Watch TV’s “Mad Men” and you may notice the upholstered headboard in the bedroom of Don Draper and his wife, Betty. Soft, plush headboards were popular in the 1960s timeframe of the show, and they’re making a modern comeback.</p><p> Today’s styles, colors and shapes — in fabrics ranging from silk to raffia — aren’t your mother’s headboard. You also have options: Upholster the headboard yourself, hire a professional to do the job or buy one.</p><p> Tom and Nancy Baker of Kansas City wanted the comfort of an upholstered headboard but needed something custom-made. Chrome bedrails and under-the-bed lighting give their queen-size bed, from Contemporary Concepts, an ultra-modern look, begging for something other than the typical button-tufted velveteen or damask headboard.</p><p> Jim Santilli, owner of Kansas City Upholstery, created a three-piece headboard in a cerulean blue suede for a sleek look. He used chrome to frame the three pieces, which hang on the wall, extending beyond the bed and behind the nightstands and lamps. </p><p> Upholstering can give new life to an existing headboard as well. Santilli had a client with an inlaid hardwood headboard from the 1970s. “He wanted to keep the &#61560; headboard” but disguise it, so Santilli created a padded “skin” that fit over the headboard like a futon cover.</p><p> Upholstering a headboard can create a striking focal point for the room. “Look at fabrics as art,” Santilli suggests. Search for vintage bedspreads from flea markets or antique stores, or check out large-scale textiles.</p><p> But should you do the work yourself? Hire someone? Or find one already made? Here are the pros and cons of each.</p><p><b>Hire someone</b></p><p> Pros: You can choose from an array of fabrics and textiles to get the look you want, matching materials used in bedspreads and window treatments. Fabric choices abound: silk, suede, raffia, cottons, damask, brocade, leather and tapestries.</p><p> Sometimes upholstering extends beyond the headboard. Santilli has upholstered platform beds or the bedrails “for a completely upholstered bed.”</p><p> He has also done headboards with a lower profile that surround the bed on three sides, “so it looks like a sofa back,” he says.</p><p> Cons: It will certainly be more expensive than doing it yourself. Santilli estimates it could run from $300 to $800, depending on the size and the fabric choice. “That’s not a lot to spend on a well-made, nicely padded headboard.” </p><p><b>Buy one</b></p><p> Pros: You can see the end result and design your room to match.</p><p> Cons: Colors and prices aren’t yours to determine. </p><p><b>Do it yourself</b></p><p> Pros: “It’s a whole lot cheaper,” says Betsy Blodgett, co-owner of Bon Bon Atelier in Westport. She estimates that a headboard could be made for less than $100, including the cost of plywood or pegboard, foam and fabric.</p><p> You can also get creative without having to spend a lot. Cathy Henderscheid of Overland Park wants to create a round upholstered headboard covered with baseball fabric for her son’s bedroom. “The walls are painted in red and white stripes, and all his bedding has a baseball pattern — it would complete the room to have a baseball-shaped headboard,” she says.</p><p> Cons: It takes the proper tools and some knowledge to get it right. Even then, the results may not be satisfying, says Santilli, and it may look handmade. You’ll also need some tools, like a staple gun, to put it together, and either saw the wood yourself or have it done where you purchase it.</p><p> Plan to spend at least four to six hours on the project, estimates Kim Felsen of Overland Park, who made an upholstered headboard for a friend. “Anybody who has handy skills can do it,” she says. Diana Reese is a freelance writer in Overland Park.