A Very Cute Alternative to Having an Actual Headboard

Problem: You think a headboard would look great in your bedroom but anything you find is too clunky or too prison-bars-y for your vibe. Solution? Use the wall above your bed for a boardless headboard using just some painter’s tape and Emerald® paint by Sherwin-Williams in Alyssum SW 6589 and Youthful Coral SW 6604. Here’s how you can, too:

How to Make a Headboardless Headboard

1. Start by measuring a square(-ish) area of 44″ W x 36″ L where you want the finished headboard to be.
2. From there, use painter’s tape (we used a 1″ width) to drop vertical lines every 10″ from the inside of your first tape line (so, left to right: at 11″, 22″, 33″, 44″ — the extra 1″ accounts for the tape itself).
3. Then measure the midpoint, or 18″ down each vertical line.
4. Now, measure 6″ from the top and bottom of each 18″ midpoint for additional points
5. With these guides, you can place all the rest of the tape. Basically you’ll want to start with a giant X over the center point of the frame from the points just above and below the corners. Then, lay diagonal lines above and below the arms of your X to carve out a grid of triangles. (Note: The grid is a little detailed. Ugh, math. The slide show below shows all the steps above. Everything after that is all paint, fun, and happiness.)
6. Phew! Now you’re ready for the fun part. Paint pieces of the grid to fill in a heart shape. Use a sponge brush and paint away from the edges of the tape to ensure a clean line once it’s removed.
7. For bonus points, paint one section of the heart in a darker color for an accent. A little Youthful Coral SW 6604 did the trick for us.
8. Finally, peel that tape off and let everything dry. Voilà!

Emerald® paint and primer in one by Sherwin-Williams easily covers up previous colors, so you’ll only have to do one coat for this project. It’s also long-lasting and stain-resistant, so it can be used for decorative projects like this, or on high-traffic walls like hallways and foyers for quick and lasting coverage. We found it’s a nice weight for creating clean lines with painter’s tape, making it great for decorative designs like this that will last awhile.

Ready to get hearted? Find your perfect color at Sherwin-Williams.com.

^{This post was created by the Apartment Therapy Creative Studio and is sponsored by Sherwin-Williams.
Thank you for supporting the brands that make Apartment Therapy possible.}