Upholstering Our Headboard... Again.

Remember that headboard Bob and I built last year? Well, we picked out the fabric for it without realizing how small of a repeating pattern it makes. It didn't take very long for both of us to realize we didn't like it on the headboard. The fabric is great--we both still like it! But not for something with so much surface area.

I used another 50% off coupon at Jo-Ann's and splurged on some really nice upholstery fabric. I originally wanted it to be a rich, dark brown, but I didn't mind the idea of making it another color. So off came the red printed canvas, and on went the new dark brown stuff--tufted and everything!

When we first made it, we never figured out a way for it to mount to the wall or bed frame. Instead we just pushed our mattress about 2 inches away from the wall and let the headboard rest on the box spring which we left right up against the wall. The headboard is tall enough that even though we lost about a foot of its height that way, it still looked pretty good.

I started working on it back in September (hence, no pregnant belly in those pictures) and got it done to a point where I needed to figure out how to mount it on the wall or bed frame again. Bob and I talked over idea after idea and couldn't figure out something we both agreed on. I even went to both Home Depot and Lowe's and asked a few of their employees or "specialists" their ideas. I got a whole bunch of worthless answers, including, "I don't think we have anything here that can do something like that for you." I sometimes wonder why and how those people got jobs working there.

So it got put on hold for a few months. It's been sitting in a closet, tufted and buttons on it, but the fabric wasn't stapled to the back in case I should wait to do that once we figure out a solution. But it's been driving me nuts because every time I open that closet, there it is, beautiful and just waiting to be put up!

It wasn't until we were recently talking to a friend of Bob's who's a handyman and home repair/remodel specialist that he gave us the brilliant idea I'd been waiting for but couldn't think of:

make a French cleat for it. 

Duh!

I know exactly what that is, but how did I not think of it sooner?

I had Bob cut it for me (to let him do some of the manly work because I love him, although I could have done it all myself), and then I attached it to the back.

(I love that I'm nearly almost 7 months pregnant and I'm using power tools. 

I also really like that I have photographic evidence of it.)

And then Bob helped with the other side of the cleats. Finding studs in these old walls is impossible, but he figured it out (after drilling about a dozen pilot holes). And he hung it up too, because it's heavy and he wouldn't let me try by myself, being pregnant and all.

 And now it's finally finished.


Ta-dah! 

Look at that tufting! Not too shabby for the project I learned it on.

Bob snapped a couple of pictures of me enjoying our handy-work. 

It's comfy and looks pretty too.