Welcome to my new column. Since we’re just getting to know each other, here’s some background about me: I design and build custom furniture and casework. As such, I’ll use this space mostly to showcase furniture ideas, but with a more inspirational approach than other projects featured in the magazine. I know that joinery and finishes can sometimes seem intimidating, but think of these projects like sculpture and you’ll see that all we’re doing is connecting shapes. Along the way, you’ll be learning a few hands-on techniques that will inspire you to develop your own ideas. Okay, let’s get this thing going! 

THE INSPIRATION 
You know that scene in Scarface in which Tony Montana visits a Miami boss’s office that has that repeating palm tree graphic against every wall? I always liked that room, so I set out to make a grand headboard with photo mural-like qualities. I imposed just one constraint: to limit the materials to local “finds”—parts I could pick up at salvage yards or off the street. 

PUTTING IT ON PAPER 
I started by using Adobe Illustrator to lay out a backdrop set to the dimensions of the wall where the headboard now lives. Then I drew in the basic shapes to determine their measurements. 

MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION 
Headboard: The house across the street was being remodeled, so I snatched up two hollow core doors from the debris pile. I cut one down a bit, then joined them together with an internal cleat. Boom! Next!

Side tables: I came across a simple laminated woodgrain table you might find in a well-worn dive bar. That seemed comforting. I cut the table in half and attached both pieces to the headboard.

Lighting: The look was quickly wending its way back to the 1970s. At a local salvage shop, I found a pair of suitably kitschy exterior sconces, complete with candle-shaped bulbs. I added a dimmer, which I tucked under the nightstands—nice for reading, as well as setting the right mood for other activities.

Final touches: At a used bookstore, I scored a small stack of old travelogues. I cut out and trimmed the pictures I liked, then affixed them with matte medium and a brush. To give the images an aged patina, I added rust-colored paint to clear polyurethane and brushed on the mixture. 

INSTALLATION 
When working with heavy objects, always drill into the studs. To strengthen the hollow doors, I glued a thin piece of plywood to the back. Next, I added more plywood strips across the top and bottom back of the headboard to give it the appearance of floating off the wall. 

To place the headboard at the right height, I cut several wood blocks that held the piece level while I screwed it into the studs. It took just six screws to secure the headboard before removing the blocks. Done! 

After all that work, some relaxation was in order. My cat Chico claimed the first nap, though.