I can’t believe I finally get to share with you how to make an upholstered bed! After experiencing a few delays due to fabric, my own indecisiveness, and bed hardware selection, I can finally say this project is DONE.
Several weeks ago, we jumped into this DIY upholstered bed project, for our modern classic bedroom makeover, by building the bed frame. That task was much more of a breeze than I expected. As for upholstering the frame and headboard, I experienced a couple of setbacks (by my own doing), but nothing that couldn’t be fixed easily.
Overall, I would definitely make my own upholstered bed again. I’m already thinking about making one for another makeover project in the works!
Upholstering your own bed is not something new. In fact, I was able to determine how to upholster our own bed by piecing together and modifying a couple of great tutorials out there. Mina over at The Handy Homemaker has a great Upholstered Bedframe tutorial with tips on how to sew and upholster the frame.
Also, Suzannah over at Create/Enjoy has a great DIY Slipcovered Bed tutorial that shows how to create and upholster a simple headboard to the frame. She also adds a beautiful slipcover!
This tutorial is modified a bit, and gives a few more tips on how I upholstered some of the tricky parts like corners and basic upholstery stapling tips. I’ll also let you in on my new found secret to getting fabric you really like for upholstery. More on that below.
With that said, let’s start with some tips on getting your own DIY upholstered bed started with ease.
Tip 1: Choose a Fabric You Love
For bed upholstery, choose a home decor fabric that you love both the look and feel of. After all, it’s a piece of furniture you’ll look at quite often, and spend much time on, so why not like the way it looks and feels?
I can be quite indecisive when it comes to fabric, especially when ordering online. You don’t really know what a fabric feels like until it’s actually in your hands.
In our case, I purchased fabric that I liked (not loved) the look of, and upon receiving it, was not thrilled about the way it felt. If I had purchased a swatch ahead of time, I’m sure this could have been avoided.
However, time was ticking away, but I knew there was something better out there, for a budget friendly price. So while browsing Target, I decided to take a walk down the curtain aisle, and voila! The perfect grey fabric in a “linen-look” and feel staring right at me.
So yes, that’s right, our bed is made out of curtains! These curtains are super soft, and have just the right amount of texture I was looking for. Due to the fabric blend, it’s a bit more delicate than I wanted, but with careful handling, I was able to make it work.
If you’re having a hard time finding fabric you love, either order online swatches first, or take a walk down the curtain aisle at your favorite store. You just may find something perfect!
Choose Bed Legs Wisely
The second tip is to choose your bed legs with upholstery in mind. If you choose to install traditional legs, you will not have a problem. Traditional legs sit back from the edge of the bed, and are screwed directly into a board made just for the legs underneath. However, most modern legs, made of some type of metal, are made to be installed at the front edge of the bed.
The look of these are great, but you must make extra preparations for them to be installed. You must also be sure the upholstery beneath them is smooth while installing. I get into some of this in the instructions below.
Overall, we love the look of our modern legs, but to be honest, installing them was one of the hardest parts of the whole process.
Now that I’ve given you some tips on getting started, let’s ge to the good stuff!
Here’s what you’ll need:
Materials
- 8 yards of batting (heavier weight preferred)
- 5 yards of muslin
- 5 yards of decor fabric (or 2 curtain panels at least 50″ x 84″)
- Plywood cut to 39”x61”
- Bed legs of your choice (we used these)
Tools
- Pneumatic or manual nail gun
- Compressor (for pneumatic nail gun)
- Staples
- Sewing machine
- Straight pins
- Screwdriver
Prepare Batting for Upholstery
For upholstering the frame, I was able to leave it on the floor while I worked. This helped since I didn’t have any clips to hold fabric and tape would not work to hold the batting. I was able to just stand the batting up agains the frame as I wrapped around. However, you may find it easier to sit the frame on four chairs in each corner, and clip the fabric and batting around as you work.
Since the headboard will sit flush against the back of the frame, you will only need to apply batting to the front board and side rails. First, prepare your batting for the frame by cutting strips at least 15″ wide and however long you can get them to wrap around the frame twice. This should allow for at least 1.5″ of overhang on each side for stapling.
If you are able to get 7 continuous yards, you will only need two strips at 15″ wide and 227″ long. However, this may not be possible due to the fabric store’s availability. I was able to get 6 continuous yards, and two separate yards, so I did some piecing together on the sides, but not much.
I also cut the batting for our headboard at this point to see what we were working with.
If you have multiple pieces of batting, that’s ok! Just try to cover the front corners with one piece so the batting is smooth there. In areas where you need to piece together, cut the meeting pieces at a diagonal. Then, peel back a couple layers of one piece and tuck the meeting piece into this opening.
Place your batting all around your frame, clipping or taping into place. Again, for the batting, I stood my pieces up against the wood, as tape wouldn’t stick for me.
Apply Muslin to Frame
Once the batting is in place, cut your strips of muslin. You will need two strips at 84″ long and 15″ inches wide, and one at 62″ long and 15″ wide. Now place the strips, right side in, pinning or taping where you can, and pin together where the pieces meet at both corners.
When pinning, leave about 1.5″ free from pins for folding and stapling into the corners. You will begin and end sewing where your pins begin and end.
