Design Dilemma: You rent and can’t paint or wallpaper, but want to bring color to your apartment’s bland walls.

DIY Solution: Fabric wallpaper that doesn’t damage walls.

Even if you own, wallfabric is a luscious alternative to wallpaper. The added bonus being that, when you do remove the fabric from the wall, you can re-use it. Removing is easy as simply peeling off from an unfastened corner or wetting with water if stubborn. Then, it can be washed and re-used, easy as pie!

Materials:

  • LINIT® Starch OR LINIT® Starch-n-Crafts™ Stiffener
  • Fabric
  • Clean sponge or paint roller
  • Pan

Process:

  1. Wash the wall to remove any dirt or film.
  2. Lightweight fabrics, such as polished cottons, ginghams, and chintzes, are easiest to use. Measure from the floor to the ceiling and add a couple extra inches.
  3. Cut the fabric accordingly. If fabric has a design, be sure to match the design before cutting the next panel as when using wallpaper.
  4. Pour starch into a clean pan or paint pan or spray on if using stiffener (see Tip section if using spray stiffener). Apply starch to the top half of the wall with a sponge, paint roller or spray on if using spray stiffener.
  5. Smooth fabric into place at the top of the wall, leaving about one inch to be trimmed later. Use push pins to hold the fabric temporarily in place. Apply more starch going down the wall as needed until you get to the floor, leave approximately one inch overlap at floor level.
  6. Apply starch to the top of the fabric, brushing and smoothing the fabric in place to remove bubbles and wrinkles. Be sure the starch penetrates the fabric evenly.
  7. Work your way down the panel, continuing to sponge or spray starch onto the wall, smoothing the fabric, and applying more starch.
  8. Position the second panel, matching the design along the edge. Repeat steps.
  9. Around windows and doors, leave a one inch overlap as with the ceiling and floor.
  10. Fabric overlap should be cut when the fabric is completely dry. It will then cut clean and easily and any shrinkage will have occurred before you trim.

When Using Stiffener in Spray Bottle: Be sure to mask edges of ceiling & floor to avoid over spray.

To Remove Fabric From Wall: Peel one corner loose, then gently begin to peel the fabric off of the wall panel by panel. If the fabric does not peel easily, dampen the fabric with water using a wet sponge and it should come right off.

________________________________________________________

Wallpapering can be tricky. Tending to be a visual learner, I found this how-to video a good reference guide.

How to Wallpaper from ferm LIVING shop on Vimeo.