you ever considered using a headboard as a room divider? I’d love to know. You can always comment on this blog post (I have to approve it first before it appears), email me here, or reach out via Instagram or Facebook.
Room Sources:
Headboard: DIY (similar)
Sheets: Target
Paint: Behr Arcade White
Stools: Thrifted
Bar: DIY
Rug: Safavieh
Runner: Thrifted
Turkish hand towels: Amazon
Coverlet: (old) Target
*affiliate links in this blog post*
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