How can i lighten a seagrass headboard to make it more current?

Sharon
by Sharon

How can I lighten, brighten or "bleach" a seagrass headboard to make it more beachy?

  16 answers
  • White wash it with a mixture of white paint and water. I use a 50/50 mix. Brush it on and wipe off until you have the look you want. Depending on the paint, you may want to seal it when your finished.

  • Michelle Leslie Michelle Leslie on May 18, 2022

    Hi Sharon, the easiest way would be to give it a light, watered-down coat of white paint. Before applying the paint just check if it hasn't been sealed first. An oil-based sealer will prevent the paint from sticking. To test sprinkle a little water onto the headboard and wait for a minute and see if the water beads up or gets absorbed. If it beads up, the sealer is oil-based and you'll need to mix white oil paint with turps to whitewash your headboard. In my experience, most seagrass furnishings are raw and haven't been sealed.

  • Homeroad Homeroad on May 18, 2022

    First of all let me say that I LOVE that headboard just the way it is! I am doing a room with a lot of wicker and was looking for just that headboard. If you must, you may try lightening it with the technique many are using on wood furniture using oven cleaner. Spray it on, scrub it and then hose it off. You may need to do this several times to get the look you want. That being said... leave it, it's beautiful!

  • Janice Janice on May 18, 2022

    The easiest way to "lighten" the seagrasss is to do a paint wash. You could test out on the back of the headboard to get the look you want. Usually a mix of water and paint can result in the look you want. Some of the mixture may soak into the sea grass fibers so you can play with the look to get it exactly as you want. After the "wash" you might want to use a clear polyacylic sealer in a matte, semi-loss or gloss finish.

  • William William on May 18, 2022

    I agree white wash it. A 50/50 mix of water and paint. Your not limited to only white. Use some beachy colors. A blend of two three colors would look good starting with white. Experiment on the back of the headboard in a few spots.

  • Mogie Mogie on May 18, 2022

    The easiest way would be to give it a light, watered-down coat of white paint. Before applying the paint just check if it hasn't been sealed first. An oil-based sealer will prevent the paint from sticking. To test sprinkle a little water onto the headboard and wait for a minute and see if the water beads up or gets absorbed.

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on May 18, 2022

    Spray hydrogen peroxide to lighten it. Also, you could dry brush it with white paint.

  • Dee Dee on May 18, 2022

    I like the headboard just the way it is. I would dress it up with bright colored quilts and pillow cases. But the easiest way would be to white wash with half water half flat white paint.

  • 17335038 17335038 on May 19, 2022

    Another idea is to run nautical/coastal themed ribbon through the weaves in the headboard. Below are some examples:

    You could also add the same ribbon trim to the plain white lampshades to integrate them more with the headboard.


    With this option, you can easily change the ribbon trim if you like, or go back to the present solid color of the headboard without repainting.

  • Maura White Maura White on May 19, 2022

    I'd just paint it to match your end tables!

  • Kmdreamer Kmdreamer on May 21, 2022

    Paint it white it will be white wicker it will look fabulous.

  • Annie Annie on May 24, 2022

    That is such a pretty headboard, love it! You can use a whitewash on it, it would look great.

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Oct 23, 2022

    Dry brushing with thinned white latex paint (50/50 with water) should give it a cool effect.

  • Sharon Sharon on Oct 23, 2022

    Thanks very interesting idea!!