After your muslin had been pinned, sew your pinned area together remembering to leave the unpinned areas free for stapling.
Then place the muslin back on your frame, right side out.
Now, beginning with the footboard, staple the muslin around the frame, folding it over the batting and stapling just above the top inside edge of the wood. I used this pneumatic staple gun and compressor, and it made a huge difference in speed. This project can be completed with a manual staple gun, but if you value your time even a little, you’ll want to go the pneumatic route.
I like to begin by placing one staple in the middle first, then while tugging to the right of the first staple, place another staple about 2″ from the end. I then fill in the remaining space in between with staples, slightly tugging up, and to the right as I go.
Then, I repeat the steps above to the left of my first staple. Finally, I repeat the entire process for the left and right rail.
If you staple using this process as well, your corners will be the last areas stapled. Once you get to your corners, staple your muslin on the front board straight back. Then, on the side rails, fold your muslin fabric in at a diagonal and staple. You may need to cut some fabric away at the corners to get a nice flat fold. See how I do this with the actual fabric a few photos below.
Now flip the whole frame over, and staple as you did above. If you are using the type of modern legs chosen for our frame, you will need to cut away batting in the corners at this point in the process. This will allow the legs to sit flush against the wood.
If you keep batting here during the drilling process, your drill will not be able to make it through the fabric and batting on its way to the wood. I learned this the hard way and had to go back and cut away batting after upholstering.
Whether you’re using modern legs or not, drill the holes for your bed legs at this point as well. Place the leg bracket centered at the point you prefer, and with a tiny pencil or pen, mark where each screw hole is through the holes. Then drill holes where you’ve placed each mark.
Apply Fabric to Frame
Now, cut your strips of fabric to be placed over the muslin. I actually cut the fabric a little wider and the side rail fabric longer to fit nicely over the batting and muslin. Since I was using linen blend curtain fabric, I had to be careful not to pull too hard on the fabric or it would fray, so I wanted to be sure to have enough fabric to fold over nicely at the ends.
You will need two strips at 86″ long and 17.5″ wide, and one strip at 62″ long and 17.5″ wide. Just as you did the muslin, place the strips, right side in, and pin together where the pieces meet at both corners. Leave about 1.5″ free from pins for folding/stapling.
After your fabric had been pinned, sew your pinned area together remembering to leave the unpinned areas free for stapling. Then place the fabric back on your frame, right side out.
Now, beginning with the footboard, staple the fabric around the frame, folding it over the batting and muslin, and stapling just as you did the muslin. I like to fold the edges in, then staple.
Staple the corners just as you did the muslin, but pay a bit more attention to the detail, as these corners will be visible. See how I upholstered the corners below.
When you get to the back of the frame, fold the hanging fabric down the back of the frame and staple. Then, at the top corner, fold the side fabric in at a diagonal and staple. Then add staples as needed to the fabric as you fold around the back corner.
Flip the entire frame over and repeat the stapling process beginning with the foot board again.
Upholster Headboard
I purchased plywood at Home Depot and had them cut it down to 39″ x 61.” This may work out better for you as well since it’s one less step to take once you get home.
First, cut your muslin to 43″ x 65.” You will only need enough batting for the headboard area above the back of the bed frame. So cut your batting to 27″ x 63.” Then, place your muslin on the floor, and your batting on top, leaving about twelve inches of space on the bottom.
Next, place your plywood on top, and begin stapling the muslin to the plywood. Do not apply staples to the bottom at this point, only to the top and the top half of the sides.
Next, turn the plywood over, then tuck and staple the muslin just under the bottom of the batting.
Now, go back and staple the muslin to the remaining sides and bottom of the plywood.
Next, cut your fabric to 43″ x 65.” Then staple it to your headboard just as you did the muslin. This time however, you’ll want to be extra detailed with how your corners are stapled in order to get a smooth finish. See below for steps on how to cut away fabric, fold, and staple so no creases are visible.
Now, with your frame sitting on the floor, line your headboard up with your bed frame and drill holes for your bolts. Your drill may not go through your fabric, so you may have to cut small holes in the fabric for the drill to continue. I used five bolts, one in the middle of the frame, and two staggered to the left and right.
Attach Bed Legs
Now, turn your bed on its side, and screw in each bed leg. Depending on your fabric and leg placing, you may need to carefully cut tiny holes where the leg screws will be placed so the fabric doesn’t snag. Then turn your bed back over, and admire your finished work!
There you have it! How to make an upholstered bed with modern style, made just for you. In this case, just for us. This bed is simple and sleek, but can be customized even more for your own taste or comfort. I’ve spotted beds like this with bold patterns, brushed gold legs, and taller headboards. You really can make this your own!
I am so happy with the way our DIY upholstered bed turned out, and look forward to making another one for a different project. I am even more excited that our modern classic bedroom makeover is coming together so nicely. Completing this bed gets us so much closer to the finish line!
I know this seems like an ambitious project, but if you have all the tools and plan ahead, you can make your own bed easily too. Feel free to drop any questions you may have below! I’d be happy to help you on your own DIY journey as well.
Want to save this for later? Pin this tutorial to your favorite Pinterest board!
No Comments