Transforming a Blank Wall into a Statement Piece: A DIY Journey
Introduction
Hello, it’s Mal EHD, social media manager, and welcome back to my 500 sqft studio apartment. I’m happy to report that it’s finally finished! In this article, I’ll be walking you through two of the fun DIYs I did for this space, and I’ll share the full reveal next week. Today, we’re starting with the bed wall that I’ve been struggling with for years. I was determined to transform this blank wall into something more interesting than the standard landlord white box special.
The Inspiration
When I said this was a boring wall, I meant it – and this is pretty much the main wall of the apartment. The other side of this room is the other main section, where the second DIY that I’ll be showing you is located. Design-wise, I knew this was the place to make a statement. This apartment is small and laid out pretty similarly to a hotel room, so when I was looking for inspiration, the first place I went was cool hotels. I’m very much obsessed with Palm Springs vibes and style, so I popped into the Sands Hotel and Spa, which was designed by Martyn Lawrence Bullard, and had lunch at the Pink Cabana during a weekend trip there.
Designing the Headboard
I was immediately blown away by the design and knew I wanted to incorporate a touch of this fun, resorty feeling in my space. I started drafting up some options, and you guys helped me decide on the direction. Here are some of the options we ran through:
- Option 1: A simple headboard with a bold color
- Option 2: A headboard with a unique texture
- Option 3: A headboard with a statement piece
- Option 4: A minimalist headboard
- Option 5: A headboard with a natural element
- Option 6: A headboard with a curved trim and cane details
A lot of you guys were split on which ones you liked, but there was a pretty solid pack that came together for option 6. While it was easily the hardest version to complete, I agreed that it looked best, especially once the pendant lights came in.
Constructing the Headboard
Okay, so now you wanna know how I did it, huh? Let me break down exactly how to do it with some key learnings so you don’t have to figure this out on your own. Trust me, you don’t want to.
Materials Needed
* Cardboard from boxes (or purchase cardboard)
* Sticky neoprene foam
* Poplar planks
* Velvet fabric
* Cane
* Wallpaper
* Command strips
* Painters tape
* Double-sided tape
* Wallpaper smoother
Step-by-Step Guide
- Hoard some cardboard boxes to create the shape for the black trim.
- Cut out a solid square of the cardboard and trace the corner curve of my headboard.
- Mark some points 4 inches below the curved line and then trace another curve below it.
- Cut this curve out and trace the exact shape onto another piece of cardboard, then cut that one out.
- Cut out a straight, long, piece of cardboard that was 4 inches wide and made it a little longer than the length of my headboard.
- Tape it together to the edges of my cardboard corners and use some command strips to put it onto the wall and see if the sizing looked right.
- Once you nailed down the top sizing, cut out two more pieces to attach the bottom of the curves to the wall.
- Decide to give these a little curved moment too to make it feel really seamless and flowy.
- Use sticky neoprene foam to make it feel more secure and a little more plush.
- Use command strips and painters tape to put it onto the wall to make sure the shape looked right.
Adding the Trim and Cane Details
Once I was happy with the shape, I needed something to really make the trim solid and to have something to staple the fabric to. So I had these poplar planks lying around and decided it would be the perfect thing. I ended up using about 10 long pieces, some of which I cut down with a box saw, and I hot glued a strip to the top and a strip to the bottom of the back of the trim.
Adding the Fabric and Cane
When it came to the curved corners, I cut down the wood pieces and glued them down to follow the curve – it’s not going to be perfect, and that’s okay; it’s really just to hold it all together. Once the wood planks were locked in and the glue was dried, it was time to break out the staple gun and END THIS.
Adding the Wallpaper
If you’re attempting this project, you could stop here or you could keep going like I did and add a wallpaper. I fell in love with this wallpaper from Pottery Barn because it reminded me of the pink cabana in Palm Springs, but the only problem was that it wasn’t peel-and-stick. So when I came across this article by Studio DIY, a lightbulb went off, and I added my dream wallpaper to cart!!!
The Final Result
And just like that!!!! It took days, weeks, months of trial and error, but the finished result is so worth it!! This boring white box apartment isn’t so boring anymore!! Have a look!!!!!
Conclusion
I’ll be revealing the full space on Monday, but I have one more DIY to share with you before then, so stay tuned!!! Drop your comments, questions, and concerns below, and I’ll see ya down below or follow me on Instagram and TikTok! Thank you all for reading!
UPDATE: I’m so glad you all enjoyed this post! I’ve been getting a lot of questions about the materials and process, so I’ll try to answer them in the comments below.
Huge thank you to all of you who have been following along on this journey. I’m so excited to share the rest of my apartment with you and inspire you to take on your own DIY projects.
This post has been a long time coming, and I’m so happy to finally share it with you all. I’ve learned so much throughout this process, and I hope you have too. If you have any questions or want to share your own DIY experiences, please leave a comment below.
The comments section is now open for business. Go ahead, ask me anything, and I’ll do my best to respond.
Thanks again for reading, and I’ll see you in the next post!
xx
P.S. Don’t forget to follow me on social media for more DIY adventures and behind-the-scenes peeks into my life.
P.P.S If you have any suggestions or ideas for future posts, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m always looking for new inspiration and topics to explore.
Mallory
Some of the Comments
- This is absolutely spectacular, my jaw is on the floor. Allow me to start the standing comment ovation!
- It looks so good!!!
- Fantastic job!
- I’m terrible at DIY but wish I enjoyed it for this project.
- I’m not a huge DIYer either per se, but after lots of trial and error we made it happen!!
- Love this post!
- Nice work!
- Wow, absolutely impressive and gorgeous!
- This is some inspirational work, for sure!
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the inspiration behind the headboard design?
The inspiration came from the Palm Springs vibe and style, specifically the Sands Hotel and Spa designed by Martyn Lawrence Bullard.
What materials were used to construct the headboard?
The materials used included cardboard, sticky neoprene foam, poplar planks, velvet fabric, cane, wallpaper, command strips, painters tape, double-sided tape, and a wallpaper smoother.
Was the wallpaper used peel-and-stick?
No, the wallpaper used was not peel-and-stick, but a method was found to make it work using a technique from Studio DIY.
How long did the project take to complete?
The project took days, weeks, months of trial and error to complete.
What was the most challenging part of the project?
The most challenging part was likely constructing the curved trim and attaching it to the wall, as well as making the headboard with a unique texture and cane details.
Can this DIY project be customized?
Yes, the project can be customized to fit individual tastes and styles by changing the materials, colors, and design elements.
