Turn The Space Behind Your Bed Into A Unique Accent Wall With One Clever Addition

Your bedroom should be one of your favorite spaces within your home, and any time there's room for improvements or upgrades, why not consider them? For example, if you are lacking a certain level of storage but don't want to overfill with furniture, finding unique and clever ways to decorate and add organization options is a good solution. It's no secret that you can declutter your home by making the most of vertical space, but not only is this helpful in the bedroom, it can also elevate the area behind your bed to make it more stylish (and functional, of course). By adding panelling with a shelf, you can turn this space into a unique accent wall. With a long, extended shelf for storage and a few decorative elements, this addition will both complement your existing furniture and provide more space for your items. Think of it as an extension of your headboard that brings the focus to the most comfortable part of your bedroom: the bed.

The key to this particular upgrade is in the slim build of the shelf and the stylized addition of the rail. These provide the surface you need to add everything from books and frames to slim lights and knick knacks. Because it's not super chunky and doesn't jut out very far over the bed, it's unassuming and luxurious rather than standard shelving, which can feel heavy in some areas. The other feature that makes this DIY different from other vertical storage options is that it stretches all the way across one wall, elevating the whole room.

To begin this project, you want to find your supplies so everything is ready to go. While this Instagram video shows @av.home using The English Panelling Company MDF Panelling Sheets and dado rails from the same brand, as well as other designer supplies, you can change up the supplies you use to suit your layout. For example, instead of MDF wall panels you can use shiplap or even do molding on the lower half of the wall. This will come down to personal preference. 

Install your panels (or any materials you opt for) using liquid nails before nailing them to the wall. Next you want to choose a paint color for the panels. These can vary from the rest of the room to really go with an accent wall vibe, or you can paint this the same color as all your other walls. If you want to get a little creative, you could two-tone above and below the shelf for a bigger pop of color or drama. Decide your painting plan first, as you'll want to have everything covered in your chosen shade before installing the shelf.

Ensure the shelf is installed a good few inches or even feet from the top of your headboard. Mark out and measure where you want it to hang. The shelf, being so long, may need to be custom built (by yourself or a reputable store), or you can purchase several versions of a slim shelf you like from IKEA or other home stores. Add a dado rail underneath the shelving so it's flush with your paneling. This helps make everything more cohesive. 

Before hanging your shelves, you want to add gallery rails. If you don't want to buy these premade as they can get expensive, you can make your own. To build gallery rails, purchase a pack of spindles like these Mxfans Wooden Spindles and some slim wooden dowels (the 3/16 inch x 12 inch Woodpeckers Store Wooden Dowel Rods are a good size for this). You also want to keep some paint or Rub N Buff handy depending on the color you want to paint your gallery rails (though gold or faux brass is a great option for almost any interior color scheme). You will have to drill holes to fit the dowels into the pegs or spindles, and make sure to measure out the length of your dowels to ensure everything matches. Attach with wood glue after paint has dried for open concept shelving that really rounds out the accent wall. 

Once your shelving, panels, railing, molding, and dado is installed, you can decorate to match your bedroom's aesthetic. Add a few books, candles, frames, ornaments, small baskets, artwork, or even plants. Don't overdo what you add here; it should be intentional and decorative rather than just storage. This will be a big focal point within your space, so it needs to be balanced and leave some negative space to allow for "breathing room." You can swap out items seasonally or as you see fit, and enjoy your new accent wall that doubles as storage! A stylish hack that makes your bedroom more organized is always worth a try, especially if you can DIY it.