Beds usually have headboards. Some, however-divans-do not, while many have headboards which are featureless and uninteresting, such, for example as bunk beds, or which do not readily accommodate a change of decor.

The present invention provides a simple and inexpensive way of providing for a more interesting or appropriate headboard on an existing bed, or, indeed, for a headboard on a bed which does not already have one..

The invention comprises a headboard for a bed which is provided with foot means which fit between the bed at its head end and a mattress, thereby holding the headboard in place The foot means may comprise feet, one at each side, which rest, in use, on the hard edges of the bed, rather than the softer middle portion. The feet may project substantially at right angles from the main part of the headboard, and may project some 10-15 cm therefrom. They may be some 5-15 cm in width. The actual dimensions are immaterial so long as they hold the headboard in place to an adequate extent. The feet may project from depending legs at each side of the headboard of about mattress depth.

The foot means may, however, be detachable.

The headboard may be fashioned in any suitable material, and may, for example, be made of cardboard, plastics material, metal or wood.

The headboard may be given any desired finish. A popular application might be to deck out the headboard in the colours of a football team. Bedding and other soft furnishings so embellished are fashionable among fans, particularly younger ones.

Another application might be to cover or otherwise decorate the headboard in a colour or design that coordinates with a suite of bedding. The headboard may have a relief or a bas-relief design and/or may have a printed design, or a printed sheet adhered to it.

A plastics material headboard may be moulded in polystyrene foam, for example, with rigidly projecting feet, or made of cardboard, for instance, with deployable feet stayed in projecting position by e. g. box making techniques. A headboard may be made in a rollable but stiff sheet material, such as a polyethylene or polyester material, with a stiffening arrangement such as a fold which resists unrolling.

Embodiments of headboards according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment, arranged in a bed; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a third, rollable embodiment; and Figure 4 is a view of the embodiment of Figure 3, rolled up.

The drawings illustrate headboards 11 for beds 12 which are provided with foot means 13 which fit between the beds 12-broken line-at their head ends 12a and the mattress 14-also broken line, Figure 1-thereby holding the headboard in place.

The foot means 13 comprise feet 13a, 13b, one at each side, which rest, in use, on the hard edges of the bed 12, rather than the softer middle portion. The feet 13a, 13b project substantially at right angles from the main part of the headboard 11, and project some 10 - 15 cm therefrom-distance d, Figure 1.

The headboard 11 illustrated in Figure 1 is moulded from rigid plastics material, such as polyethylene or polystyrene foam material. Decoration may be applied in any convenient way. The moulding may be in relief, and colour inserts may be incorporated in the moulding process, as by rotational moulding.

The headboard illustrated in Figure 2 is in cardboard, packed and sold in flat condition. The foot 13a is shown in its'as sold'condition, namely flat, while the foot 13b is shown deployed. A brace portion 15 comprises a triangular panel 15a hinged at 15b to the headboard's main portion and has a hinged flap 15c. The foot 13a is hinged at 13c to the headboard 11 and is separated from the flap 15c by a cut 13d. In the deployed condition, illustrated with respect to foot 13b, the foot 13 is bent at right angles to the headboard 11, and the brace portion 15 hinged towards the foot 13b, the flap 13c being placed beneath the foot 13b. If desired, the deployed condition can be secured with adhesive tape.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a rollable embodiment that can be sold as shown in Figure 4 in rolled-up condition. When unrolled, as seen in Figure 3, the headboard 11 has two folds 1 la that run vertically and stiffen the headboard against rolling back up again. The folds 1 la mean that the edge portions 1 lob outside the folds are facing slightly inwards of the bed, and the hinged feet 13a, 13b will fit between the bed and the mattress pointing slightly in toward the middle of the bed.

All the headboards illustrated can be used on divans as well as on beds which already have headboards, and can be decorated as by painting, relief or bas-relief,

as by embossing, covering, applique or otherwise as desired. Kits may be supplied with the headboards for colouring or covering to own designs.

Instead of the feet being integral with the headboard, they may be attached, as by bolts or adhesive, or simply slotted in or on to tongues of the headboard.

For double or larger beds, three or more feet may be provided.

While the invention has been described particular in terms of a"feature" headboard, there is no reason why the headboard should not replace conventional headboards which are often attached to the bed base by bolts or slotted legs, which frequently fracture if made for example in wood with inappropriate grain.