Short on space and lack a headboard? Pegboard, our favorite kitchen and workshop workhorse, may just be the solution you've been looking for. Carmel from Our Fifth House transforms her boy's bedroom from bland to brilliant with a Union Jack paint job and inexpensive material.

Carmel's 8 year old son needed some easy access storage, so when she planned to DIY a headboard, pegboard won. The Union Jack paint job took the most time, but a simple solid color would make this an afternoon project.
I love the possibilities of this project, and that it can be infinitely adaptable to suit different needs. For those lacking in floor space, hanging baskets and clip on lamps take the place of nightstands, and are customizable. You can hang art, hooks for headphones, or books. Not an Anglophile? Maybe a paint-by-number or trompe l'oeil is more your style.
For more photos and full instructions, check out Our Fifth House.
MORE DIY HEADBOARDS ON APARTMENT THERAPY:
• 10 DIY Headboard Ideas
• Even More DIY Headboard Inspiration
• 10 Headboards You Can Make for Under $50
(Images: Our Fifth House)


Z2 iPod Dock and Wi...
Great inspiration...so many applications & possibilies.
amazing!
This is pretty brilliant.
Love it! And my favorite pillow is the blue one with the stars...
The Union Jack looks great but a Paint by Number!!!! Oh my!!!!
I read pegboard and thought "ew, this can't be good." So wrong! Cute and practical. Well done.
I ditto LORINT's comment. And to addmy own, super cool idea.
I love this.
I love it! I also like the before, with the platform bed with storage :)
i'm actually looking for easy DIY headboard ideas so this could not come at a better time.
Totes oss - love this!
Sweet!
that is friggin awesome! great work! perfect for the young child through teenage years especially.
So cool! You did an amazing job!
Thanks so much for featuring my headboard project! I just scored some more cool points from my son!
It looks great.
A lovely headboard and the shelves under the bed.
Nice. Functional and cute.
that's beyond awesome. great job!
Wonderful!
I love this.......you are very clever!
I love this. My only comment is that the Union Jack is backwards. The broader part of the white X cross should be on the upper left. :( Kinda like flying the Stars and Stripes upside down...
Fab idea! I love the idea of a paint by numbers with some of it left unpainted
I also read "pegboard" and thought "horrible", and I am just charmed by this! What a great idea, and one I might steal for the multipurpose office/guest room I'm re-doing.
This would also work very well for a guest room, or in one of those legendary tiny Manhattan studios ---- shelves for books, lighting, etc,. etc -- and in a small space it owuld actually "expand" it. Excellent!
Great idea for storage.
Really Nice!!!!! YOU CAN RIDE THE LAMP WIRE!!!!!! Just cut it and put through the roles of the pegboard, and then fix it again!!!!
The flag doesn't look straight/symmetric - is it supposed to be that way!?
Sorry to say your Union flag has been painted upside down, don't show it off to any Brits they'll only ask you what's wrong, flying the flag upside down is a distress signal.
The thick white line of the diagonal should always be top left. I see it upside down over here all the time. So no great shakes I suppose, just annoying for those in the know.
They are right about your Union Flag being backwards- too bad as it's a lovely piece of handiwork!
Really clever and so practical!
Great idea but personally, if I see another union jack I will vom! :)
Great idea! I love the shelves under the bed. We were planning on doing something similar for my sons new room - where are the shelves under the bed from? Is it a platform bed or did you DIY and buy some shelves and put them sideways?
Just checked out your blog - got the bed instructions!
this is a great idea