Beds are the focal point of your bedroom when it comes to aesthetics and design. Therefore, it stands to reason that you want have your bed to have a modern and captivating look. When it comes to the design of beds, by far the most important factor is the headboard of the bed.
Traditionally, headboards were designed to protect against cold drafts. The headboard would block incoming air from passing through to the bed and would divert it down to the floor. A lot has changed since then, and the headboard has become more of a visual component of the bed rather than a functional one.
These days, bed headboards tend to feature decorative patterns and designs to make the bedroom look more appealing. With modern headboards, the entire focus of bed headboard manufacturers has shifted to making a decorative element with elaborate designs.
But all is not lost because you can still get headboards that are functional and look good as well. Storage headboards are the perfect example of this. If you’re looking to reap all the benefits of a highly functional headboard, then a bookcase headboard might just be the thing for you. In this article, we’re going to be delving into them so that you can have all the information you need when purchasing one.
What Are Bookcase Headboards?
Bookcase headboards were designed as an innovative way to combine the usefulness of a bookcase and the aesthetic value of a bed headboard. A bookshelf headboard is essentially a headboard with shelves and drawers in it. It sits exactly where a normal headboard would sit so that you can conveniently use it when you need it. It’s like having a small bookcase that’s right within your reach.
You can find bookcase headboards in all kinds of styles and themes. There are many new models available from all major furniture brands that provide all kinds of features. Many people these days prefer a bookshelf headboard over a traditional headboard.
Benefits of Using a Storage Headboard
If you’ve never used a bookcase headboard before, you might be wondering what kind of use you could have for one. There are many reasons why you would want to have a decent bookcase bed headboard for your bedroom. Here are some of the most common benefits of having a storage headboard.
They Allow You to Store your Items
A big draw for opting for a bookcase headboard is the fact that they allow you to store your things. The handy shelves on the headboard will allow you to keep virtually anything on the shelves. You can use it like any other bookshelf to store your books and magazines, or you could even store some decorative items. It’s an elegant way to stow something in the shelves and drawers to keep it safe.
You Can Put Things Up for Display
In addition to being a great way to store your things, a bookshelf headboard lends itself to being a great display case. You can put up any kind of decorative items to display on your bed bookcase. This gives you a great opportunity to put up figurines, lamps, records, or books. It can really bring your bedroom to life with all kinds of ornaments to spice up the visual aesthetics of the room.
You can even go the extra mile and put things like scented candles and small potted plants to perk up the ambiance of the room. For a lot of people, this can end up being a boost to an otherwise dull bedroom.
You Have Easy Access to Your Bedtime Essentials
Nothing is worse than having your bed or side tables cluttered with all kinds of things. Bookcase headboards afford you the ability to keep all your essential items within your reach. You can easily store things like phone chargers, earphones, books, tablets, magazines, medicine or reading lights.
Because of this, you won’t have to get up to grab your items. You can also organize your things much better and save space on large side tables and drawers. This is great for small apartments or rooms where space can become a big concern.
Top Best Headboards With Storage Shelves & Drawers
Unlike regular headboards, headboards with storage not only make your bedroom look better but also help with keeping things organized. If you know this and are looking for a headboard with storage space, you are in the right place.
That’s because we are going to showcase what we think are the best
storage headboards out there!
Prepac Sonoma Headboard with shelves
Prepac Sonoma appears to be a rather sturdy bookshelf headboard made from laminated particle wood. If you don’t want too much storage space and want a good headboard, this one may be a good option.
Prepac offers this headboard in three size options – twin, full/queen, as well as king. The twin headboard has two storage compartments, the full/queen has three with a small shelf in the middle, while the king-size headboard comes with three compartments, with the middle one having 3 shelves at the top.
Needless to say, you’d need to choose an appropriate size based on your needs and the size of your bed.
Aside from the 3 size options, Prepac also sells this headboard in 6 colors, which should allow you to get a better fit for your bedroom’s interior.
A thing that should be mentioned about this bookcase headboard is that its parts are not labeled. The instructions aren’t too great either, so the assembly of this headboard may take some time.
Pros:
- Sturdy.
- 6 color options.
- 3 sizes.
Cons:
- Assembly takes quite some time since the parts aren’t labeled too well.
Prepac Tall Slant-Back Bookcase Headboard
Yet another bookshelf headboard by Prepac, but this one is a better option for those who want more storage space.
This headboard is much taller than the previous one, which allows it to boast 3 large storage compartments. In fact, the middle compartment has 3 small shelves at the top, as well as one shelf in each of the side compartments.
