It can go either way. It would make a nice headboard attached to the wall above the bed. When I mentioned this idea to some others around here, one lady had a big area above the stairs that she was trying to fill and was going to do it with a head board of some relatives that she could not throw away. Someone else was going to use the idea with the mirrows/candle holders, but use the holder for bar towels above their bar in the basement.