Pottery Barn Headboard Makeover

You'll be happy to know I have begun our guest bedroom redo, and it is coming along SO well!  I don't want to post a picture until it is all of the way complete, which I realize could be awhile!  But I guess that means, you'll have to either A. Come see us or B. Keep checking the blog.  Which of course, I wouldn't know if you are or not because you all never comment.  But that's another story!

So in beginning the room redo {you can view our home in this post}, you will remember seeing our lonely queen size bed on a frame.  Well I've been trying to come up with headboard options for awhile.

My personal favorite of the DIY blogs I read--Frugal with Flourish--found this cute headboard made from beadboard (below), and while I THINK my landlord would have let me nail it to the wall if I promised to take it down when we left, I didn't want to ask her.  However, I did think that this was a very good CHEAP possibility.

Then I thought maybe I could do something where we framed beadboard and attached it to the frame.  Then I started looking online and found an example like this headboard below : 

Which made me remember the headboard that one of my friends did from an old mantle that she found at an antique store.  I had asked her about it awhile back because I thought I might could recreate it.

So after alllll of this brainstorming, I was exhausted at the thought of taking on a project of this magnitude.  Because, let's be honest, any of the above would require a WONDERFUL husband (check), a saw (no check), buying wood (easy enough), and a bunch of time from said wonderful husband to make it work.  More of a burden on him.  And since we haven't spent the past five weekends in Memphis, I wasn't sure when exactly said headboard project would be started, much less completed.

So what does a girl do when she is frustrated that her dreams won't become a reality?  Turn to Craigslist of course!  Now, don't get me wrong, Craigslist does not always have good buys.  However, I found a white headboard that looked great in a terrible picture on Craigslist.  And the cost was only $30.  STEAL.  It was no where near what I described above.  I would find a picture, but it's not on Craigslist anymore.  It had two cut outs that I thought would be perfect for upholstering fabric and nailing in the cut outs.  So David called, he still had it, and off we went.

Sketchy Craigslist shopping, nice old man, not so nice area of Memphis.  We arrived.  Lacey still had stitches so I had her with us because the thought of putting that dumb eCollar on her was awful to me!  I jumped out of the truck.  We walked to the back of the house to his garage where he had somewhere around 15 headboards and footboards.  He directed us around a corner where the headboard we called about was stacked behind "a few others," he said.  We rounded the corner and it was like the Hallelujah chorus was sounding.  This is what we saw (pardon the bad picture--it was taken on my cell phone) in front of the other headboards:

Now you tell me that isn't perfect to what I described above.  And all it needed was my TLC and a can or two of spray paint.  I think I'm scarred when it comes to real paint from doing this project.  Primer and I did not get along during this project, and after 4 coats of red paint, the microwave cart finally wasn't pink anymore!

So we purchased this headboard {for $30.00!!!!} and took it home!  On the way home, we stopped by Home Depot and spent $15.00 on 4 cans of spray paint. It was perfect. The perfect combination of beadboard and mantle! The wood on top that makes the mantle is probably about 4-5 inches deep.

So began the spray painting the next day.  As you can tell from this zoomed out picture, I had lots of help.  Honestly, I just didn't want her licking her stitches, so I made her do everything with me!

Unfortunately, we were in a hurry that day to get out of town for a wedding that weekend.  So I didn't take any in between shots.  I snapped this picture while David was attaching it to the frame the next week.  Basically, I sprayed brown paint in the corners and crevices.  Then sprayed it Heirloom White and sanded the corners and beadboard to show brown all the way through.  $45.00 later and I love, Love, LOVE the result!

Doesn't this look just like something from Pottery Barn?  Wait till you see it with the bedspread and pillows on it! And the accessories in the room.  I'll give you a hint:

You'll have to stay tuned to see the rest of the room, though I can't promise it will be anytime soon!  Let me hear your thoughts!

Also, I have another random question that I need blogland help with.  Does anyone own a diecut machine?  I want a Cricut, but maybe I don't.  And since Birthday cash will be coming soon, I'm trying to decide if A. It's worth the money. B. If I want one bad enough. and C. Which one is right for me.  Even if I go with the Cricut, there are about 4 different types.  Anyone have one?  Anyone have any suggestions?  Anyone know one with suggestions?