Real Estate News

Heads Up: 10 wall decals that can stand in for headboards

They add color and style to your rental or first home for a fraction of the cost.

A decal of an orange sun with brown and orange rays that serves as a headboard. The bed has white and green bedding and gray, green, gold, and white throw pillows. There is a small open nightstand and an open backed chair in the room as well.
These removable wall decals either mimic an actual headboard or offer creative alternatives. etsy.com/shop/BoldWallArt

By Marni Elyse Katz - Globe Correspondent

A headboard is just not that high on your list of must-haves. Maybe your bedroom is tiny. Perhaps your decorating budget is limited. Or you move around a lot and like to travel light. Regardless, you can get the look of a headboard without taking up space, spending much money, or adding to your packing list. These removable wall decals either mimic an actual headboard or offer creative alternatives that will anchor your bed and add style to your space.

A decal of an orange sun with brown and orange rays that serves as a headboard. The bed has white and green bedding and gray, green, gold, and white throw pillows. There is a small open nightstand and an open backed chair in the room as well.
. – etsy.com/shop/BoldWallArt

You may not see stellar sunrises or sunsets from the windows of your city apartment, but that doesn’t mean you can’t fake it. Used in place of a headboard, this boho sun decal will brighten your bedroom from the crack of dawn into the dead of night. You can customize the color of the sun and the rays as well as the sizes. $72.16 at etsy.com/shop/BoldWallArt

A decale of pinkish marble in an arch serves as a headboard for a bed with blue and pink bedding and blue, gray, red, and pink throw pillows.
. – etsy.com/shop/BoomBranding

Adhere this blush-toned marble arch decal behind your bed for a triumphant touch of on-trend elegance. It’s certainly easier than refashioning your rectangular doorway with a soft curve. Unlike many decals, this one is repositionable, making it ideal for chronic redecorators. From $103.53 at etsy.com/shop/BoomBranding

A decal that looks like live wood serves as a headline for a bed with white bedding and a blue-and-white striped and an rust-colored pillow with fringe. There is a hat stand in the background.
. – etsy.com/shop/FUNLIFEHomeDecor

For a more realistic look with a refined organic touch, go for this live-edge wood headboard decal. The wood grain effect reads as three-dimensional, complete with a generous knothole. It’s your very own George Nakashima moment for a tiny fraction of the price. From $60.29 at etsy.com/shop/FUNLIFEHomeDecor

A white geometric decal in a trellis-like design serves as a headboard for a bed with gray and pink textured pillows and gray and aqua, very soft bedding.
. – etsy.com/shop/HomeArtStickers

Not quite a decal and not quite a headboard, these midcentury geometric panels are made from lightweight PVC substrate (a fancy word for foam) and attach easily to the wall. You can even paint them. Build yourself a headboard that’s low and long or one that reaches to the ceiling, trellis-style. From $106/four panels at etsy.com/shop/HomeArtStickers

A tall decal of a monstera leaf with butterflies serves as a headboard for a wooden, skinny-legged bed with white and gray bedding. End tables the color of driftwood with desk lamps flank the bed.
. – etsy.com/shop/HunnyshopArt

This giant monstera leaf decal will transform your bedroom in the concrete jungle into a lush, tropical oasis. The leaves are all connected, but the dragonfly and birds are separate decals so you can place them where you wish. No watering required. $26.95 at etsy.com/shop/HunnyshopArt

A decal that looks like wicker peacock feathers serves as a headboard for a bed with a green comforter and white and pink pillows. There is a folding chair in the background and a monstera leaf plant.
. – etsy.com/shop/JLwater

Rattan headboards can be pricey be they vintage or new. Bypass Craigslist and strut your boho style with a wicker peacock headboard decal instead. Pair it with a jute rug, some handblocked pillows, and an actual monstera leaf plant.

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From $46 at etsy.com/shop/JLwater

A decale with tall-stemmed Gerber daisies in pink red, yellow, and orange serves as a headboard for a bed with a pink blanket and floral bedding. An end table the color of driftwood holds a vase filled with sunflowers.
. – roommatesdecor.com

Gerber daisy decals give new meaning to the term garden apartment. Plant a row behind your bed for a rainbow-colored assemblage that feels cheerful and fresh. This set comes with 25 pieces — flowers, stems, and petals — that are repositionable. Like Jack’s beanstalk, they could grow higher over time. $26.99 at roommatesdecor.com

A decale with giant pansies serves as a headboard for a bed that looks as if it is sitting on palettes. The bed has gray bedding. A stool serves as an end table.
. – etsy.com/shop/SamaraHomeDecor

A plush arrangement of watercolor blooms behind your bed may very well ensure sweet dreams. This pansy floral decal is colorful, dense, and dreamy; your room won’t need any other décor. The design works for any age and comes in every size, from twin through California King. From $59.22 at etsy.com/shop/SamaraHomeDecor

An arched decal that looks like wrough-iron scrollwork serves as a headboard for a bed with white, gray, and nude bedding and throws. A stool served as plant stand.
. – simpleshapes.com

Repurposing architectural details like shutters and doors has long been a DIY headboard trend. Rather than go full-on farmhouse, channel Savannah, Charleston, or New Orleans, or even medieval France with these Gothic-style wrought-iron scrollwork panels. Each one is 23 inches wide, so plan accordingly depending on your bed size. $59 each at simpleshapes.com

A tiered-edge decal that looks like orange, blue, and brown rusted metal serves as a headboard for a bed with white bedding. A dark gray blanket lines the bottom of the bed.
. – etsy.com/shop/WallsNeedLove

If “Junkyard Wars’’ is more your speed, affix a rusted metal headboard decal to the wall behind your mattress. The traditional silhouette is a more straightforward approach, while its variation in color presents enough interest to stand on its own as the focal point of the room. From $75 at etsy.com/shop/WallsNeedLove

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Marni Elyse Katz captures good design @StyleCarrot on Instagram and Twitter. Send comments to [email protected]. Subscribe to our newsletter at pages.email.bostonglobe.com/AddressSignUp and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @globehomes.

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