Headboards to Avoid in Feng Shui (and What to Choose Instead)

The headboard gets more attention in feng shui than most people expect. It sits directly behind your head for hours every night, and traditional teaching treats it as the bed’s “support”, the indoor version of having a mountain at your back. A headboard that feels unstable, sharp or open is said to undermine that support. One that’s solid and well attached is said to reinforce it.

This guide covers the headboard types feng shui traditionally advises against, why, and what to choose instead. I’ve also included what to do if you can’t replace a headboard you’re not keen on, and how headboards fit with the bigger question of where the bed goes. Most of the advice has a practical logic as well as a symbolic one, and I’ll point that out where it applies.

Key takeaways

• Feng shui favours a solid, stable headboard firmly attached to the bed or wall, without large gaps or bars.
• Headboards with open bars, cut-outs, sharp points, shelves overhead or a wobbly fixing are the types most often discouraged.
• Rounded and gently curved shapes are associated with softness; square and rectangular ones with stability. Both are fine.
• Upholstered and solid wood headboards are the most commonly recommended materials.
• No headboard at all is usually considered weaker than a simple solid one, but a solid wall behind the bed partly makes up for it.

Why headboards matter in feng shui

The core of bedroom feng shui is the idea of support and protection while you sleep. The bed should be in the command position, where you can see the door, with a solid wall behind your head. The headboard extends that wall. In the language of classical landscape feng shui, it’s the “black tortoise” mountain behind you, the protector at your back.

There’s an everyday side to this as well. A solid headboard stops pillows slipping down the back of the bed, reduces draughts from the wall, gives you something to lean against when reading, and stops the bed knocking the wall. Many of the “worst” headboards fail on those practical points too.

Headboards feng shui traditionally avoids

1. Open bars, slats and grilles

Metal or wooden headboards made of vertical bars are the type most often discouraged. Symbolically, the gaps are said to let support “leak” away, and some teachers say bars resemble a cage or prison. Practically, pillows fall through, and bars are uncomfortable to lean on.

Instead: a solid panel, or an upholstered cover that fits over the existing frame.

2. Cut-outs and gaps

Headboards with large decorative holes, gaps between panels or a split down the middle are treated much like bars. A headboard divided in two is sometimes said to symbolise division between partners in a shared bed.

Instead: a single continuous headboard across the width of the bed.

3. Sharp points and spikes

Finials, pointed tops, spiky metalwork or sharp corners at head height are associated with “poison arrows”, the sharp energy that feng shui says comes from pointed shapes. You also don’t want to catch your head on them.

Instead: a straight, gently curved or arched top with softened corners.

4. Headboards with shelves or storage above the head

Bookcase headboards and units with cupboards above the pillows are convenient, but feng shui considers anything overhead as “pressing down” on the sleeper, the same concern as a heavy beam or shelf over the bed. Objects stored there also tend to become clutter.

Instead: bedside tables or wall-mounted shelves to the side of the bed, not above it.

5. Wobbly or detached headboards

A headboard that moves, rattles or isn’t fixed to anything is said to give unstable support. It’s also the most common cause of a bed knocking against the wall.

Instead: fix it firmly to the bed frame or the wall. This is often a ten-minute fix with the right brackets.

6. Very low or very tall headboards

A headboard that barely rises above the mattress offers little support. One that towers over the bed in a small room can feel imposing. Most practitioners suggest a height that sits comfortably above your head when you’re sitting up, in proportion to the room.

7. Headboards made from reclaimed items with a difficult history

This is a more traditional concern: some teachers advise against headboards made from old doors, church pews, gates or other items whose former use carries associations you wouldn’t want behind your head. It’s a matter of personal feeling. If an antique headboard makes you happy, that counts for a lot.

8. Mirrored headboards

Mirrors are active in feng shui, and a mirror in or above a headboard reflects movement around you while you sleep. Mirrored headboards are generally avoided for the same reasons as a mirror facing the bed, which I cover in more detail in the guide to bedroom mirror placement.

