Installing peel and stick wallpaper you will love is easier then you think. After the board and batten was installed in the guest bathroom I decided I wanted to add an additional element.
It wasn’t something I planned when we started this project but I envisioned it after seeing how pretty this wall was looking. That happens a lot with me. Kind of a snowball effect. I envisioned adding a beautiful peel and stick wallpaper that would look amazing.
In our half bath we installed peel and stick wallpaper. Check it out here to see the results. We purchased our wallpaper at Lowe’s. There were a couple patterns I was trying to decide between. I’m very happy with this one in our half bath but I couldn’t get my mind off another pattern I was really loving.
I could picture this beautiful peel and stick wallpaper above my board and batten.
Back to Lowe’s to find the beautiful wallpaper
I went back to Lowe’s to find the pattern I loved. I also wanted to take another look at what they have available. There are so many pretty options. This peel and stick wallpaper is an amazing product. It goes on so cleanly and can be removed without any mess. It is an easy and quick way to change up a space.
Because I wasn’t covering the full length of the wall I didn’t think we’d need as many rolls as we needed in our half bath. The wall was a little longer but we were only doing the top portion.
I ended up being a little wrong on how much it would take because there was some waste matching the pattern. I’m not sure if doing the whole length of the wall would warrant less waste.
Our first time installing the peel and stick wallpaper
Monte and I had worked together on our first wallpaper installation. I’m glad we did it together because there was a small learning curve. It has some frustrating moments. The biggest frustration would be the paper sticking to itself. That doesn’t happen often but we did get into that mess a couple times.
Because we had recently installed the peel and stick wallpaper we love in our half bath I knew what to expect for this project. I knew I could manage it on my own. I’m not sure I’d want to tackle a full wall length by myself but this project seemed doable.
The starting steps
I laid out my first roll to measure and cut and get started. Because I was using shorter pieces I wanted to precut the length instead of trying to manage the whole roll.
My first step was deciding where my starting point was going to be. I cut a couple inches off the top because I liked the look of it better. I measured the wall. Then measured that far down the wallpaper and gave myself an extra inch or two. I marked where I needed to cut and used a level to get a straight line.
I was cutting the peel and stick wallpaper on the carpeted floor so I used sharp scissors to get a nice straight line.
Starting the installation of the peel and stick wallpaper you will love
Making sure you are running straight to begin with is very important. The wallpaper is 20.5″ so I measured from the corner out 20.5″. I used the level to draw a straight line. The reality is walls usually are not straight or square so you cant trust them. Thankfully mine were not terrible so I was able to rock and roll.
The first piece was a little tricky as I was trying to make sure it was running straight. I also had to work behind the door trim. There was space to get it behind just not a lot of room to get my fingers in there. Once I got it in place I could use the smoothing tool but it just took a little adjusting before I got to that point.
On to the next row
On the next row I figured out where I needed to start. I had about a foot of waste to cut off in order to match up my pattern. This wallpaper is made for 8′ ceilings so I’m assuming the pattern repeats for that length of wall. I was only doing about 3 1/2′ so there was some waste. After finding my starting point. I left an inch at the top to make sure I didn’t mess anything up. I then followed the same steps. Cutting it off with a little extra so I had some wiggle room.
I was excited and pretty proud to have this first piece up and looking good. The instructions say to minimally overlap each row. That is what we did here which worked out really well. I assumed it would be the same on this project. When I held up the second piece trying to match the pattern I realized it wouldn’t match when I overlapped it just a little.
For this pattern I didn’t overlap the wallpaper.
The first couple rows took a little longer to install then I hoped. I knew there was no rush and decided to enjoy the project. It was therapeutic working the bubble out . As I work out the bubbles I continue to check and make sure my patterns are still matching up perfectly. That is one of the best things about this peel and stick wallpaper. It can easily be pulled off and repositioned if things get off a little. For most pieces I did have to adjust things a little.
Cutting it off
After it’s lined up and smoothed out I am left with a little hanging over on the top and bottom. I used a sharp exacto knife to cut off the extra. Running along the ceiling is trickier then cutting along the board and batten but neither are too difficult. This is the tool set I picked up at Lowe’s. It is really helpful and inexpensive.
Moving along
The first couple rows took the longest. It was time consuming to get the patterns matched up, the pieces measured and cut. There was a little learning curve. Thankfully after I got these couple rows up I had things figured out and most of the kinks worked out.
I was really loving this beautiful peel and stick wallpaper. It is so shiny and the pattern is so pretty. It adds a beautiful design element to the space.
Deciding where to end
When I started the projects I wasn’t sure where my ending point would be. I considered doing the adjoining wall. Before I put the final piece in place on this wall I stepped back and weighted out the options.
I really wanted to take in to the next wall but for a few reasons I decided it would be better on one wall.
A couple of my concerns, would it look unfinished, was it too busy of a pattern. On one wall it is a definite accent wall. Doing the second wall would maybe look like I didn’t finish the project. It is a busier pattern so I wondered if it would be too much.
Finishing up
The final piece was not a full width. To keep it simpler I cut my length then the width. Leaving a little extra so I didn’t get into trouble. Cutting along the wall, ceiling and shower or board and batten wasn’t too difficult.
Balancing on the ladder in the bath tub was a bit of a stretch for me but I was able to pull it off. I was pretty excited to get this final piece into place.
I really love the beautiful pattern and color of this peel and stick wallpaper. It adds so much to the guest bathroom.
There are just a couple more things I’d like to do in this space to make is welcoming and warm.
Installing peel and stick wallpaper you will love
Installing this beautiful paper is a simple and easy way to elevate a space. I’m so happy I took the time to install it. It adds depth and warmth to the space and a prettiness I love.
I’m on the look out for some cute bathroom decor. I know I’ll find something when I least expect it.
If you are interested in some seasonal decor be sure to check out my Decor to the Door site for unique and pretty decor. The is also a link in the blog header.
