9 headboards that will give your bedroom an instant upgrade

(Image credit: Regan Baker Design)

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Best wooden headboard
Best statement headboard
Best upholstered headboard
Best storage headboard

By Oonagh Turner

published 13 June 2023

in Buying Guides

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Shop our selections by category:
1. Best wooden headboard
2. Best statement headboard
3. Best upholstered headboard
3. Best storage headboard

Headboards are the perfect addition to your bedroom. They add a focal point to the room, can tie a color scheme together, and work wonders in place of bedroom artwork.

Meanwhile, practically, they can add support and comfort to make your bed a space for relaxation, while they also protect your bedroom wall from scuffs and getting dirty. The best thing about them? They're the best, quickest way to update a bedroom, as you can change a headboard without having to buy a completely new bed.

To suss out the best headboards on the market, I've scoured some of my favorite homeware brands to find the best bedroom furniture of the bunch that can all be added to an existing bed.

Best wooden headboard

1. Marcel lift bed

This simple headboard from Kohl's has a distinct midcentury modern feel to it, you can really see the grain too which really brings warmth to your bedroom, with a walnut brown finish.

2. King wood and cane panel headboard

This wooden headboard combines with cane to create a chic focal point and bring a minimalist feel to the space. The three-panel design has a woven look to give it a handcrafted look, and the height is adjustable.

3. Wood and cane headboard

This headboard makes a great addition to a master bedroom, with a dark complexion that mixes cane with dark stained wood. The result is sumptuous and relaxing, the perfect addition to a dark and moody bedroom.

Best statement headboard

1. Deco sun headboard

Wake up every morning to this beaming Art Deco style sun headboard. Made of wooden paneling and given a metallic finish, this headboard would bring a glamorous bedroom feel to your space. Pair with terracotta for a golden glow in your bedroom.

2. Almelo Sumac Red King Headboard

Available in a beautiful rust color and forest green, this Art Deco inspired headboard is foam filled and covered in velvet. There are also two handy shelves built-in, a perfect height for drinks or bedtime reading.

3. Paxton headboard

For something with a bit more interest and texture, this One Kings Lane creation uses patterned linen-blend upholstery to bring an artistic look to the top of your bed. The easy-to-assemble headboard has metal legs which you can attach easily to any frame.

Best upholstered headboard

1. Saba elowen headboard

This elegant shade of green has a silvery sage color to it which will look great in the bedroom. Like a giant wall pillow, it brings comfort to the room so you can lean against the wall. It also comes with a removable slipcover that fastens tightly with velcro.

2. Charlotte headboard

OK, so it's slightly on the higher end of the pricing spectrum, but I just love the fluted detail of this dusky blue headboard. The soft tufting look makes it the perfect place to lean against your wall, and it's available in a variety of colors.

3. SAFEVIEH saraya curved headboard

On the more budget end of the spectrum, this from Overstock is a gentle addition in dusky pink that brings a chic feel. The curves and tone of pink make this a softening bedroom addition that would bring a touch of color to a minimalist bedroom.

Best storage headboard

1. Ruby layered storage headboard

Keep your bedside essentials close by with this storage headboard crafted from engineered wood with curved edges. Complete with a shelf across the top of the headboard and small cubbies built-in on either side. Available exclusively at Urban Outfitters.

2. Vito storage headboard in white

A queen-size headboard in white that has side storage that works for candles, nighttime necessities, as well as a large shelf that can accommodate your favorite bedtime reads. Make the most of the open shelves and turn your headboard into a decorative moment showcasing your favorite things.

3. Kouva oak storage headboard

Made of oak and with a beautiful fluted finish, this storage headboard has open shelves on the side that works for extra storage, but more so for a decorative touch. Think a well-placed houseplant or selection of candles. Available in king or queen size, the light coloring look brings nature into your bedroom.

What kind of headboards are in style in 2023?

When it comes to the debate as to whether to go headboard vs no headboard, mostly, designers are choosing to go with a headboard rather than go without. We seeing headboards evolving into all-singing, all-dancing pieces of furniture that not only create a beautiful focal point in the bedroom, but are solving our small bedroom woes by becoming clever storage solutions. From headboards with built-in shelving where you can store nighttime necessities and display your bedroom decor, to some bedside tables that even encompass bedside tables, our headboards are working harder and harder in the bedroom.

Headboards can be an important tool to bring color to your space, tying a bedroom color palette together. Don't be afraid to go big or bold and make a statement. On the other side of the spectrum, those who are looking for a more minimalist style in the bedroom might want to embrace wood and rattan to soften the space, bring nature, and add warmth.

For those feeling a bit more adventurous and creative, designers are also combining shelf and headboard into one clever design. Analysis of Pinterest data has found that larger headboards, even ‘headboard walls’, are a steadily growing luxurious trend. San Francisco-based design firm, Field Theory, recently completed a project where they added shiplap paneling only partially up the wall and painted in the same color to further that sense of width, as well as giving the illusion of more ceiling height. The shiplap also acts as a headboard for the bed, helping to maximize space in the room.

Oonagh is a content editor at Livingetc.com and an expert at spotting the interior trends that are making waves in the design world. Writing a mix of everything and everything from home tours to news, long-form features to design idea pieces on the website, as well as frequently featured in the monthly print magazine, she's the go-to for design advice in the home. Previously, she worked on a London property title, producing long-read interiors features, style pages and conducting interviews with a range of famous faces from the UK interiors scene, from Kit Kemp to Robert Kime. In doing so, she has developed a keen interest in London's historical architecture and the city's distinct tastemakers paving the way in the world of interiors.