Beds with an upholstered headboard

A padded headboard is not decoration. It is a solution for people who read, watch and sit in bed rather than only sleeping in it.

When it genuinely matters

If you sit up in bed with a book or a laptop, a wooden or board headboard presses into your shoulder blades and a pillow has to go behind you. A padded headboard removes the problem entirely. The second effect is everyday: upholstery is not cold to the touch and does not knock when someone leans against it in the night.

What to know about the covering

The headboard is the only part of a bed that touches hair and skin every night, so it soils faster than you would expect. Fabric cleans, but not as readily as a board surface. If there are animals in the house, look at the density of the weave: a loose one catches claws.