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Headboards

Most bedrooms have a version of the same problem: a bed that works perfectly well but a room that feels like something's missing. Usually it's th...


Most bedrooms have a version of the same problem: a bed that works perfectly well but a room that feels like something's missing. Usually it's the headboard. Without one, the bed sits in the room as a functional object rather than a focal point. The wall behind the pillows is bare, the proportions are off, and no amount of good bedding quite compensates. A standalone headboard is the most direct way to fix it, and for anyone with a divan base or a frame that came without one, it's often a much more straightforward upgrade than replacing the entire bed.




The headboards here are upholstered in fabric and velvet, designed to attach to a standard divan base or compatible bed frame in standard UK sizes. They sit within the wider beds collection, so if you're buying a base and a headboard together, you can sort both in one place. Finance is available on many products, subject to status.




We deliver nationally across the UK, with headboards typically arriving within 7 to 14 days. Our Manchester showroom carries a selection of upholstered bed frames and headboards if you'd like to see the fabric and velvet finishes in person before buying. Get in touch at any stage if you have questions about sizing or fitting before you order.

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What's in this collection

The headboards here are upholstered panels in fabric and velvet, covering a range of heights from standard to tall high-headboard designs. They're intended as standalone pieces: the headboard only, designed to work with a base you already have or are buying separately.

The most natural pairing is with a divan bed. Divans are typically sold without a headboard, since customers often prefer to choose one separately to suit their room. A standalone headboard gives you that flexibility: you choose the base for its storage and support properties, and choose the headboard for how it looks. The two decisions don't have to be made as one.

Headboard styles include plain panelled designs and buttoned options with deep or bubble-buttoned detail across the face. Plain panelled headboards are the more versatile choice and work well against most wall colours and room styles. Buttoned headboards have more visual texture and make a stronger statement. Both are available in fabric and velvet upholstery.

How standalone headboards attach

Most upholstered standalone headboards attach to a divan base via a pair of metal struts that slot into headboard bolt holes on the back of the base. The headboard stands on the struts, which can usually be adjusted in height to position the headboard at the right level relative to the mattress. The process is straightforward and doesn't require any specialist tools.

The key thing to check before ordering is that your base has headboard bolt holes. Most UK divan bases do. If your base is an older model or a non-standard design, it's worth checking this before buying. Some standalone headboards can also be fixed directly to the wall rather than to the base, which gives a cleaner look and removes any wobble, but requires wall fixings and a bit more effort to set up.

If you're buying a new divan alongside a headboard, it's worth confirming the two will work together before ordering. Give us a call if you're unsure and we can help.

Choosing height and style

Headboard height is one of the more significant choices in a bedroom, because a taller headboard changes the proportion of the room and the visual weight of the bed in a way that a lower one doesn't.

A standard-height headboard sits roughly level with or slightly above a seated person's head. It finishes the bed without dominating the wall. This suits lower ceilings, rooms with wall features or windows close to the bed position, or anyone who prefers the headboard to support the room rather than lead it.

A tall or high headboard, typically in the 70-inch range, extends well above pillow height and makes the bed the clear centrepiece of the room. It works best in rooms with reasonable ceiling height and enough clear wall space at the head of the bed, since a tall headboard crowded by a low ceiling or a window immediately above it can look awkward rather than impressive. In a room that can carry it, a tall upholstered headboard gives the bedroom a finish that's genuinely hard to achieve any other way.

For the full picture of how high headboard frames look in a room, the fabric beds and velvet beds collections show complete frames with tall headboards in situ, which gives a better sense of the proportions than a headboard-only photograph.

Spreading the Cost

Finance is available on many of our headboards, subject to status. It's worth knowing about particularly if you're buying a headboard alongside a divan base or a mattress as a combined purchase. Details are available on the website and we're happy to discuss options before you order.

Why buy from Shawcross

We're a Manchester-based furniture retailer with a physical showroom, and we deliver nationally across the UK. For a headboard, where fabric finish and visual scale are important, coming in to see options in person is worthwhile if you can manage the trip. Colours and pile quality in velvet are genuinely difficult to judge from product photographs, and the height of a tall headboard in a real room can look quite different from what you'd picture from a product page. You're welcome to come in without any obligation. Give us a call beforehand to check whether specific styles are currently on the showroom floor.

Headboard FAQs

What is a standalone headboard and how does it attach?

