DIY Dorm Headboard Ideas

When you first move into your dorm room, it’s usually very plain. Wooden furniture, white cinder block walls, and tiled flooring, or maybe a dark carpet. The good news is that there are many ways of dressing it up so that it fits your personality, and a good place to start is the headboard of your bed. Here are some cool DIY dorm headboard projects for your headboard that won’t break the budget, and don’t involve nailing things into the wall or otherwise ruining it.

Drape Fabric

From Better Homes and Garden (BHG), to give a little more personality to your headboard, simply drape fabric over your headboard and tuck it under your bed. This is good option for people who aren’t very crafty, like myself, or for those who like to switch up their room often, because you can easily switch out different fabrics.

Use Scrapbook Paper

For this DIY dorm headboard from The Lovely Side, all you need to do is tape a few pieces of scrapbook paper to your wall. Use simple colors in your color scheme or grab some bold prints to spice up your room a bit.

Or Poster Board

This paper headboard from is made The Lovely Side by drawing a design onto a thick piece of poster board. Once you cut out your design for the poster board, you’re all set to hang your new headboard up on the wall!

Fake it with Vinyl Wall Decals

Find vinyl wall decals to create a cool headboard that won’t take up any extra space. You can find decals in any shape, I found this one designed to resemble a headboard at Dormify.

Hang a rug

For this DIY dorm headboard, just find a rug that you like and hang it up behind your bed for a rug headboard, seen at Babble.

A Bookshelf

Have a pretty bookshelf in your room? Dormify shows how you can place your bed in front your bookshelf and use that as your headboard.

Lots of Fabric

You can make this ruffled fabric DIY dorm headboard from BHG with a little time and patience. The ruffles bring a some texture into your room and you can easily match your headboard to your bed skirt! 

Re-purpose Curtains

Dormify shows a creative way to use of re-purpose curtains.  You can go for something clean and simple like the sheer white curtains pictured below or add some boldness to your room with a pop or color or a pattern.

Decoupage Maps

For those world-travelers out there, use paper road maps to make a “Map Quest” headboard, found at the Lovely Side. Just use a decoupage medium to adhere your maps to an old headboard or piece of plywood.

String Lights

Dormify suggest hang up a string of lights vertically as an easy DIY dorm headboard to give your room a cozy feel. This will also double as a different source of light from your awful overhead dorm lighting.

A Simple Canvas

Also from The Lovely Side, this very simple headboard is just a canvas that you cover with any fabric of your choice. Or, if you’re more artistically inclined, you could paint the canvas yourself.

See Also

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A Chalk Board

Use a chalkboard as your headboard, like The Stir suggests. Leave yourself or your roommates cute and motivational inspiration. You may find that your friends will leave you messages if they stop by your room and you’re not there.

Upholster Your Own

You can make your own upholstered headboard! You’ll need some fabric, fiberboard and batting. Check out how to make it at BHG.

Hang Tapestries

If you’re allowed to hang tapestries in your room then use one of those, or a flag of your favorite country or sports team as a headboard, Dormify suggests. You can also purchase a display headboard rod if you aren’t allowed to hang tapestries from the wall or ceiling.

Play with the Alphabet

If you’re an avid reader or writer, check out the “Letter Perfect” headboard by BHG. Gather some different sized letters from craft stores or flea markets and hang them up using adhesive hooks, double-sided tape, or poster putty.

Don’t forget to get a student discount on dorm room decor at StudentRate!

*This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Featured image source: urbanoutfitters.com