Thanks again guys! The custom stair is out of the question - no room! The photos are decieving. There is only 12" from my dresser to my side of the bed --- SMALL walkways. There is only 33" on the other side of the bed to the other furniture, and Nicki will not get in on that side because thats my husband's side. When she gets into bed, she gets in on the foot of the bed, or my side. She will get in on hubby's side, but only when he's not in bed (nothing to do with hubby, all to do with when she was a puppy I lived with mny parents. my dad insisted dogs do not get on the furniture... and he slept on the same side of the bed as hubby. She learned to never get in bed on that side when dad was home.) At the foot of the bed, there is only 40" from the bed to the wall. There won't be any room once the balcony door is open in warm weather. My room is a nice size, until you add this monsterous sized bed into it

The more I think about it, the more I want Nicki to be happy in the room more so than having a headboard. We can always store the headboard and put it up in a few years.