Okay, so hubs and I were at a Christmas party at a friend’s house this past weekend, and my friend Jennifer had her lovely home all decked out and opened up. And I did a gasp-swoon when I went in to put my purse and coat in the bedroom.

Y’all, her headboard is sheer DIY loveliness. [Okay, and let’s just get over how fantastic that bedding is too. Fabulous.]

Now, I have to tell you that I *WISH* I’d grabbed a few shots of this headboard at night with the dreamy glow of those lights swagged across the top… But, um, other guests might start to wonder why on earth I was taking photos in our hosts’ bedroom.

My husband was not even remotely surprised when I hunted him down at the party to gush over this project.

This headboard looks like it is designer all-day-long. But my DIY-radar was piqued, so I was thrilled to hear my friend tell me her hubs had made it! And for about $60 total!!!

He said he didn’t actually “build” it because he used a premade 8′ curved top fence panel. He didn’t even have to cut the top–it came like that! A panel like this runs around $40 at Home Depot. It is a little wider than their king bed, and I love the weight and prominence that added width gives it.

He said the hardest part of the project was getting it off his truck and into place (apparently an 8′ fence panel is a little heavy). He sanded the front and sides with a course- and then a fine-grit sandpaper. Then he stained it with a combo stainer/polyurethane (he used minwax bombay mahogany color). It isn’t even bolted to the bedframe or mounted. They simply leaned it against the wall and pushed the bed up against it. Genius.

The added bonus of this being a fence panel is that it goes all the way to the floor, unlike some headboards that suddenly end, maybe before the pillows or mattress quite begin, yuck! But this? Perfection.

Jennifer said they’d been without a headboard for about eight years when they went this route. I can hardly believe it! I wish I had a before-and-after photo. Can you imagine the contrast?!

So, for the price of a ~$40 fence panel, a $15 container of stain, and a couple of pieces of sandpaper, they had an incredible DIY headboard. Well done, J & L! Well. Done. [Oh my gracious! I am blessed with such brilliant friends!]

So, anyone else out there have a thrifty DIY furniture solution that looks fabulous? Do tell!