Melbourne

Fabric headboards are a complete pain to keep clean, especially if you have pets. The amount of hair that accumulates is mindblowing, and I worry about fleas/bedbugs etc. as they're impossible to wash or clean properly. I have a wrought iron decorative head & foot, with sturdy iron rails holding them apart and sturdy slats. Its quite tall - mid thigh when standing next to it, but the underbed space holds my two spare guest mattresses easily and more besides.

Slats are a major point of failure in cheap beds, so if you get a Cpt Snooze or Fantastic Furniture bed, replace the slats with tongue & groove boards laid a little apart for ventilation. This also prevents cats from climbing up into the mattress from below and getting squashed by the coils (if any).