A quick comparison

Shape and material: what tradition prefers

Shapes are linked to elements in feng shui. Each one carries a different feel, and all of these can work:

• Rounded or arched (metal): soft and calming; a popular choice for bedrooms.
• Square or rectangular (earth): stable and grounding.
• Tall and narrow (wood): associated with growth; best when the room is high enough not to make it feel imposing.
• Wavy (water): fluid and relaxed, used less often.
• Pointed or triangular (fire): the one shape usually avoided behind the head.

For material, upholstered fabric and solid wood are the most commonly recommended. Metal is fine if the headboard is solid rather than barred. Leather and faux leather are accepted by most practitioners. The colour can follow the rest of the room; my guide to feng shui bedroom colours covers soft shades that suit a restful room.

Choosing a new headboard: a checklist

If you’re buying a new bed or headboard, these points cover both the feng shui guidance and the practical details that tend to get missed in a showroom:

• Solid face. No bars, slats or large cut-outs where your head and pillows sit.
• Firm fixing. Check how it attaches. Headboards bolted to the frame are steadier than those that simply rest against the wall; wall-mounted ones are steadiest of all.
• Right height. Sit up against it with a pillow behind you. The top should sit comfortably above your head.
• Right width. Matching the width of the mattress, or slightly wider, looks balanced. A headboard narrower than the bed can look unfinished.
• Softened edges. Rounded or slightly bevelled corners at head height.
• Cleanable cover. Upholstered headboards collect dust and hair oil; a removable cover or a wipeable fabric keeps them fresh, which matters for a feng shui room where cleanliness counts.
• Nothing overhead. If you need storage, choose bedside tables or a storage bench at the foot of the bed rather than shelves above.

Headboards in shared bedrooms

Because the bedroom is associated with the relationship, a few headboard details get extra attention for couples. A single continuous headboard is preferred over two separate ones, and over split designs with a gap in the middle, because it symbolises a shared, undivided base. The same thinking applies to the mattress: two single mattresses pushed together are sometimes said to create a “split” down the middle of the bed, and a single mattress or a mattress topper across both is the usual traditional answer. Balanced bedside tables and lamps on each side complete the picture, giving each person an equal share of the space.

Headboards in children’s rooms

Children’s beds often come with slatted or barred headboards, especially bunk beds and cot beds. Practitioners generally take a relaxed view here: the bed’s safety comes first, and bars are sometimes part of what keeps a child secure. If you’d like to soften a barred headboard in a child’s room, a padded bumper or a fabric panel tied to the frame is easy to add and remove. As the child grows, a solid headboard can replace it.

If you can’t replace the headboard

Buying a new bed isn’t always practical. These fixes cover most of the problems above:

1. Slipcover or upholster it. Fitted headboard covers are available for many standard sizes and turn bars or slats into a solid surface.
2. Add a solid panel behind it. A painted MDF board or a fabric-covered panel fixed to the wall behind a barred headboard gives a solid backing.
3. Use large cushions. Big, firm pillows or bolsters against the headboard soften bars and close the gaps.
4. Remove what you can. Finials often unscrew; shelves above the bed can be emptied.
5. Fix the wobble. Tighten bolts, add brackets, or fix the headboard to the wall.

Headboards and bed position

A good headboard can’t fully make up for a poor position. If the bed sits under a window or floats in the middle of the room, a tall solid headboard is the standard remedy, but moving the bed against a solid wall is better if the room allows. The full set of placement rules is in my guide to where the head of your bed should go, and for rooms where the bed only fits one way, my small bedroom feng shui plan sets out the priorities.

Frequently asked questions

What is the worst headboard in feng shui?

A headboard with open bars or slats is the type most often discouraged, followed by those with sharp points, overhead shelves or a wobbly fixing.

Is it bad feng shui to have no headboard?

It’s considered weaker support than a simple solid headboard. If you prefer no headboard, make sure the bed is against a solid wall.

Are metal headboards bad feng shui?

Not if they’re solid. The concern is barred or slatted metal, which tradition sees as letting support leak away.

What shape headboard is best?

Rounded, arched, square and rectangular headboards are all considered good. Pointed and spiky shapes are usually avoided.

Can a headboard have storage?

Storage beside the bed is fine. Shelves or cupboards above your head are traditionally avoided because of the weight above the sleeper.

Should the headboard touch the wall?

Yes. A headboard fixed against a solid wall gives the most stable support, and it stops the bed moving.