How to Add Nailhead Trim to Furniture

Updating a plain piece of furniture with nailhead trim is easier than you think. With a handful of common crafts supply store materials and a little patience, you can add metallic style to just about anything.

For our tutorial, we made over an ottoman. But nailhead trim looks chic on upholstered chairs, headboards, tables, and couches. Our how-to provides tips for picking the right piece of furniture, evenly spacing nails, attaching trim, and more.

What You Need

• Piece of furniture
• Nailhead trim
• Rubber Mallet
• Ruler
• Spacer
• Pen

Step 1: Pick Your Furniture

Before you begin, make sure you're adding trim to the right piece of furniture. Nearly anything upholstered will work as long as it has a solid frame to provide a good grip for the nails and make the furniture easier to work with.

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Step 2: Attach First Nail

Start attaching nailhead trim in a corner. Tap the first nail into the fabric and wood. Use a rubber mallet to work the nail into the frame without damaging its head.

Step 3: Measure and Mark

From this starting point, measure and mark a new point so that nailheads are evenly spaced. We used a 1-inch spacer and a pen to mark where the new nail needs to go.

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Step 4: Attach Nail Heads

Just as you did in Step 2, attach a nail head with a rubber mallet in the marked spot. Continue measuring, marking, and inserting nailheads until you've worked around the entire piece.

Editor's Tip: To make embellishing measurements easier, buy a nailhead spacer tool. You can find one at most crafts or sewing supply stores.