16 Decor DIYs That Are Cuter And Cheaper Than An Ikea Headboard

Literally just paint a square behind your bed. It's way cuter, anyways.

1. Nail a few thin pieces of wood around your bed to create a really lightweight faux headboard.

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The main purpose of a headboard is to make the bed the focal point of the room. Two pieces of unfinished wood can accomplish that without the need for heavy furniture or ruining a minimalist vibe.

2. Suspend two curtain rods, and then hide string lights behind gauze curtains for a fairy-tale-worthy look.

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Mr. Kate pulled this project off with two curtain rods, two sets of gauze curtains, six string fairy lights, a few screw hooks, and a lot of wire. It's a big project, but it'll be worth it when you feel like you're sleeping in a magical cloud.

3. Paint a rectangle on the wall for a colorful frame that probably costs less than your sheets.

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This is as straightforward as it looks. In addition to being super cheap, painting a fake headboard is a simple way to change up your color scheme without painting the entire wall. You can typically get a quart of paint for under $10 so you can change the color over and over again.

4. If you've got high ceilings, try hanging some fake flowers.

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Jenny of home decor blog Sweet Teal cut flowers off a fake bouquet and glued them together, stem to bud. She then hung the top flowers to the wall with a bit of fishing wire and secured the bottom stems with some tape.

5. Pin up your favorite tapestry for a casual and bohemian look.

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Wall hangings are both renter-friendly and large enough to frame the entire bed. Society6 has literally hundreds of tapestries from $43.99.

6. Hang pegboard so your decor can change whenever your mood does.

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You can switch up the placement of the hooks and baskets whenever you get bored of the original compilation. Ashley Rose of Sugar & Cloth recommends hanging the pegboard with drywall anchors — for extra support — and clear spacers behind the board so there's room to hook the accessory hangers without scratching the wall.

Get the drywall anchors from the Home Depot for $5.47, the clear spacers for $4.42, the hook assortment for $7.48, and a 4x8-foot pegboard for $18.48.

7. Cut and paint foam sheets to brighten up your room with funky patterns, and switch 'em around whenever fresh inspiration strikes.

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Foam boards are super cheap and very light, so you can experiment with the pattern without making any serious commitment. If you get tired of it, just peel off the tape and toss the foam in the trash. No harm, no foul.

Check out Kara's '90s-eque pattern on A Kailo Chic Life.

8. Arrange your bed so it sits against a window, and let your curtains and the sunlight replace a headboard.

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Stylist Rebecca Gallop of A Daily Something positioned her bed in front of the window, and framed it with two caged Edison bulbs. You could also trade out the gauze curtains for a set of blackout ones so you can still sleep in on the weekend.

I have a set of velvet ones that turn my bedroom into a (very cozy) cave. Get a panel from Bed, Bath & Beyond for $54.99+, available in four sizes and six colors.

9. Or install a panel of patterned wallpaper if you want something a little more fun.

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Covering an entire space with patterned wallpaper is a big commitment, so hang a small section that will act more like a piece of art than a huge design statement.

Get this wallpaper from Wayfair for $6.92/sq. ft.

10. Cover a bench cushion with a cool fabric to make a fake headboard that will also provide padding when you sit up and read.

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Designer Geneva Vanderzeil of A Pair & A Spare covered an Ikea bench pad ($40) with some denim and a few cleverly placed pins. She then cut a few leather straps to hang the cushion — and to hang the floating shelf above it! Genius.

11. Hang art above your bed to fill the blank space, and add balance to your room.

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Holly Marder of the Avenue Design Studio redecorated her own bedroom with asymmetry in mind. If you have awkwardly sized furniture, hang framed photos and prints to one side of the bed to create balance. If you don't, feel free to hang art evenly in the center.

12. Or throw everything you've got on the wall if your style is a bit more dramatic than that.

Instagram: @tezzamb

Stylist Tessa Barton created a collage kit of high-quality prints like these for $89, but you can just rip pages out of magazines, stick up your favorite photos, work in posters you already own, and print out cool quotes in fun fonts.

13. Center a macrame hanging over your head if you want a more neutral focal point.

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Make your own macrame wall hanging or get this one from Urban Outfitters for $79, available in two colors.

14. Float a few shelves over your pillows, and display your favorite trinkets and plants.

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If you have more collectibles than photos or posters, there's no reason they can't be the center of attention. Clear off your surfaces and keep everything on these cute little shelves. Get them from Urban Outfitters for $19 each, available in five colors.

15. Stick a map above your pillows if you're always dreaming of travel.

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A big piece of art makes a great centerpiece, but a map costs a whole lot less. Nix the frame like Emma & Cody do in their home if you want the map to blend with its surroundings.

16. Or clip Polaroid photos to fairy lights, so you can see your favorite people before bed every night.

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Mr. Kate suggests using Command hooks to hang fairy lights so you don't damage the walls. Get string lights with clips from Urban Outfitters for $20.

Want more ideas for how to make your room snuggly as hell?

20 Ways To Make Your Bed The Most Comfortable Place On Earth

19 Cozy Bedroom Ideas That Are $30 Or Less