What is the Best Upholstery Material for a Headboard?

Dress up the headboard of your bed with upholstery materials that are durable, easy to maintain and look stylish

Pooja Khanna Tyagi 19 May 2019

Houzz India Contributor. An Architect , Interior Designer, Valuer, a Marathon Runner, and love Writing Poetry and Creative Stories on Building Design. Have been practicing since the year 2000 with specialization in the field of Corporate Interiors with projects extensively published in journals of national repute. Recently honoured with the reputed A3 Foundation award for Journalism for the year 2016. Currently practicing and residing in Delhi. Website: www.khannaenterprise.com, Email: poojakhanna224@gmail.com, M:9891993392

Houzz India Contributor. An Architect , Interior Designer, Valuer, a Marathon Runner,... More

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An upholstered headboard not only adds an element of style, softness and comfort to the bed but also enhances the overall look of the bedroom. But the question is, which upholstery material is best suited for the headboard? This article lists the pros and cons of some trending upholstery materials that are widely used for the headboard. Take your pick.

Fadd Studio

1. Natural fabrics
The most common natural fabrics that are used for an upholstered headboard include materials such as cotton and linen.

Pros:

Both linen and cotton have a tight weave that can last for years; add pillows for additional comfort.
These natural fabrics are available in a variety of colours and patterns.
Good-quality cotton and linen are considered to be organic upholstery materials with good anti-microbial properties.
Both these natural fabrics are soft and feel comfortable when used for the upholstered headboard. Note that linen is more expensive than cotton.

You’ll find scores of headboards and beds here

Shalini Ganguli

Cons:

Linen and cotton are prone to absorbing stains, they are not easy to maintain, especially if you have kids around.
Both cotton and linen are susceptible to damage by sunlight and moisture.

Note: If you have pets around it is advisable to go with tightly woven natural fabrics.

Cleaning tips: The first step is to use a vacuum cleaner to clean all the dust from the headboard. Next clean the upholstered headboard with mild soap, water and a white cloth. Make a note that fresh stains should be cleaned through blotting with a clean absorbent cloth instead of rubbing.

Find a professional specialising in bedding

Millbrook Circle Interior Design

2. Synthetic fabrics
Popular synthetic fabrics that are used for an upholstered headboard include materials such as polyester and chenille (a blend of cotton, rayon and polyester fibres).

Pros:

Synthetic fabrics provide a lot of softness to the headboard, along with good cushioning to the back.
These fabrics are more durable and stronger than natural fabrics such as linen or cotton.
Synthetic fibres are highly resistant to most stains and fading.

Cons:

Synthetic fabrics easily absorb oily stains that may become impossible to remove.
Synthetic fabrics have the tendency to create static electricity and may produce electric sparks.

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Browdy & Browdy

3. Velvet
Velvet is a luxurious fabric that enhances the overall look of the bedroom, like in this example. This fabric is manufactured with a combination of nylon, cotton and silk fibres.

Pros:

Velvet has a very nice sheen that imparts a high-end luxurious look to bedroom.
Velvet has a very soft texture, which feels very comfortable and cosy as a back support.
This fabric has a very thick weave, which makes it a highly durable material.

Jeremy Kohm Photography

4. Leather
Go for a leather-upholstered headboard if you wish to impart a sophisticated, high-end look to your bedroom.

Pros:

Good-quality leather is very strong, highly durable and longer lasting than fabric upholstery.
Leather is easy to maintain; stains can easily be cleaned with a damp cloth. Unlike fabric, leather doesn’t absorb smells and odours.
The best part about using leather for the upholstery of the headboard is that leather ages very well.

Cons:

Leather is prone to scratches.
Another minus is that leather is available in limited colour options and may show inconsistency in colour.
Leather is very expensive.

Designer Group USA Inc

5. Leatherette
Leatherette is a synthetic material that is made with PVC or polyurethane to simulate the look of real leather.

Pros:

Leatherette is resistant to fading from exposure to UV rays, so it won’t fade if the upholstered headboard is close to a window or exposed to natural sunlight.
Leatherette has hypoallergenic properties, so it will not trouble people with allergies.
It is waterproof and non-porous, which makes it easy to maintain.
Leatherette gives a modern look the bedroom and is very cost effective in comparison to leather

Cons:

This upholstery material is prone to wear and tear and the surface may get damaged over a time. The top layer of leatherette has a tendency to crack or wrinkle and reveal the fabric base layer.

Read more:
10 Ideas for Head-Turning Headboards
7 Hardworking Headboards That Offer Storage & Style

Tell us: Which upholstery material have you used and what’s the verdict? Share in Comments below.