In terms of design, this bookcase headboard is made from the same materials and in a theme similar to that of the previous Prepac headboard. But in terms of color options, there isn’t as much variety to this headboard – it comes in either espresso or black.
The manual and labeling issues seem to be present in this headboard as well, so do keep that in mind.
Pros:
- Good quality.
- Plenty of storage capacity.
- 2 colors to choose from.
Cons:
- Not the easiest to put together.
Sauder Orchard Hills Full/Queen Bookcase Headboard
If you are on a tighter budget, then something like Sauder headboard would probably be more appropriate for you. And while this bookcase headboard is made from seemingly weaker wood, it has a couple of interesting things to offer.
This headboard comes in a full/queen size and has three storage compartments, with side compartments having some shelf storage. The walls of the compartments have holes pre-drilled in them, which would allow you to adjust the height of the shelves.
The legs of this headboard are also equipped with metal attachments, through which you could connect the headboard to your bed frame. This would allow for quite a bit of additional stability.
In the end, if you are ready to sacrifice some build and material quality for a cheaper price and slightly more convenience, this bookcase headboard is quite a nice option to consider.
Pros:
- Inexpensive.
- Can be connected to a bed for more stability.
- 2 adjustable shelves.
- Full/queen size.
Cons:
- Not the best build quality.
Brisbane Full Queen Storage Bookshelf Headboard
Brisbane’s headboard with shelves is very similar to the Prepac medel we reviewed in the beginning. They are so similar that we suspect one headboard is actually a rebranded version of the other. If that’s true, you would need to choose one or the other based on availability and current price.
Whether this is true or not, the Brisbane headboard is a great model with a pretty sturdy build. Like its close analog, this headboard has three storage compartments with one shelf in the middle.
This bookshelf headboard is also full/queen-sized. Unlike the one from Prepac, it has no size options, but this won’t be a problem if you need exactly a full/queen-size headboard.
Keep in mind that Brisbane bookcase headboard’s parts aren’t too clearly labeled, so its assembly may take more time than you’d expect.
Pros:
- Large full/queen size.
- A rather sturdy build.
Cons:
- Not the easiest assembly since the parts aren’t labeled clearly.
Revere Modern Bedroom Headboard With Drawers
Not the largest headboard on our list, Revere bookshelf headboard has quite a lot of convenience to boast.
This headboard comes in two sizes – full/queen and twin. What differs between the two is the layout of storage compartments – both have three storage compartments, but the full/queen headboard has a drawer in each of the side compartments, while the smaller twin headboard has a drawer only in the middle.
The second benefit of this headboard is that it has an enclosed back panel with cord access. If you really want to keep your power cords neat and organized, this feature will come in handy.
The Revere bookshelf headboard may also be attached to the bed frame for some additional stability. And what you may care about as well is that this headboard has 5 color options.
The only thing that we didn’t quite like about this headboard is that its drawers are cheaply made relative to the rest of it. The drawers just slide with their bottom against the wood. We’d like to see some metal drawer slides in this headboard.
And yeah, do keep in mind that this bookcase headboard is made from particle wood.
Pros:
- 5 color & size options.
- Has cord access in the back.
- Has 1-2 drawers.
- Can be attached to the bed frame.
Cons:
- The drawers are a bit cheaply made.
Epic Furnishings Stockholm Bamboo Solid Bookcase Headboard
If you are ready to spend the money on quality, then Stockholm’s bamboo headboard with shelves may be the best choice for you out there. This is the only headboard on our list that is made from solid wood, so in terms of durability and quality, it is going to be far ahead of all the other headboards we reviewed.
This bookshelf headboard is going to be sturdy as-is, but you may also connect it to your bed frame for some additional support.
Epic Furnishings offers this headboard in twin, full/queen, and king sizes, with the biggest king size having three storage compartments. In fact, the middle compartment is divided in half by a shelf.
In addition, there are 5 color options available for this headboard, so most interiors should pair well with it.
In the end, if you have the budget, spending the money on this headboard may be certainly worth it.
Pros:
- Made from durable solid wood.
- 3 sizes.
- 5 color options.
- Connects to the bed frame.
Cons:
- The assembly instructions aren’t too good.
- A bit pricey.
Buyer’s guide
Now that we have the best storage headboards reviewed, it is time for you to pick the absolute best from them. In order to do so, we suggest that you consider these things when choosing one for your bedroom.
While it can be extremely handy to have a storage headboard for your needs, it’s worth knowing which one to buy. There are hundreds of different models out there with all kinds of variations in product lines and brands. In order to have the right one, you need to turn your attention to a few key aspects of a good headboard. Here are some of the things you should be looking out for.
