Wallpaper can be a great option for covering
rooms with bright and intricate patterns, but there's no reason to only
enjoy it on walls. Discover fun and creative new ways to decorate using
wallpaper in unexpected places around your home. Create gorgeous custom
furniture, wall décor, accessories, storage and more, all without the
boutique price tag.
1.Table Tops
One of the easiest ways to reuse your wallpaper is covering tabletops
around your home. It's up to you if the wallpaper matches what is
already on your walls, or if you select a new design to be used solely
on the tables. Since solid color tables can simply be bought or painted,
stick to using bold, intricate patterns or images on your tabletop
wallpaper. Accent tables in the living room, bedroom, guest rooms or
studies with large flower patterns, brightly colored shapes or elegant
metallic designs. For extra protection, cover the table top with glass
to clearly display the paper without fear of damage.
2.Shelf Liner
Liven up kitchen cabinets, bookcases and entertainment centers by
lining the bottom and/or back of shelves with wallpaper. Use darker
colors to add depth and dimension to the shelves, or bold patterns for a
fun and playful feel. Elegant black and white patterns add
sophistication and style on shelves displaying collectibles, art or
antiques.
3.Closet Doors
Great for kids' rooms, use a decorative, lively design in bright
colors to cover closet doors. Use camouflage, jungle or sports patterns
for boys' rooms, and floral, polka dot or animal patterns for the girls.
For a more subdued, adult feel, choose a neutral shade slightly
different from your wallpaper. The change in color will make an artistic
statement without appearing out of place.
4.Add Texture
Many wallpapers are offered with texture, boasting raised patterns
that appear to be ornate detailing built into the wall. Skip traditional
flat wallpaper for this highly stylized textured look on walls, doors,
ceilings or anywhere else you'd like to add decorative flair.
5.Ceilings
Since most people don't paint their ceilings, they're not likely to
consider wallpapering them. In larger rooms, adding color and texture to
the ceiling can be an excellent way to add a distinct theme or style.
Textured, metallic wallpapers are perfect for mimicking the look of
ornate tin ceilings from the late 19
th century.
6.Art
If you want to enjoy the patterns and colors of wallpaper, but aren't
sure if you can make the commitment, cut large squares of your favorite
pattern, place in stylish frames, and hang on the wall you want to
decorate. Repeated squares of the pattern will still add a substantial
impact to the room, without actually applying the paper to the entire
wall. Remove certain frames or take them down completely if you ever
tire of the pattern.
7.Steps
Highlighting the front of steps with color and pattern is not only
stylish and unique, but also a great safety feature. Use a solid color
in a slightly different shade than the steps for a muted look, or use a
black and white or bold color pattern to add statement to otherwise
bland staircases.
8.Boxes
Create unique and chic gift and storage boxes. Cover plastic
organizers, shoe boxes, jewelry boxes and more with your favorite
wallpaper styles to instantly make containers all your own. Design
individualized holiday, birthday and anniversary gifts, or add style to
pantry, office or bedroom organizers.
9.Waste Paper Baskets
Cover your bedroom, bathroom or office waste paper baskets with
wallpaper corresponding to the color scheme of the room. During the
holidays, large popcorn tins can be reused and covered with red, green
or metallic wallpaper for a festive waste paper basket or wrapping paper
holder.
10.Murals
If you've found a wallpaper pattern made of photographs or drawings
of a landscape, use one long strip as a mural for your bedroom, office,
playroom or children's bedroom. Place in the middle of the wall, on the
side of the room least covered by furniture for maximum impact.
11.Cabinets
If your kitchen, bathroom or garage cabinets are in need of a revamp,
skip expensive remodels and opt for a wallpaper makeover. Select a
pattern in one to three subtle to moderate colors to place over the
entire cabinet door if it is flat, or in the middle of the door if it is
carved around the edges. Paint any exposed edges with a matching or
contrasting color to the wallpaper pattern, and cabinets instantly find
new life, minus the hefty price tag of replacement.
12.Chairs
A great project for leftover wallpaper scraps, use strips of your
favorite pattern to cover metal or wood chair backs and seats. For extra
protection against tears and spills, coat the wallpaper with several
layers of acrylic polyurethane, using a foam brush.
13.Drawers
If you're drawn to bold patterns but aren't sure you can cover a wall
or large piece of furniture, drawers are the perfect option for you.
Line the inside of kitchen, desk and dresser drawers for a fun and
unexpected pop of color and design each time you open them.
14.Desk Accessories
Create a uniformly stylish theme for your desk area using one pattern
of wallpaper to cover several items. Wrap a pen and pencil cup, books,
lampshade and table top with the wallpaper pattern to create a complete
desk set. Use a pattern in neutral or muted colors to avoid looking
overwhelming, or a single image surrounded by a solid color, placed only
once per item.
15.Frames
Rather than framing the wallpaper as art itself, use wallpaper to
create the frame. Cover living room, bedroom, kitchen, or bathroom photo
and painting frames in unique colors, patterns and textures for
one-of-a-kind frames throughout your home.
16.Headboard
For this option, cover an existing headboard or create the illusion
of one on your wall. To keep the headboard moveable if you decide to
rearrange your room, cover a physical headboard with your favorite
wallpaper pattern in a color and style that compliments your bedroom. If
you don't already have a headboard, create the silhouette of one on
your wall, behind your bed. Make sure you have your bed placed in a
position in your room you plan to keep, as the wallpaper headboard will
now be stuck behind it.
17.Room Divider
Room dividers are a great way to create definition and add style to
open spaces like lofts, studios apartments and shared bedrooms. Rather
than spending extra time and money on an expensive model, purchase a
plane, unembellished room divider and cover in the wallpaper of your
choice. Instantly have a personalized, chic screen to place anywhere in
your home for far less than the cost of having bought a previously
decorated one.
18.Coasters
Many retail and home improvement stores sell glass or plastic drink
coasters designed to have photos placed in them. If you'd prefer style
over personal photos, place squares of your wallpaper inside the
coasters to tie the room together in an unexpectedly personalized way.
