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Maya Drozdz wanted to change the look of her bedroom but could not detach the headboard from her existing bed frame. She bought a $40 headboard at a local auction, painted its fabric with diluted chalk paint, added patterned fabric and used metal adapter brackets to place it in front of the original.
Maya Drozdz updated the look of her bedroom without replacing her functioning bed: after buying a $40 headboard at a local auction, she painted its existing fabric, added a patterned fabric border and placed it in front of her bed’s non-detachable original headboard. Apartment Therapy reported the project as a low-cost way to adapt furniture to a changed style.
Drozdz told Apartment Therapy that her bed was high quality, but its modern look no longer suited her preference for an eclectic, vintage style. She initially wanted to replace only the headboard, the most visually prominent part of the bed. Because it could not be detached from the frame, replacing it alone was not an option. She found that a king-size headboard could fit in front of the queen-size original, allowing her to retain the existing bed while changing its appearance.
Drozdz had hoped to reupholster the auction headboard, but said her stapler could not handle the thick fabric already on it. After researching alternatives, she chose chalk paint mixed with water to cover the stained fabric in a dark gray-teal shade. She said the first coats looked poor and made the result difficult to picture, but that four light layers eventually covered the fabric without making it feel crunchy. She then sealed the painted surface with furniture wax.
For a decorative finish, Drozdz attached Morris & Co.’s Golden Lily fabric in the Sunshine colorway along the upper border using fabric glue. She added thick rope cord along the inside seam to cover the join between the new fabric and painted surface, as well as any imperfections, according to her account. Metal adapter brackets connected the added headboard to the existing bed frame. The source does not provide a complete materials list or say whether the $40 covered anything beyond the auction purchase.
A Bed Update Without Replacing the Frame
The project shows one way to change a bedroom’s focal point while keeping furniture that still works. In this case, the constraint was not the condition of the bed but its construction: the original headboard could not be separated from the frame. Adding another headboard in front let Drozdz address the style mismatch without discarding the bed.
The reported $40 price applies to the auction headboard, not necessarily the entire project. Paint, wax, fabric, glue and brackets were also involved, and the report does not state their total cost. Even with that limitation, the account offers readers a specific reuse idea: adapt an existing piece and use surface treatment and trim rather than immediately buying a replacement bed.
The method is not a guarantee that every headboard or frame can be combined safely or neatly. Drozdz said the king-size headboard fit in front of her queen-size one, but the source does not supply measurements or installation details. Readers would need to check the dimensions, stability and bracket compatibility of their own furniture before attempting a similar arrangement.
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Why the Original Headboard Stayed
Drozdz’s project began with a mismatch between a bed she considered high quality and a style she had since outgrown. She said replacing the full bed seemed unnecessary because the visible headboard was the part she wanted to change. The built-in design ruled out a straightforward swap, so she looked for a separate headboard that could sit in front of it.
Her first plan for the auction find was reupholstery. When the stapler did not work on the thick existing material, she changed course and researched painting fabric instead. The result combined a painted base with a new patterned border and cord trim. Apartment Therapy’s report presents the project as a before-and-after account, based on Drozdz’s description and comments, rather than an independently tested furniture or paint guide.
“I have a really high-quality bed with a vaguely modern aesthetic that no longer suits me.”
— Maya Drozdz, describing the bed to Apartment Therapy
Project Cost and Fit Details
The report does not give a full project budget, the headboard’s dimensions, the specific paint-to-water ratio or detailed instructions for installing the adapter brackets. It also does not say how the added headboard was secured against movement beyond noting the brackets. The $40 figure is identified as the auction price, so it should not be read as the confirmed total cost of the finished project.
Drozdz’s experience also does not establish that chalk paint and furniture wax will perform the same way on every fabric. The source describes her result but does not provide durability testing, cleaning guidance or advice for other fabric types. Whether the approach is suitable for another bed depends on its construction and the fit of the additional headboard.
A Personal Project, Not a Tested Guide
The source does not announce a follow-up, product test or additional work by Drozdz. The reported project is complete: the added headboard was decorated and attached to her existing frame with metal adapter brackets. Anyone considering a similar update would need to measure both pieces, confirm the brackets suit the frame and assess the stability of the arrangement before use.
For readers weighing the cost, the available next step is to price the supplies separately: the account identifies the auction headboard at $40 but does not itemize paint, wax, fabric, glue or hardware. Apartment Therapy’s report offers Drozdz’s process and outcome; it does not confirm a standard recipe or provide a tested estimate for other households.
Key Questions
How much did Maya’s headboard cost?
Drozdz said she bought it for $40 at a local auction. The report does not state the total cost of the paint, wax, fabric, glue and brackets used in the project.
Why did she put the new headboard in front of the old one?
The original headboard could not be detached from the bed frame. Drozdz said a king-size headboard fit in front of the queen-size original, letting her change the look without replacing the bed.
What did she use to cover the existing headboard fabric?
After her reupholstery plan ran into difficulty, Drozdz used chalk paint mixed with water. She said she applied four light layers and sealed the painted fabric with furniture wax.
How did she finish the headboard’s border?
She attached Morris & Co.’s Golden Lily fabric in the Sunshine colorway with fabric glue, then added thick rope cord along the inside seam to cover the join and imperfections.
Does the report say the whole project cost $40?
No. It identifies $40 as the price of the auction headboard. The report does not provide a total for all materials or hardware.
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