How to Decorate a Bed With a Footboard

Remove the footboard from the bed and paint it and the headboard in a matching color to give them an instant makeover. Choose a color that will be used in the bedding or one that will contrast with it.

Decoupage an image on the center of the footboard, such as a bouquet of flowers, a country scene or something pertinent to the theme that is used in the room, if desired.

Paint the center of the footboard with chalkboard paint for a place to draw on for a child’s bed or tie a length of sheer fabric around the center of the footboard and tie it in a bow for a whimsical, fairy-tale effect.

Remove the mattress from the bed to cover the box springs with a bed skirt or piece of fabric. Tuck the end of the bed skirt behind the footboard before straightening it out over the box springs.

Select bedding in colors that go well with your design scheme in the room. Opt for a bedspread or thin comforter instead of a thick covering, so that it slides easily between the footboard and the foot of the mattress.

Arrange decorative pillows at the head of the bed by propping them against the headboard. Place the pillows used for sleeping against the decorative pillows, followed by pillows of a smaller size covered in shams that match the bedspread. Add two smaller accent pillows in a contrasting color in front of the shams.