Elegant Twin Bed with Detailed Headboard

Attach the headboard top rail to the two legs, then attach the two 1x4 front trim boards flush to the front face.

Attach the plywood panel to the legs, top rail, and 1x4 trim, screwing into all of them for a solid attachment. Then attach the header board to the top of the headboard frame.

Miter and attach crown moulding around the top of the headboard. Cut a test miter in scrap first and check the fit before committing your real moulding — crown moulding miters read the corner angle differently than flat trim, and it's the detail people notice first on a piece like this.

Build the footboard frame from the 1x3 bottom and 1x4 sides and top/bottom rails, using 3/4" pocket holes and 1-1/4" pocket hole screws throughout.

Attach the plywood panel to the back of the footboard frame. Apply base moulding to the bottom and around the inside edge of the panel, nailing and gluing it down — the moulding is what turns a plain panel into a detailed one, so keep your miters tight here too.

Attach cleats to the inside faces of both side rails at a height matched to your mattress or box spring. Attach the side rails to the headboard and footboard, then rest slats (or a box spring) across the cleats — cut slats from 1x or 2x stock to the 39" inside width if not using a box spring.

Given the height and weight of this headboard, anchor it to a wall stud behind the bed before loading it up — don't rely on the side-rail connection alone to keep it from tipping forward.