{Curb Alert!} Antique Headboard & Footboard

Recently I was driving along on a drizzly morning when I passed a driveway with all their trash out at the end, including what looked like an antique wood headboard and footboard. Which I'm not in the market for (I already own 2 more beds than the # of people living in our house). But free furniture is hard to pass up, especially roadside beds lately. This particular day, I had all three kids in the car and somewhere to get to. Although I considered turning around, I did not. I figured, if they were still there on my when back, then I'd pull over and at least check them out.

If I believed in destiny or luck, I'd be saying that as they would have it, on my way back home they were still out there. So I pulled over and took a good look at the queen size headboard and footboard. I thought they were beautiful and got excited right away since I have a queen bed and no headboard or footboard. I knew right away they would need refinishing or painting to spruce them up. But as my mind turned from beauty to function, I quickly discovered that the grooves where the metal bed frame (that was no where to be seen) fit it had been completely torn through in most of the legs.

It would take someone with a lot of wood working skills to basically rebuild them to usability as a bed.  I've got someone that fits that description in my family so I thought I might someday get help rigging up something that would work.  For free, it was worth a shot.

I had a few other back-up ideas of how I could use them if the bed didn't work out. Maybe install some hooks on one for an entry way? Or turn one into a kitchen chalkboard? Maybe use one to make a sign? I figured there had to be 101 other uses for a headboard if I looked online.

So, I managed to cram them into my van with the kids all packed in too. Thank God again for Stow 'n Go seats. I love how my kids get all excited and play 20 questions anytime I pick something up off the curb. "Mom, who's house is this?" "Why are you stopping?" "Where are you going, Mom?" "Can I take off my seat belt?" "What is that?" "What are you doing with that, Mom?"  :)

When we got home I just unloaded them into my garage and almost forgot about them. Today I took them out to take these pictures:

Footboard:



Footboard details:

Headboard:

Headboard details (reminds me of a genie bottle):

One of the broken legs :(

As you can see they are in need of some TLC. Poor things, thrown out to the curb like that with so much potential...until I came along to rescue them.

So I did a search through Pinterest and the blog underworld landed me a handful of fun and creative projects to transform these fabulous freebies into something unique and wonderful. Here are some inspiration pictures (which link to sources), in case you ever find yourself with an extra headboard and footboard on hand.

I don't know what happens when it rains, but here's a chalkboard sign for a garden. Different. Not sure I'd actually do this.

I have actually seen people make flower "beds" with headboards and/or footboards like these. Well, not exactly like this first one...this is over the top.

Or to simply frame a raised bed...

I love this quote:

I would not use my particular curbside wood headboard and footboard for a flower bed bed, but I would use a metal one as a trellis.

Here are some great benches that use both parts.  A friend who'd asked me to be on the lookout for benches at yard sales actually had shared this idea with me not too long ago, only I think it was using a crib frame.

I love the idea of the bench but my woodworking skills are not where I want them to be. Yet.

Here are a few headboards/footboards used for hooks:

Those are my speed. I'd could and would do that.

One idea I had not thought of but came across in my search was a garden gate. Now granted, this picture is of a wrought iron headboard which has a completely different look, but I think a wood headboard could be used as a garden gate if it was painted and/or sealed properly. I'm not dismissing the idea entirely. If I ever have a fenced garden.



Another idea I would not have thought of is to make a large planter. This wasn't a great quality photo so its small. Again, if my woodworking skills were up to par, maybe.

So I've got a free headboard and footboard and a zillion ideas of what to do with them. Only thing is, I don't think I'm going to be getting to many creative projects anytime soon. We are actually in "lets-get-this-house-ready-to-sell" mode. Needless to say, my list of projects are more along the lines of a honey-do list. Like freshening up paint, taking things out of the house - not bringing new things in, finishing landscaping projects, etc. Not transforming my treasures. I don't expect to turn this headboard and footboard into anything amazing anytime soon, but when I do, and if I'm still doing this blog gig, I'll be sure to share it here. In the meantime, that's not to say I won't continue snagging curbside treasures.