Bedroom clutter can make your room appear disorganized, which in turn can lead to feelings of anxiety in a space that’s meant to be calming. If you want to showcase small plants, picture frames or books, a bookcase headboard is an excellent way to highlight these things neatly and cleanly to help create a more soothing space in the home.
The Andover Mills Legrand Bookcase Headboard is an excellent and budget-friendly bookcase headboard that’s available in multiple colors and finishes to suit any design style you may have chosen for your bedroom.
What to know before you buy a bookcase headboard
Storage
In recent years, bed frames with storage underneath have been popular for smaller spaces to help buyers store extra linens, clothes and blankets. But what about items you want to display? Maximizing the space in your bedroom sometimes means getting creative with shelving and furniture. Bookcase headboards provide clever use of display space in a way that doesn’t overwhelm the eye or look chaotic, especially in narrower rooms that can’t comfortably fit bedside tables. If you require more storage than a bookcase headboard can accommodate, bookcase beds are an excellent alternative.
Visual interest
Bookcase headboards also provide visual interest to your room. From their unique shapes with alternating shelving to house objects of varying sizes to the colors of the items you choose to display, bookcase headboards can liven up a room that’s lacking a little in personality. Not only do they provide an element of organization, but they also add a slightly academic and well-planned look to a bedroom.
Discreet cable storage
Some bookcase headboards offer drilled holes, pass-throughs, USB ports and mounted turbo-chargers for convenient and discreet cable storage to keep your devices charged with your wiring out of sight. If you have several unsightly cords that need to be close at hand without being too visible, consider a bookcase headboard that features these tech options.
Material
Bookcase headboards are made out of solid wood, laminated particleboard or manufactured wood or composite woods. Manufactured wood typically has a few options for color finishes, like walnut, espresso, white or grey and there are no natural variations. Solid wood is sometimes available in different color selections and there are usually some natural variations in the grain. For solid wood and hardwood, there are many options on the market, including oak, maple and mahogany. However, ethically sourced and eco-friendly hardwoods like rubberwood are usually quite durable and less expensive for modern homes.
Size and shape
The size and shape of the bookcase headboard you select is paramount to striking the right balance of comfort and space in your bedroom. If your bed frame and headboard are too large for the room, it can appear cramped and diminish the space. If your bed frame and headboard are too small for the room, it may appear unwelcoming. Take accurate measurements of your space before ordering a headboard and mark it out with tape on the wall to get a clear idea of how it will look.
The shape is also an important consideration when choosing a bookcase headboard. If you have a vaulted ceiling, a tall high-backed bookcase headboard is an obvious choice. For smaller spaces, something compact in a mid-century design would work. For children’s bedrooms, a modern white bookcase headboard is often the most on-theme design choice.
Cabinetry
Some bookcase headboards have cabinetry rather than open-faced shelving, while others have open-faced shelving only or a combination of both. Cabinetry in a headboard is ideal for spaces that already have artwork and floating shelves on the walls, as it closes in the headboard for storage that isn’t meant for display. Open-faced shelving works for spaces lacking in color and texture, as it allows for statement items and special books to be visible to guests to their greatest advantage.
Bookcase headboard cost
A particleboard bookcase headboard typically runs you around $200, depending on the size of the headboard and the height/model you choose. A solid wood headboard costs a little more but doesn’t need to break the bank. A hardwood bookcase headboard can cost as little as $325, or as much as $600 and up depending on size and your personal preferences.
Bookcase headboard FAQ
Is the hardware included to attach my bookcase headboard to the bed frame?
A. This depends on the headboard you select. Some bookcase headboards are freestanding and don’t require attachment hardware. If you wish to attach the bookcase headboard to your platform bed, for example, quarter-inch wood screws drilled into the headboard will often suffice. However, if you’re unfamiliar with using power tools, your best bet would be to refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for best use of the product. If it’s meant to be secured prior to use, it will be stated in the user’s manual.
I have a king-size bed, but the headboard I like is only available in queen. Will it still work?
A. If you’ve settled on a headboard you love but it isn’t available in the correct size, the best course of action would be to look for a similar style in the right size. While some headboards might work just fine despite size discrepancies, you don’t want the headboard to be narrower than the width of your bed.
Which bookcase headboard should I get?
Best of the best bookcase headboard
Andover Mills Legrand Bookcase Headboard: available at Wayfair
Our take: The price point for this bookcase headboard by Andover Mills is excellent, it’s easy to assemble and it looks great with almost any interior design style you’ve chosen for the bedroom.
What we like: The Legrand Bookcase Headboard is an understated headboard for people looking to display a few favored items without too much clutter. It takes approximately 2 hours to assemble and requires only basic tools like a screwdriver and hammer.
What we dislike: A couple of customers were unhappy with the shipping packaging of the headboard.
Best bang for your buck bookcase headboard
South Shore Step One Bookcase Headboard: available at Wayfair
Our take: This bargain-priced white bookcase headboard from South Shore is a beautiful, modern upgrade to any bedroom that needs a little extra bedside storage.
What we like: The Step One bookcase headboard boasts a 5-year limited warranty, is easy to clean and assemble and even has a cable pass-through for organizing your device wiring.
What we dislike: This bookcase headboard isn’t available in any other colors.
Honorable mention bookcase headboard
Viv + Rae Bookcase Headboard: available at Wayfair
Our take: This solid wood bookcase headboard from Viv + Rae is a trendy headboard with cabinetry and Shaker-style finishes to upgrade your bedroom at a really reasonable price.
What we like: This headboard is made from eco-friendly solid wood, includes a surface mount turbo-charger for your electronics, is straightforward to put together and is compatible even with an adjustable bed.
What we dislike: A couple of reviewers indicated a scuff mark on the headboard upon unboxing. Ashley Britten is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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