Wallpaper is a little-known design element that you don’t want to skimp on. Literally: iphone xs max ashes of the singularity wallpapers costs a fraction of the price of paint, and it can really add some serious wow factor to your walls in under an hour.
Imagine your favorite movie star’s luxurious penthouse or a castle in the French countryside, and chances are you’re imagining walls adorned with actual handmade wallpaper. It’s that good. But most of us are intimidated by wallpaper because it seems so expensive and elaborate to install. The truth is, as long as you don’t need to custom make it and can find a design that has simple mounting instructions, wallpaper is not hard to install yourself—and it can be a fun activity for the whole family!
1. Choose a Pattern.
The first step is to choose a pattern you can live with for the foreseeable future—in this case, a few years. This may sound like an overwhelming task, but if you’re decently sane and relatively clean, you should be able to find something that suits your style.
Here are some possible starting points:
A) Google “wallpaper” and browse the results. (If you want wider search results, use “wallpapers.”)
B) Step outside and take in your surroundings or walk through a store. Are there any patterns that catch your eye? You don’t need to find the exact same pattern as long as it’s in the same general style family. C) Look at your own home. Have you ever had wallpaper in your house before? What kind of things have you bought in the past that other people might have liked?
D) Start with images of lovely homes, and then search for something similar on the internet.
E) Ask a local decorator if she can recommend a style that’s right for you.
2. Decide on the size of Pattern You’d Like to Use
In designing your personal wallpaper, think about how much space there is available on your walls versus what you want to make particular use of it for. Is it for some home-office stuff? Is there a favorite painting or piece of furniture that you would like to showcase more than anything?
If it’s an option and you have space, I would strongly recommend using wallpaper that can be cut to fit your size. In any case, there are plenty of patterns that are large enough for a room divider or bookcase. For example, this is what most of our clients use:
But if the pattern is too large or too small for the wall space you have available, you can always look at framing options.
3. Determine the Number of Sheets You’ll Need
Once you’ve chosen a pattern and decided how you’ll be using the space, you can determine how many sheets of wallpaper you will need to cover your area. Ask yourself these questions:
A) How will the pattern overlap?
B) Will I need to make custom cuts?
If your walls will have exposed sections (e.g., if the wallpaper is tall and narrow, there might be parts that overhang your trim), it’s a good idea to have a little bit extra just in case. It’s better to have to cut off too little rather than too much.
If your walls will have exposed sections (e.g. for crown molding), there’s nothing wrong with having a little more than your installation crew needs. As long as you don’t plan on hanging anything and will be cutting off the excess, you can usually get away with more and save yourself a lot of money.
Because of how quickly wallpaper dries, it’s also important to consider how large your cuts will need to be. Once you’ve finished your layout and cut all the pieces, you’ll have to soak them in water for 24 hours before they’re ready to use in their newly-cut state. 5-10 sheets of lineal feet (18″x24″) is generally sufficient for an average room or a large bedroom or living room.
4. Do the Framing
The most important thing when installing wallpaper is to make sure there is enough overlap so that the paper will still be on the wall when it dries. You might have a design that’s really cool looking on one half of a room, but if you hang it so that it only overlaps in one place and you can’t remove any sections, then when you spray with water and the paper dries, it could get warped. It’s better to have an overlapping design in just about every area except the one spot where your framing is attached. I personally like to overlap by at least 4″ (1cm) in areas where trim is exposed.
Once you’ve completed your layout, it’s time to do some framing. If you have a good design with a lot of detail, make sure you take the time to cut the sections on the back of the paper out completely. If you don’t, when you put your spray adhesive on your wall and put up your wallpaper, you’ll have pieces left hanging off in random places (and also where people will be standing for months to come).
5. Cut and Apply Your Wallpaper
It’s time for what I’d call “the fun part. ” Take your first sheet and put it up on the wall. First, use a soft pencil to lightly trace the pattern onto the wall in your desired location. Then take out any excess paper by cutting along the lines you’ve traced.
Next, start premixing your adhesive . You’ll want to make a small batch (about ½ cup) at first since that’s all you need for one wall. Math is not my strong suit, but I usually estimate one can of adhesive per 300 sqft of paper.
Once you have it mixed up, take your wallpaper and fold it into thirds lengthwise (click here to see how to do it). This makes your paper much easier to handle while you’re hanging it on the wall.
Conclusion of this article:
But if you take your time and do the prep work correctly, wallpaper is a really exciting way to add character to a home. It only takes about 24 hours to dry, and then the fun really begins—you have the freedom to switch it up whenever you want!
