Design-It-Yourself: wallpaper

I came across this picture the other day on one of our fave blogs Apartment Therapy who picked the idea up from DIY magazine. I thought it was a brilliant follow-up on my previous post about wallpaper having its moment in the sun.

This design-it-yourself idea ticks so many boxes at the same time: Trendy? Check. Inexpensive? Check. Easy? Check. Environmentally friendly? Check. Can be personalized? Check.

OK then - let's get on it!

For this project you will need:
- Wallpaper liner for uneven or textured walls, alternatively wallpaper primer, and wallpaper adhesive
- Pages from whatever source you are using, e.g., dictionary pages, comic strip pages, book pages, magazine pages, old postcards, children's artwork, maps, poetry...
- Decoupage medium
- Paint tray
- Paintbrush
- Wallpaper smoother

To prepare uneven or textured walls for paper it's best to start by applying a wallpaper liner to the wall the night before and allow it dry overnight. Apparently, this makes application easier, as well as removal! If you want to skip this, then just prepare the walls with wallpaper primer.

Cut pages from your book, dictionary, comic strip - whatever you've decided to go with! Pour decoupage medium into a small dish. Working one page at a time, place the page into a plastic tray and use a narrow paintbrush to coat the back with the medium.

Position the page on the wall, and press flat with a plastic-edge wallpaper smoother. Once you've pasted all the pages, brush or roll on a thin coat of decoupage medium to seal your project.

I tried to find as many examples as possible. Think about the purpose of the room and how much color and movement you want the paper to add. If you are looking for a bit more color, try magazine pages. For simplicity and sophistication stick with the black and white of dictionary or book pages. Comic strips or artwork would be great to jazz up and personalize a child's room, whereas maps would be brilliant to line the back of bookshelves (NB If you want your maps to look aged, simply rub them with a damp cloth dipped in tea and allow to dry!). Pages from your favorite book or poems would be ideal lining your bed, a reading corner or even the toilet.

What would you use?

Credit: DIY Magazine; Photos: AT, A Merry Mishap, High Gloss Blue

Comments

[Netta]

LOVE these ideas!
Thx

[Christie]

Thanks Netta! It's always wonderful to get feedback. If it's anything you put into practice, please let us know :)
Christie

[Sabine]

Great home goods ideas! I have been blogging my home design projects on http://sabineshome.com What do you suggest using for home decor?