We’re always looking to create bold and colourful design moments, but we don’t always have the funds to splurge on beautiful furniture. Relatable, right? Luckily, we know it’s possible to transform any room into a trendy space on a budget if you’re ready to work.
Photo courtesy of Lauren Miller
Here’s how we transformed Sarah’s bedroom into a golden hour inspired oasis by painting an arched headboard. Plus, we made all of the mistakes, so you don’t have to. This is definitely the article we were missing when we tackled a DIY headboard on camera for the very first time!!
CHOOSE YOUR COLOUR SCHEME
This is an obvious starting place, but we can’t stress enough how important it is to actually test out your paint before committing. Paint changes in the light, and even if you think you’ve found your perfect shade in store, chances are it’s going to look different morning, noon and night! Create paint swatches by brushing your favourite colours on white paper, and tape them on any wall that you’re looking to paint. Leave it for at least a full day to see how it changes.
Motelier Tip: We often test colours from the same family in the swatchbook. The tones remain the same, but the intensity of the colour might vary. This is how we landed on our favourite Benjamin Moore paint, Apricot Beige. You can now order all Benjamin Moore sample swatches online here.
GATHER YOUR SUPPLIES
You’ll need the following supplies:
- Measuring tape
- Pencil + string
- Nail + hammer
- Paint
- Paint brush
- Paint roller + tray
MEASURE THE ARCH
The first thing you need to do is decide the width of the base. This is completely based on personal design preference, and size of your bed. Since you’re using the arch to frame a bed, we suggest leaving at least 1 foot of breathing space on either side of the bed. That way, your side tables will keep the same backdrop for a more curated bedside vignette.
Once you’ve decided on your width, use your pencil to mark either side of the arch. Then, find the centre of the arch using your tape measure and mark that centre spot with your pencil, and use your hammer to nail in a centrepoint.
Motelier Tip: We suggest keeping the centrepoint low, near your baseboard, to create the most even arch. But, if you’ve got a higher bed frame, just bump your centrepoint up a few inches!
Photo courtesry of Netflix/Proper Television
DRAW IT OUT
Now’s the time to draw your arch! You’ll need to cut a piece of string half the width of the base of the arch, and tie one side of your string around the nail, and the other around your pencil.
To draw the arch, extend your pencil to one side of the arch, and begin to move upwards towards to the other side while holding the string tight! This will give your arch the cleanest line.
Motelier Tip: We suggest cutting your string with a few extra inches for tying room. For example, if the width of your arch is 180” keep your string around 94”.
Photo courtesy of Netflix/Proper Television
GET PAINTING
Once you’ve drawn the arch outline, use a fine brush to trace the inside edges. Go slow and be careful with this one! Since you’re not using tape you have less wiggle room to draw outside the lines.
After you’ve traced the arch with your paint, use your roller and fill in the rest!
Motelier Tip: Let the first coat try for at least two hours, and then go in for a second coat to make sure the entire area is evenly coated. If you were sloppy on the tracing, keep your white paint on standby to do some touch ups!
Photo courtesy of Lauren Miller
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