Just inside our back door is a little "mud" area. It's very useful...and very....drab. The minute I saw it, it made me homesick for my mini-mudroom in all it's beadboard prettiness. I put my "simplify" sign up - and it fit perfectly - but it just didn't give it the "bang" I was looking for.
Since this is a rental home, putting up beadboard like my mini-mudroom was definitely not an option. But I had to do something.
I thought of wallpaper....but again....rental. Then I remembered something I did in my college apartment. I almost hate to admit this, because it will definitely date me. But back in my college days, wallpaper borders were the "in" thing. So, to spruce up our boring builder beige apartment, we stapled a wallpaper border along the top edge of our living room walls. The key word here being "stapled".
So I decided I would find myself a nice wallpaper that I could staple to the wall in our drab little mud area. Then, while shopping with my sister-in-law Saturday evening, I saw some uber-fabulous damask heavy weight wrapping paper in celery green. And I decided to go for the bold. Remember how I said that this house would help me push my design style in a new direction? Well, this celery green damask paper did just that!
I started by cutting pieces of the wrapping paper slightly longer than the height of each section of wall. Then I stapled them to the wall using my staple gun, and trimmed them with a razor blade. Because the paper isn't as wide as the space, I had to cut second pieces making sure to match the pattern...this part was a little trickier, but still not bad. Then I stapled them in the same way.
Now I realize that wrapping paper isn't made to withstand heavy use...and to be honest, although I think that the space is much happier, and quite pretty, I'm not sure how long I'll leave it. But the beauty of this project is how easy it is to change up. The wrapping paper was about 1/5 the cost of the wallpapers I had been looking at, so pulling it down won't hurt. If I decide down the line, that "going for the bold" is a little too much for me, I can always find a new subdued paper to replace it with.
But for now, this bright, bold damask really gives a happy punch to the dreary space...and makes me smile when I see it!
There's still time to enter the giveaway for a $75 Lisa Leonard Gift Certificate...just scroll down to the next post...drawing ends at 11:59 MST tonight!
Linking to DIY day at ASPTL.
Don't even think about taking it down! I LOVE it!!! Where did you find such amazing wrapping paper?
It looks wonderful - a real punch of colour and pattern.
My goodness, that is so lovely!! It really adds that extra bit of pizazz..
Wow, it looks fabulous. I love the color and pattern, and doesn't it make a difference!
Ooooo, I like it..I like it a lot! I would have never thought to put wrapping paper on the wall. You're so creative.
I absolutely love this!! What a fun color and pattern too.
What a clever idea! Who would have thought - wrapping paper.... Fantastic.
You are so creative! Your "mud area" looks fabulous!
I love it! Because It's such a small area, that pattern really shines without becoming too much. I would have never thought of using wrapping paper, but it really works!
How pretty! That turned out great.
Wow, wow, WOW! Who would have thought?!
Great idea...I love the way it turned out!
Love it! Great idea :) I( may have to lift that one!
What big impact that gave you! Imagine that along the back of a bookshelf, or in my decorative nook in my kitchen! The possibilities!
WOW what a transformation. That paper is quite a find...especially for "wrapping paper".
Everything you did fits perfectly with that space. It looks amazing!
Love this! Can you share the wrapping paper source?
Love that celery damask! One little idea... for a small space like this it is so easy to find a few yards of fantastic fabric, and then simply "wallpaper" it to the wall with liquid starch. Just paint the starch on the wall, spread on the fabric, smooth it down, and then starch on top again! When you want a change, just wet it down with warm water, peel it off and wash the wall.
I love the pattern AND the color!!! It's a perfect size wall for it!
Great idea. I too am in a rental and am always thinking of ways to spruce things up! I like that idea. I was thinking of something similar but to back my bookcases instead so it give a graphic punch without papering the walls!
What kind of staples? Regular, desk-top? I had no idea you could do this...does it leave a bunch of holes to fill in when you take it down?
Oh, the possibilities this presents!!
