Transform Your Basic IKEA Bedframe With This Clever Rattan Hack

Rattan is a simple way to bring warmth to your home. Its simple design and earthy tones add a natural feeling to the space. You don't have to spend a lot of money to put rattan furniture in your home, either. There's a simple IKEA hack that uses this material to transform an ordinary bedframe. Plus, you don't need to be a skilled craftsman to get the job done. TikTok user @nataliedoef demonstrated how she used this hack on her IKEA Tarva bedframe, taking the budget-friendly piece and making it look like something from CB2.

All you need are a few supplies and enough rattan to cover your headboard. However, sourcing this material can get tricky. The word rattan actually refers to the plant used to weave this medium. Cane webbing is the term used for the material after it's woven into a pattern. Switching between these two keywords can make finding the material you're looking for easier. The type of pattern also varies between popular circles or a simple weave. Once you know your preferred style, it's time to try out this hack.

The first step in transforming your IKEA bedframe is preparing the rattan. It usually comes in a roll and will be stuck in a rounded or folded shape. You'll need to soak the material to flatten it and get accurate measurements so it fits your headboard properly. This process also prevents the rattan from looking baggy when you attach it to your furniture. It expands when wet, so as long as you staple it to the bedframe before it dries, the finished product will be taut. That way, your work looks professionally done.

In her TikTok video, Natalie uses a bathtub to soak her rattan so she can completely submerge the large pieces. If your roll has an abundant amount of rattan, you can make a rough cut to remove it from the spindle. Fill the tub with warm water and leave the piece to soak for about 30 minutes. You don't want to do any longer than that because it can change the color of the rattan or cause it to break easier. Once the time is up, you can cut it to the proper dimensions to fit the height and length of your headboard with an inch of wiggle room.

Now that your rattan is stretched out, you can attach it to the bedframe. A staple gun with ⅜ inch staples is the best way to do this. However, you need to make sure that this size is suitable for the headboard you have. The staples should be long enough to stick through the rattan and into the wood of the headboard without going through the other side. Otherwise, you'd have sharp metal pointed toward your head while you lay in bed.

You'll also need something to hold the rattan in place while you attach it. Clamps are your best option, but you can also use painter's tape or hair clips like Natalie demonstrates in her TikTok video.

Now it's time to attach the rattan. Hold it against the back of your headboard and clamp it in place. Then double-check that the pattern is aligned correctly and level. With your staple gun in hand, place a generous amount of staples around the perimeter of the headboard and across each slat of wood. The hardest part of the hack is done. All you have left to do is leave it to air dry and then trim off any excess that's visible from the front of your headboard.