How to choose a fabric bedhead

Today, it seems that fabric bedheads are back in trend! Bedrooms are being transformed by the use of newly inspired designs for bedheads! Whether it’s used in the master, kids’ or guest bedrooms, bedheads add that oomph to any headless bed!

So, where do you start?

Decide on a budget

Deciding on a budget at the start will give you a direction and help you to stay focused. It will help you decide whether to purchase an already made bedhead from a store or have it custom-made, which often are more affordable, as you can choose your own bedhead style and fabrics. If you haven’t got a clue, do some research and check the prices for a bedhead to help you establish your budget.

Choose a style / colour

It’s important to create a flow by sticking to the interior style of your home. And with your style, you can create a calm version for your bedroom.

The style will assist in giving you direction for choosing the colour/s for your bedhead.

If you want to make a statement, choose a fabric that has a great print and can be used as a feature or artwork piece. You can decide to use floral, geometric shapes or other patterns. With this in mind, you’ll want to pick the colours from the fabric and use them to create a lovely colour palette for your bedroom.

If you’d like to stick to one colour, you can either choose a plain neutral or a pop of colour. This is the most popular option, as it allows you to play with colours and textures on the bed, and in the bedroom. It also allows more choices for bed covers, cushions, throws and décor accessories.

Choose your fabric

The options for choosing the fabric can be overwhelming! There are so many options to choose from. But remember, when choosing fabrics, stick to your style and consider the following…

Allergies: If you have any allergies, this may narrow your choices to a select few when choosing fabrics. But this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad thing, it can probably assist in choosing the fabric. you’re allergic to dust or prefer to have an easy to wipe off fabric, you may want to choose either leather, vinyl or suede. If you don’t fancy any of these, choose a low pile fabric or one that is easy to clean. You may even want to choose a washable slip cover in natural fibers, such as cotton or linen blends.

If you want to further explore your options and you are getting a custom-made bedhead, ask the designer making your bedhead for recommendations or visit your fabric store, for further advice.

Plain: With plain fabrics, you can opt for a flat weave or one with more texture. Using fabrics with thicker weaves adds depth to a plain surface and creates a comfortable and softer ambiance. Some plain fabrics look underwhelming from a distance. But as you get closer to it, you can see the different weaves that add another dimension to the fabric.

Shape and size: There are so many ways to create different shapes for a bedhead: curved, straight edges or with side wings. The shape you choose for your bedhead is usually one of the factors that creates the statement.

Rounded shapes create a warmer atmosphere, while the straight edges create a more defined and minimalist look.

It’s also good to measure the size of your bed, consider the height of your ceiling and the scale of the bedroom.

An oversized bedhead can make a small room seem smaller and may also make the ceiling seem lower in height than it really is. 

Buttons or stitches: You can either go the classic, buttoned or have cross-stitch to break up the plain surface for a more modern and casual look, like our ‘Aria’ bedhead.

Panels: Another classic that has come back like a thunder are paneled bedheads! Panels on a bedhead, once the right fabric has been chosen, add volume to a plain bedhead! Go vertical or horizontal with panels. One of my favourite fabrics to use to emphasise luxe, are velvets. 

Pipe or fold: A great way to add an outline to a plain fabric bedhead is to choose either a folded edge or piping around the bedhead edges. The folding technique creates a casual and modern feel. This is best achieved using plain fabrics. You’ll see a lot of these bedheads used in a more boho, relaxed style. And popular fabrics to use for this style are leather, linen or cotton. Why not try our ‘Pillay’ bedhead in leather?

Piping on the other hand, creates a classic, vogue effect. You can either use the same fabric colour of the bedhead, a contrasting or a complimenting colour for the piping. And of course, for the patterned fabrics, be brave and pick a colour from the pattern to outline the bedhead. Sometimes, it’s best to pick the subtlest colour in the pattern to bring out that colour and to prevent overwhelming using the boldest colour in the pattern.

Tips to consider:

Bedheads generally come with options to either be free standing or bracketed to either the wall or bed base. Choose what suits your situation best.

Consider using the same bedhead fabric for the base of your bed and/or the blanket box. If the pattern is bold, you can pick out a colour from the pattern and choose a plain fabric for a subtler design. If you have an existing bed base and want it to match your new bedhead, get a valance made in the same fabric as your bedhead to complete the picture.

Rather than choosing the best fabric, narrow down your choices. Consider things such as, allergies, style and fabric preference. From your range of choices, start removing what you don’t like until you narrow it down to the best and last one.

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