How to Paint a White Picket Fence Headboard on the Wall

Be inspired by a picket fence.

A headboard gives the bed a sense of balance and can provide a focal point for the rest of the room. However, if you don't have a lot of money to spare for a brand-new headboard or you don't feel comfortable doing even basic carpentry, you can still make a simple and charming headboard. If you're a fan of the quaintness of picket fences, painting one on the wall is a basic task that can transform your room.

Things You'll Need

• Chalk
• Stencil of picket fence
• Tape
• Pencil
• Oil-based paint
• Paintbrush, 1"
• Paintbrush, 2"

Instructions

1. Move the bed away from the wall. Mark with a pencil or piece of chalk where you want the bottom of the headboard to be; 1 or 2 inches above the top of the mattress is standard.

2. Cut the stencil if necessary to fit the width of the bed. Tape the picket fence stencil on the wall.

3. Paint in the lines of the stencil with oil-based white paint using 1-inch and 2-inch paintbrushes. Allow the paint to dry for 12 to 24 hours and apply a second coat.

Tips & Warnings

• You can add flecks of grass to the bottom of the fence if you like, to give it a greater sense of the outdoors and a bit of color.

• This headboard design works best against colored walls.

References

• "The Stamped and Stenciled Home: Easy, Beautiful Designs for Walls, Floors, and Home Accessories"; Doris Glovier; 2002