This Smart DIY Is the Perfect Space-Saving Project for Small Bedrooms
Decorating small spaces is always a bit of a challenge — but decorating a small bedroom can add an extra layer of difficulty. The decor that feels the warmest and coziest isn’t always the most space-efficient, so you often need to think creatively in order to get the right vibe without all the extra clutter.
Connecticut-based therapist Valerie Moore knows the importance of creating comfort at home, and it was top-of-mind for her in decorating her entire 700-square-foot rental. “My overall goal with decorating my space was to make it my safe space after a long day,” Valerie noted in her house tour. “I am a homebody; I LOVE being at home so I try my best to make it as cozy as possible.”
When she first moved in, Valerie’s bed featured a headboard that was not a great fit. “The previous headboard took up most of the space,” she says. “And after getting rid of that headboard, the space was blank and the room lost the warmth it had.”
Valerie wanted to reclaim that warmth but preserve as much space as possible. She spotted the perfect project on Instagram: a rattan headboard made by DIYer Rachel Valente. “She did a step-by-step on creating the headboard and I was obsessed!” Valerie says.
Valerie got the lumber for the frame from Home Depot, where they were able to cut everything to size for her. (Her shopping list: a 10-foot 1×2 board, an 8-foot 1×2 board, and 1/4-inch-thick pine lattice.) The most expensive material was the rattan, which she ordered from Etsy — it came in at about $70, which was the majority of the $110 project total.
Valerie started out solo on this project, but ended up calling in reinforcements. “After several attempts of trying to do it alone and getting frustrated, I decided to call my dad,” she says. “I showed him the look I was going for and he came right in and helped me put everything together.”
The result of Valerie and her dad’s efforts: a framed rattan headboard that’s a perfect match for the caned console in her adjacent living room. And because it’s made with lightweight materials, the headboard is easy to mount to the wall with just Command strips — making it both space-saving and easily swappable. “If I wanted to change my room around I can easily take it down,” Valerie says.
But for now, she’s happy with how everything looks in her bedroom. “I wanted to create a warm and cozy feel and the look of the rattan headboard was 100 percent my vibe,” she says. “I love that I was able to do a project with my dad and I’m always reminded that we were able to create that together.”
Want to see more of Valerie’s home? Find her full tour here. And if you want to see another project from DIYer Rachel Valente, check out her one-square-foot home makeover.