Fix It Friday

We all have those unfinished projects that, due to lack of time (or energy!), have been sitting and waiting for the final touches. We have set a goal to get at least one of these projects done per week while Daryn is laid off. We've had everything that we needed to finish a padded headboard and we decided to get going on it Friday.

A while back we had replaced the cheap-looking, flat-faced wooden doors with new six panel doors throughout our house (keep in mind that we got these new doors at Lowe's for $19 a piece, and it makes a HUGE difference in the look in the house!). That project left us with a lot of worthless doors sitting in the garage that we would pull out when we needed extra tables for garage sales (which works really well). We had the frugal idea to take one of the 32" doors and turn it into a padded headboard for our queen size bed.

We already had all of the supplies: 2 two by fours for legs, the door, left over batting from the kitchen cushion project, fabric that I had bought 4 years ago for curtains that I changed my mind on, and some more scrap fabric for the back.

First, Daryn cut the door to the width of the bed. Then, he cut the two by fours to slide up into the door to add more stability because the doors were hollow. It's like having a giant mortise and tenon joint for you woodworkers. He added a bunch of screws to hold them in, and it was done. He primed and painted the half sticking out as the legs of the headboard.

It only took about an hour to cover the headboard and finish it all up. First, we stapled the batting to the door. Morgan was eager to lend a hand.

Then we stretched and stapled the fabric over the batting, making sure it was nice and smooth.

Then we stapled the scrap fabric on the back to finish off the project and make it look nice and tidy (even where no one will see).

Voila! It's done and it's super easy.

I now know why all of those design redo's use this project. It looks great, it's fast, and it's easy.
I encourage you to use your time wisely during a lay off. It can be a very productive period, and remember, as soon as you get your next job you won't have the same amount of time that you do now. Gather up the supplies that you need for a project that's needed to be finished. If you are like us, you already have most, if not all, of the supplies that you need to get it done.