I’ve seen a lot of pictures on social media showing beautiful wallpapered rooms. I wasn’t sure what I thought at first but I came around to it and decided I wanted to get into the wallpaper craze.
It’s like following a trend but I hoped it would be something I liked for awhile and would make a difference in the space.
I grew up with a lot of wallpaper
When I was seven my family moved into the house my grandma was raised in. It is where my parents still live. The house was ‘old’ when we moved in so it’s been through a lot of updates and renovates. My sister and I shared a room that wasn’t very large. To see and read more about that room check it out here.
My childhood bedroom hasn’t had any remodeling meaning walls moved but the wallpaper I grew up with is no longer there. I loved the ceilings in my bedroom. It is unique and a fun space to call ‘the girls’ room. If I remember correctly there was wallpaper on the walls then a border where the ceiling started. I think the ceiling was wallpapered too. Sadly there are no pictures because I was raised in the buy film and get it developed days which was very expensive. So we only took pictures for special occasions.
My first experience wallpapering as an adult
After I got married Monte and I lived in a single wide trailer for awhile. Not a new trailer but an older looking one. There was carpet in the kitchen that ran down the hall. Our table sat against the only available wall in the small space. We kept it pushed tight against that wall but pulled it out for meals. The wallpaper on that little wall was brown and orange with dishes, and utensils on it. My first married home renovation was covering that wall with different wallpaper.
I decided on subtle small dots that were in blues and grays. I could possibly find pictures but I’d have to dig deep in the photo albums and then scan the poor quality pictures. I’m sure the pictures would involve a child blowing out birthday candles.
I remember hanging that wall paper. You’d have to wet the whole roll and have a sticky, gluey watery mess running down the wall while you tried to hang it straight.
It was a messy job but that was the options in those days. That is the only time I’ve hung wallpaper other then a border in a bathroom in our first home.
Peel and Stick
I’m not sure who first created this new peel and stick wallpaper but it is a whole new ballgame. I watched youtube videos just to see how to hang it then went to Lowe’s to check out what was available.
I was thinking the wall you see in our half bath when you walk in was the perfect place to add some pretty wallpaper. There were a lot of super cute designs at Lowe’s. These were the two I was liking. I failed to measure the wall so I took a picture and decided I’d be back in a few days.
On our next Lowe’s visit I knew how much we were going to need and was ready to make a decision on the wallpaper. I was really liking both of these and was leaning a little towards whistler silver. While looking at these tow I saw this design call Bliss.
I really liked it and it was Monte’s favorite so I decided to go with it. We purchased what we need plus an extra roll just in case. I also grabbed this smoother tool that also included a utility knife. It made the installation a lot easier.
The 1/2 bath
This little bathroom sits off our main living area. It is decent sized but not very exciting. One of our first updates to this space was adding bead board to the ceiling then crown moulding. You can check that our here. I have wanted to add cute wallpaper to this space for awhile. The door is often open I walk by it all the time. I really wanted to make it a little prettier.
I read the instructions included with the wallpaper then had Monte read them so we would be on the same page. Monte isn’t one to follow the directions exactly but when you’re doing something new it’s nice to have an idea what needs to happen.
He began by scribing a straight line almost the width of the wallpaper. Knowing that our walls aren’t square made this a key step so we didn’t have wonky wallpaper.
Hanging the Wallpaper
After we had our starting line we were ready to get going. They suggest you start in the middle of the wall but since we were only doing the one wall it worked best to start in the corner.
When you’re doing something new it takes a little time to figure out what works best for you. My job at this point was pulling the backing off the wallpaper. They advise you to pull it back about 12″ at a time. That’s what we started doing but it worked better if we pulled more off then that as we got going.
The best thing about this new wallpaper is how mess free it is. I wont say it’s incredibly easy but wasn’t too bad. We did run into a few issues along the way but we managed to work things out.
It’s making a huge difference
When I brought the wallpaper home I knew I’d like it. I was loving the subtle colors with the paint already in the space. It doesn’t look great at this stage but I was trusting in the process.
This pattern wasn’t terribly difficult to line but. There was a little waste as we worked to line up the pattern but not too bad. I purchased 4 rolls knowing 3 should do it but I didn’t want to get almost done and need a little more.
The final Strip
Our final piece to hang was only 9″ wide so we decided to cut it down before we started hanging. It was a lot easier working with a smaller piece then trying to manage the wider piece that would stick to itself or the wall.
This last piece wasn’t too difficult. Our biggest issue getting everything lined up. This type of wallpaper can be manipulated. If something isn’t running straight you can pull it off the wall and adjust it. We tried not to do that so we didn’t loose our stick but were able to move it somewhat.
The Final Results
I love the results. It added so much beauty to the space. It was worth the investment and time for sure. The rolls at Lowe’s are best for 8′ ceilings. You can get two strips with them. Since our ceilings are 10″ we need a little more than other homes would need.
This wall was a little more expensive then I hoped. Because the ceilings are 10′ it required an extra roll. This wall paper was $40 a roll. It took 3 rolls instead of 2. I have a lot left over but I hope to use it on other projects. The tool we bought can be reused. It was under $10 so worth the investment.
This little bathroom is beginning to take shape. I really want to replace the pedestal sink but don’t know exactly what I want. I’ll know when I see it. I haven’t done a bunch of looking. This is one of those items I’ll need to purchase when I find the one I want.
Now what room can I wallpaper next?