A headboard changes the character of a bedroom more than almost any other single piece of furniture, and it is usually the cheapest way to update a bed without replacing the whole frame. Going into autumn, two decisions tend to come up more than any others: how tall the headboard should be, and which fabric actually suits the season.
Tall headboards are having a real moment
High headboards have moved from a luxury hotel look into a genuinely popular choice for normal bedrooms, mostly because they make a room feel more finished without needing to change anything else. Our high headboard collection covers most of this look, and it works particularly well in rooms with higher ceilings where a low headboard can end up looking a little lost against the wall.
The Philip upholstered bed is a strong example of this style done well, with a tall panelled headboard that anchors the whole room rather than just framing the pillows.
When a low headboard is still the better choice
Low headboards have not gone anywhere, and they are still the more practical choice for smaller rooms or for anyone who does not want the bed to visually dominate the space. Our low headboard collection tends to suit more minimal bedrooms, particularly where the walls themselves are doing some of the visual work through colour or texture.
Boucle versus velvet for the season
Boucle has been the standout fabric choice for the last couple of autumns running, and it shows no sign of slowing down. It has a texture that photographs well but also genuinely feels good against skin, which matters more for a headboard than most people initially consider, since it is something you actually lean against regularly. The Simeon boucle bed is one of the more popular choices in this fabric for exactly that reason.
Velvet has not lost ground either, and it tends to suit a slightly more formal or dramatic bedroom than boucle does. If you are choosing velvet for autumn specifically, darker jewel tones tend to work better than pale shades, since they hold up visually against the lower light levels of shorter days.
Buying a headboard separately from the frame
If you already have a bed frame you are happy with and just want to update the headboard, our standalone headboard collection covers most of the same styles and fabrics without requiring a full frame replacement. This is usually the more cost effective route if the frame itself is still in good condition and it is really the fabric or height that has started to feel dated.
Whichever direction you go, it is worth viewing fabric swatches in the actual room before committing, since lighting changes how boucle and velvet read more than most other materials, and what looks right under shop lighting will not always match how it looks under your own bedroom lamps once autumn evenings set in.
