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Ahead of their daughter’s birth, Shannan Wells and her fiancé, Jamie Allen, had Shannan’s brother, DIY enthusiast Luke Arthur Wells, turn the bland bedroom in their Hertfordshire, U.K., home into a restful retreat from the impending chaos of babydom. Supported by an uplifting lick of paint, graphic artwork, and mid-century sconces is the haven’s star attraction: a curvy homemade headboard.

Luke’s sinuous creation was inspired by a similar ready-made option that was way beyond his sister’s budget. The cost of his interpretation? $275. Better yet, his version was so simple to make that his family was able to follow along with his directions over FaceTime (Luke lives in Essex) and build it themselves during quarantine. Here’s how.

The Supplies

  • Piece of 1/2-inch-thick MDF that’s slightly taller and wider than the existing headboard
  • 2 yards batting
  • 2 yards upholstery fabric
  • Staple gun
  • Scissors
  • Jigsaw

Step 1: Get the MDF in Shape

jigsaw cutting MDF

The couple didn’t want the wave to dip below their pillows when the bed was made, so they kicked things off by eyeballing where the top of the shams would hit on the MDF. Then they freehanded an undulating shape onto the board above that mark, cut it out with a jigsaw, and drilled holes in the bottom corners so it could eventually be attached to their bed frame. 

Step 2: Pile on the Padding

MDF headboard laying on batting
batting folded over edge of MDF

Next, the duo placed the trimmed MDF on top of the batting and cut the padding down to size with scissors, leaving a 2-inch halo around the perimeter. From there they folded the batting over the edges of the headboard, pulled it taut, and stapled it to the back every inch or so to hold it in place.

Step 3: Do It All Over Again, But With Fabric

MDF headboard with batting laying on fabric
upholstery fabric with cut edges

The twosome repeated the process with Mark Alexander Coda bouclé fabric. Only this time they made small slits in the textile all the way around so they could wrap the curves with ease. 

Step 4: Rebuild the Bed Frame

wavy cream headboard

After attaching the new headboard to the existing frame with the original screws, Shannan tossed two shapely geometric pillows to match. “It’s now the perfect place for her to relax at the end of a busy day being a new mom,” says her brother.