Material
One of the things that can really make a difference is the material it is made out of. A large majority of bookcase headboards that you will come across will be made out of wood. But you can come across some versions that use steel or some other material.
A lot of the cheaper headboards are made from a composite of laminate wood. This means that there is a mixture of different kinds of woods layered together. By using laminate, manufacturers cut down on cost and you end up with a cheaper headboard, but it may not have the same advantages as a dedicated wood species.
You can opt for headboards with more specialized pieces of wood, like mahogany, being used. These will provide you with a durable headboard that will last longer and won’t break easily. Some headboards will even provide you with tufted backing. This way, you will have softer padding on the back to protect your head from being bumped.
Particle wood is lighter and less dense than solid wood, which makes them better in terms of portability. Headboards made from particle wood are also noticeably cheaper than their solid wood analogs.
But when it comes to durability, particle wood is considerably worse than solid wood. In addition, solid wood just plain looks and feels better.
If you have the budget, we’d advise you to go for a bookshelf headboard that is made from solid wood.
Storage compartments
Pay special attention to what kind of storage compartments the desired headboard has. Make sure that it has everything you need, be it shelves, drawers, or whatnot. And besides, keep in mind the overall size of the headboard: the larger it is, the more storage space it is going to have.
Size
Size becomes a major factor when you consider buying something like a bed headboard. You have to be wary about the amount of things you will be storing in it. At the same time, you want to be sure that you can fit it within your bedroom with ease. Not all bedrooms are the same and you may have low or narrow ceilings that may be unfit for large bed headboards. Conversely, you may have larger rooms where a smaller headboard would not only look out of place but it would also be a waste of space. You also want to make sure that you can get the headboard in your bedroom with ease.
Pick a headboard that is appropriate for your bed size. Choose a king-size headboard if you have a king-size bed, and so on. You may go smaller or larger than your bed size, but do keep in mind that the appearance of your bedroom may suffer from that.
Make sure that the storage compartments are higher than the surface of the mattress. If they are too low, your pillow may just slide into the headboard, tipping all your items over.
Style
It might not surprise you but storage headboards come in more than one style. You will encounter a common type of headboard for the most part, but variations exist as well. The most widely used storage headboard is attached where a traditional headboard would be. These give you a more familiar design but with great added functionality. You can even opt for specialized headboards that extend slightly outwards than your typical headboard. These give you more room to be able to put more stuff in without taking up too much space.
Shelves
The most important aspect of a bookcase is the shelves and drawers in it, and the same applies for a storage headboard. You want to be absolutely sure that you have enough shelves to be able to store or display your things. But you also want to be sure that you can get behind how the shelves are laid out. A bookcase headboard can go from a functioning display case to an unorganized mess by simply changing the shelf layout.
Drawers
At the same time, you want to consider whether or not you want drawers for your bookcase bed headboard. Many headboards will come with drawers to stow away anything that you don’t want to openly display. This can include things like charging cables, medicine, reading glasses, water bottles, sleep masks, lotion, or anything else.
Most storage headboards come with one or two drawers by default but some models come with more than that. You can find bookcase headboards that have four or more drawers for extended storage needs. Some headboards will have multiple drawers scattered throughout the bed. You will find drawers on the side of the headboard. Some bookcase headboards will incorporate large drawers under the bed for much larger items that need to be stored.
Bed frame attachments
Some bookshelf headboards have attachments on the legs, through which the headboard can be connected to a bed. In weaker headboards, this would allow you to considerably increase stability and possibly longevity.
Do make sure that the headboard has a proper size for your bed. Otherwise, even though the attachments have some room for maneuvering in them, you won’t be able to connect the headboard to your bed.
If the desired headboard doesn’t have attachments pre-installed, you could set them up yourself. In fact, if you are going to get a cheaper particle wood headboard, we’d recommend you to do so.
Cord holes
Some headboards also come with cord holes which allow you to organize the power cords of your nightlight or whatnot. If the desired headboard has them, great! Otherwise, you may want to consider drilling holes yourself, which isn’t too hard to do, fortunately.
Conclusion
A bookcase bed headboard can bring you an immense sense of convenience and functionality. In addition to being a great solution for storage, it also functions well as a display case for your decorative items. You can find a lot of beautiful headboards out there. But at the end of the day, it’s important to have a storage headboard that works for you and fulfill your needs. Hopefully, by now you have the knowledge that you need to go out and make a personalized purchase for yourself.