A standalone headboard is a headboard panel sold separately from a bed base. Rather than being part of a complete bed frame, it attaches to an existing base, typically a divan, via metal struts that slot into bolt holes on the back of the base. The struts can usually be adjusted in height so the headboard sits at the right position relative to the mattress and the top of the base.

The attachment is straightforward and stable once in place. Most people find fitting a headboard to a divan base takes less than fifteen minutes. Some standalone headboards can also be wall-mounted rather than strut-fitted, which requires drilling into the wall but gives a cleaner finish with no movement. The right approach depends on your preference and whether the wall behind the bed makes wall-fixing practical.

Will a standalone headboard fit my existing base?

It depends on two things: the size of the headboard matching the width of your base, and whether your base has headboard bolt holes for the struts to attach to.

On size: a UK double headboard is designed for a double base at 135cm wide, a king headboard for a 150cm king base, and so on. Headboards are sized to match standard UK mattress widths, so provided you buy the headboard in the same size as your base, the width will be right.

On fitting: most UK divan bases have headboard bolt holes as standard. If your base is an older model, a non-standard design, or a platform base without a divan structure, it may not. Check the back of your base for two holes, usually positioned roughly 40 to 50cm apart, before ordering. If you're unsure, give us a call and we can help you work it out.

What height headboard should I choose?

The right height depends on the room and the effect you're going for.

A standard-height headboard finishes the bed cleanly without demanding much from the wall behind it. It works well in rooms with lower ceilings, where a wall feature or window sits close to the bed, or simply where you want the headboard to complete the bed rather than become the main feature of the room.

A tall headboard in the 70-inch range makes the bed the focal point of the bedroom. It requires a clear stretch of wall behind the bed and enough ceiling height for the proportions to look right. In a room where those conditions are met, it changes the entire feel of the bedroom. If you're unsure whether your room can carry a tall headboard, it's worth marking the height on the wall behind the bed before ordering and standing back to assess how it looks relative to the ceiling, any windows, and the overall room proportions.

Can I use a standalone headboard with a divan bed?

Yes, and this is actually one of the most common reasons people buy a standalone headboard. Divan bases are frequently sold without a headboard included, because the headboard is a separate aesthetic choice that many customers prefer to make independently. A standalone headboard designed for divan attachment will have strut fittings that slot directly into the bolt holes on the back of the divan base.

If you're buying a new divan and a headboard at the same time, it's worth confirming both are compatible before ordering. We carry divan beds alongside our headboards, and if you'd like guidance on which headboard works with which base, we're happy to help before you buy.

Fabric or velvet: which should I choose for a headboard?

Both are good choices for a headboard, and the decision comes down to how you use the bedroom and how much maintenance you're comfortable with.

Velvet has more visual depth and responds to light in a way that plain fabric doesn't. A velvet headboard catches the light differently depending on the angle and tends to make the bed feel like a considered piece of furniture rather than just a functional one. It suits a master bedroom or guest room where the headboard is meant to be the visual focus and where occasional upkeep, brushing the pile and dealing with any impressions left by a pillow, feels like a reasonable trade-off.

Plain fabric is more forgiving in everyday use. It doesn't show contact marks or pile compression, it's easier to maintain, and in the right colour and texture it looks excellent. For a family bedroom, a child's room, or anywhere that sees heavier use, plain fabric is often the more practical choice.

The one thing worth knowing about velvet specifically on a headboard is that it's considerably lower maintenance than velvet on a sofa. A headboard isn't sat on. The contact it gets is from pillows and the occasional lean, rather than the sustained daily use a sofa seat receives. Many of the standard reasons to think carefully about velvet in a busy living room simply don't apply in a bedroom with normal use.

How does delivery work, and can I see headboards in person first?

We deliver nationally across the UK. Once your order is placed you'll receive a confirmation, and we'll be in touch closer to the time to arrange a delivery date that suits you. Headboards are delivered flat-packed or in protective packaging and are straightforward to bring into most rooms. Delivery is typically within 7 to 14 days. If your property has restricted access or anything worth flagging in advance, let us know when you order.

If you'd like to see upholstered headboard styles in person before committing, our Manchester showroom is open and you're welcome to come in without any obligation. Fabric and velvet finishes are difficult to judge accurately from photographs, and seeing the pile depth, colour, and texture of a velvet headboard in natural light is considerably more reliable than a screen. Give us a call beforehand to check whether specific styles are currently on the showroom floor.