What is the function of the headboard?

Last week my daughter asked for help getting her new headboard home. It was a huge padded thing. Got me to wonderin'....

What the heck is the headboard FOR???

When I was growing up I had one with cubbyholes in it, kept a clock radio, my glasses, books in it. Later it was nice having one with wrought iron curlicues because that made it easy to tie up to A padded one would prevent skull bruises

But seriously? Is there a more useless and underutilized and ill-thought-out piece of furniture?

I woke up this morning with an idea. I would like to find a "headboard add-on" to go between our existing strictly-decorative headboard and the mattress. It would have two pockets in it, one for each side, which are about 5-6" wide and 10-12" deep, with hinged (and maybe padded?) covers flush with the top of the matress. This would be storage for TV remotes, aspirin, flashlights, heating pad, sex toys, books, reading glasses, etc. It would make making the bed easier as the fitted sheet is always hard to tuck in the top. It would add another 6" to the length of the bed.

I'm poking around online but have so far not found any example of what I have in mind. I may have to make it.

NoCoPilot wrote:

What the heck is the headboard FOR???

The headboard blocks cold radiating from an outside wall.

_Howard wrote:

NoCoPilot wrote:

What the heck is the headboard FOR???

The headboard blocks cold radiating from an outside wall.

As IF.

Well, that will work if it's a solid headboard. If it's just bars, then of course it's for handcuffs.

That goes without saying.