Short answer: Choose the headboard by what you do in bed and how much room you have. Pillow is the best for reading, because it is the only one with cushions for your back. Round and Square are the compact, everyday choices, and they differ only in shape. Extended is the wide, hotel-style statement and needs the most wall. Our Ara bed offers all four, and the title names every one of them.
Most beds arrive with one fixed headboard. On Ara the headboard is a separate choice from the frame, so it is worth choosing it on purpose. The sections below compare the four on look, back support and room, then say which suits which bedroom.
On This Page
- What is the difference between square, round and extended?
- Which headboard is best for reading in bed?
- How much room does each headboard need?
- How does the headboard pair with the frame?
- What do the seam finishes and colours change?
- Our recommendation
- Explore our bedroom range
What is the difference between square, round and extended?
Round and Square are the same size and differ only in the edge: Round has curved edges and a softer look, and Square has straight edges and a more classic one. We would not call either one sturdier or more supportive than the other, so choose the silhouette you prefer. Pillow adds large cushions, and Extended is a wide, slim panel that runs well past the frame. The table uses Queen sizes.
What is the difference between square, round and extended?
| Headboard | Look | Back support for sitting up | Overall height | Queen width | Seam finishes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round | Curved, modern, versatile | Flat panel, less plush than Pillow | 89.25 cm (35.1 inches) | 185.6 cm (73.1 inches) | Regular seam |
| Square | Straight lines, classic | Flat panel, less plush than Pillow | 89.25 cm (35.1 inches) | 185.6 cm (73.1 inches) | Regular seam, and French seam where offered |
| Pillow | Plush, relaxed | Large upholstered cushions | 92.94 cm (36.6 inches) | 176.6 cm (69.5 inches) | Regular seam, and French seam where offered |
| Extended | Wide, hotel-inspired | Slim flat panel, 6.4 cm (2.5 inches) deep | 102.25 cm (40.3 inches) | 293.7 cm (115.6 inches) | French seam or channel tufted |
Our Ara customization guide lists the other bed sizes as well.
Which headboard is best for reading in bed?
Pillow. We designed it to give extra back comfort when you sit upright, and its large cushions make a softer surface for reading, working on a laptop or watching television. Round and Square are flat panels with less plush support, and Extended is a slim panel, so they are style choices more than comfort choices.
The trade-off is depth. A Pillow bed is 11.4 cm (4.5 inches) deeper than a Round or Square bed of the same size, because the cushions stand out from the wall. It is also the narrowest of the four, at 176.6 cm (69.5 inches) in Queen, so it can suit a bedroom with a tight wall as long as there is floor in front of the bed.
Two small habits help whichever headboard you choose, and both are general advice, not a product specification. Keep a lamp and a nightstand within arm's reach of where you sit, and prop your pillows against the wall for a few evenings to see how much cushioning you want. Our guide to choosing a nightstand covers the height and width next to a bed.
How much room does each headboard need?
Measure the depth of the whole bed, not just the mattress. The headboard changes two numbers: how far the bed reaches into the room, and how much wall it covers.
How much room does each headboard need?
| Headboard | Queen depth, headboard to foot | Compared with Round | Queen width | Beyond the frame |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round or Square | 223.5 cm (88 inches) | The baseline | 185.6 cm (73.1 inches) | About 12.1 cm (4.8 inches) in total |
| Pillow | 235.0 cm (92.5 inches) | 11.4 cm (4.5 inches) deeper | 176.6 cm (69.5 inches) | About 3.1 cm (1.2 inches) in total |
| Extended | 222.9 cm (87.75 inches) | Slightly shallower | 293.7 cm (115.6 inches) | About 60 cm (23.6 inches) on each side |
The Queen non-storage frame itself is 173.5 cm (68.3 inches) wide, so even Round and Square are a little wider than the frame, and Extended is far wider. Use the table to decide which problem your room has.
- Short on floor depth: choose Round, Square or Extended rather than Pillow, especially if there is a dresser or a door swing at the foot of the bed.
- Short on wall width: choose Round, Square or Pillow, and avoid Extended. Check nightstands, doorways and windows beside the bed, because Extended runs about 60 cm (23.6 inches) past each side of a centred frame.
- A large bedroom with a wide wall: Extended is the one that fills it, and it is slightly shallower than Round.
Our guide to bedroom furniture for tight spaces goes through clearances around the bed.
How does the headboard pair with the frame?
The headboard and the frame are independent choices, as long as both are the same size. A Round headboard on a Round frame gives one consistent curve, and with storage it is our most popular combination. A Square headboard on a Round frame, or the reverse, gives a deliberate contrast. Both frames are 37 cm (14.6 inches) high, and the storage version adds four side drawers, which need floor space to open. Our Ara storage guide has the drawer details.
You can also change the headboard later. Buy the new headboard and its cover, and the steel frame stays, so you can move from Round to Pillow without a new bed.
What do the seam finishes and colours change?
The seam is the detail on the cover. Regular seam is clean and understated, French seam is softer and more relaxed, and channel tufted adds repeated vertical lines. Round comes in regular seam only, Square and Pillow come in regular seam with French seam where offered, and Extended comes in French seam or channel tufted. Channel tufted is offered only on Extended, and Flax Haven and Silken Sand are not offered with it. The configurator greys out or hides combinations we do not offer, so check it before you plan around a finish.
Colour is a separate decision. Our guide to the best fabric for an upholstered headboard compares fabrics and cleaning, and our calming bedroom palettes guide shows how to choose a colour for the whole room.
Our recommendation
Pick by the most important thing in your room.
- Reading, working or watching television in bed: Pillow, if you have the extra 11.4 cm (4.5 inches) of depth.
- A modern, compact bedroom: Round, our most popular upholstered headboard.
- A classic look with straight lines: Square, which is the same size as Round.
- A tight wall: Round, Square or Pillow, not Extended.
- A large room and a statement wall: Extended, with French seam or channel tufted.
Order fabric swatches to judge the colour in your own light, then check the final measurements in the configurator.
Explore our bedroom range
Product specifications can change. Check the current dimensions on the product page before ordering.