That is FAB.U.LOUS!!! And you KNOW we love details...WHERE did you find that fantastic paper? You did great...and thanks for sharing!
Oh wow, this looks fantastic! What a great idea :) Where did you get that wrapping paper??
Very clever... I'm impressed! I wish I had thought of that when my husband and I were living in a very drab place in the city.
I love this...however I think I need more specific instructions before I tackle this...How far apart are the staples? Are they visible? Great idea!
LOVE your choice of wrapping paper for the space! Looks incredible! It makes me smile! It really spruced it up and makes me want to come over and hang my coat up on that wall! Great taste you have, my friend! Nice job as always!
Fabulous! That looks amazing! You have the funnest style!
Are you kidding with this?!?!? It is absolutely, positively the best idea I've seen in a long, long time!!! I will now spend the rest of the day figuring out where I can do this in my house!!
what a great idea! where did you find the paper at?
What a great way to add color without commitment! Thanks for adding a bright punch of color to this dreary January day!
Would there be any way to decoupage or paste over it to make it last longer?? love it!!!
zippy, fresh, and fun! you sure cheered up my dreary, rainy day here. i say keep it up and enjoy!
LOVE IT! WOW! I never would have thought of using wrapping paper on a wall. TOO CUTE!
I love that pattern and the colors are very bright and cheerful...very cute!
Oh my word, how fun is that?! LOVE the bright, bold damask! And I'm totally filing this thought away...wrapping paper - too cool!
I absolutely love it! What a great color choice. Absolutely perfect for the small space. What a crazy great idea. I love how you like to make make big changes with such simple changes.
This is the stinkin cutest thing ever!!!
LOVE the paper! I picked up a roll of black and white damask wrapping paper a few weeks ago and have been contemplating using it under my chair rail in my front sitting room. Love the design but not sure I want to invest the $ on such a bold pattern. After seeing yours I may give it a try.
Oh my gosh, Wendy, I think it's gorgeous! I looooove that paper, where'd you get it?
OMG SO INCREDIBLE! We are about to move and we know the move is only for one year, and I was totally dreading bland white walls. But after reading this...bland white walls be gone! This was an awesome post, thanks!
You could use fabric.... just use spray adhesive on your walls and hang it up. When it gets dirty just pull it off and wash it, iron it, and put it back up :-)easy-peasy!
I love it! It really makes your space pop! So cute!
I love that you went for the bold! I think pops of color can really brighten and add character to a hidden space. This spot looks lovely!
Wow, I would have never thought of wrapping paper? The damask is just lovely and does add a nice punch to your mud room area.
That is exactly the BOLD I would have chosen. Great job and thanks for planting the wrapping paper seed. I rent too.
Couldn't you cover the paper with clear contact paper to make it last longer..or even decopauge over it to make it a bit stronger? Love it.
I had actually been thinking about doing wrapping paper on a wall in my apartment and I'm so excited to see it done in real life! Your project has definitely motivated me to give it a try. LOVE it!!!
- a real punch of colour and pattern.
Wow! I thought I was the only one who stapled wallpaper back in the day! My husband thought I was crazy!! I've never thought about doing wrapping paper, though! Great idea!!!
HOLY COW, you are a CREATIVE AND FRUGAL GENIOUS!
Oh man, that wrapping paper is GORGEOUS!!
I love the paper, the idea, the sign - pretty much everything about it! Great job.
How beautiful...and what a fabulous idea!
Ok, in all honesty I'd never be brave enough to do this. BUT, I absolutely LOVE it! Thanks for being bold and sharing it with us.
I love it, I sure wish I had an area to do that to!
Thanks so much for showing how to make a rental still look like home and not something temporary.
I love this idea and many of your other ideas and am so happy to have more options besides white walls!
I have used wallpaper on everything in my room (see my blog post from this week) including my table tops, as drawer liners, on shelves and as artwork, framed! But I hadn't thought about putting it on a wall. Cute idea. I get really heavy rolls of paper at my local dollar store. They often have Hallmark paper and there is a ton on the roll. I'm going to use this idea soon. Thanks!