I read this great tip in the current issue of Lonny Magazine about how to install wallpaper in a rental. I am curious if anyone has tried this or has had success with other methods of using wallpaper without permanently attaching it? With my Oh Joy wallpaper collection launching in a couple months, I've got to figure out a way to finally use some wallpaper! I'll be sure to post the results of my project, too…!
that’s a really interesting idea. i’d love to hear if anyone has tried it, too.
What an interesting idea! I would be greatfull if you post your results! I have the same problem! Here, in Switzerland, i have to pay a fortune if I change the painting of the wall of my rental. But I am a bit bored of my white wall.
I am looking forward to read more!
Xoxo,
Verus
I’d love to know if this works because I would be too scared to try for fear of losing my deposit without assurance that it works!
I wish I had known about this when I rented. Eggshell walls are so {yawn} boring.
genius!! I could see using this to make a grid on a wall with wallpaper panels, or maybe as just a large square or rectangle as wall art… or perhaps above a bed as a wallpaper headboard!! the possibilities are endless. thanks for sharing.
Wow! that’s an amazing tip!
I hope it works 🙂
I definitely want to try this since I am moving into a new apartment this weekend! 🙂 Hopefully I can share my results with everyone soon!
can you give me the page number its on in the issue? i just flipped through and couldn’t find it 🙁
I have used wallpaper in a couple of ways – if it has a large repeat or interesting scene, I have cut a panel or two into sizes that fit into standard frames, then put them all up on the same wall – the pattern/scene it maintained, but separated but a cool frame in each piece. It becomes more of a large scale art piece that you can take with you (or separate at a later time if you don’t need something as big). I have also just thinly framed entire panels & flanked a window – again, something that makes an impact but you can take with you to your next rental. These both are especially nice options if you can’t afford more than one or two panels anyway.
Last year I wallpapered my dorm room with great success (it wasn’t exactly a rental but similarly I had to avoid damaging the paint on the walls). I used Sherwin William’s Easy Change paper, which is designed to be removed without damage. At the end of the year, the wall paper came off easily, with no tearing, and the walls showed no signs of having been papered. I definitely recommend and hope do to it again to my apartment.
If you want to see the results, there’s a small picture here:
http://www.browndailyherald.com/campus-news/dorm-inspections-begin-today-1.1668083
So excited about your wallpaper launch – it looks dreamy!
I was thinking along the lines of what Maren suggested, framing the wallpaper. I’ve done that with the pretty papers from Paper Source before and it looks pretty (and then you can take it with you too!).
Loved your post on Cup of Jo today btw…
I was intrigued by this too!! I’m moving in a few days, I think I’ll try it in the new place!
How did I miss this tip? I’m a renter and I want to use wallpaper SO bad! This is a great idea!
I think I’m going to try this out!! It’ll take me a couple of weeks but I’ll post my results…. SO EXCITED!
P.S I live in Sydney, Australia 🙂
that’s a great tip! i was always too scared to try wallpaper, but I did “wallpaper” a room in a rental using the fabric and starch trick. Added some color and texture and peeled off in minutes when I moved.
Another option (and maybe a little easier than this method) is to use temporary, repositionable wallpaper. Tempaper Designs makes this product, which I highlighted on my blog awhile ago (http://twoballoonsblue.com/2010/04/04/tempaper-designs/).
Of course, you have way fewer options for patterns this way, but at least it’s a product actually made to be temporary.
Thanks so much for all of your suggestions! Ill be sure to post what we end up using!
-Joy
I think fabric & starch works better. You can read the directions here:
http://www.rentaldecorating.com/quick_fix_fabric_on_walls.htm
oh.. and if you want to make your own re-usable fabric check out http://www.spoonflower.com
Hi Meg!
Its on page 158 of the current issue 😉
Best,
Joy
I’m I going to be the debbie downer and say that hanging large sheets of paper on a wall with double sided tape on masking tape sounds like a recipe for lagging and buckling and falling off in the middle of the summer and big noticeable seams?
Sounds like an interesting idea! I would love to add colour to my rental walls.
Don’t be afraid to wallpaper! If you are allowed to paint then you can wallpaper. If you don’t mind a little work when you eventually move then you can have wallpaper. Use a primer made for wallpaper first and coat the wall. I have had good luck at the Glidden Professional stores with buying the primer and the paste. Plus they carry all sorts of supplies for the actual hanging of the paper.
We recently moved out of an apartment that we had hung wallpaper in. I would say it took about 4 hours to completely remove clean and wipe down the wall. Kind of a pain, but totally worth the years of lovely wallpaper living!
My mom once stuck up a border with some sort of mild adhesive (ticky tack or something like it?) before committing to it completely. You couldn’t even tell it wasn’t permanently adhered & that way we could see how it looked/felt in the room before making such a big commitment.
Hey guys –
I saw this post a few days ago and have been meaning to comment but have just gotten back to the country and am finally playing catch-up. I’m so glad that you liked the tip and Joy, congratulations on your wallpaper line!
I was a little intimidated about putting up wallpaper at first but after using this method for the first panel I realized that it wouldn’t be as hard as I thought. I used a grid system and ended up using lots of both kinds of tape to make sure the wallpaper stayed secure (I’ve had no trouble with it falling down). I had my friend help hold the roll as I lined it up to the wall and other panels of paper. That’s a step I definitely couldn’t have done on my own!
I worked panel by panel and it took quite awhile – don’t plan to do it in a day (even in a small space like mine)! I also painted the walls underneath the wallpaper a similar color (dark charcoal gray) so that if any seams did show it wouldn’t be as obvious.
I’ve only used this method once so I can’t really generalize, but I did find that it worked well to use such a busy pattern. When you look at the entire wall it’s the pattern that stands out, not the seams or mistakes.
The hard work definitely paid off. I’m so happy to have wallpaper in my rental and to know that (fingers crossed) I can easily get it down and salvage most of it for my next apartment!
Thanks guys and happy wallpapering!
-Ellie
I nailed foam core sheets to cover the wall, sort of like installing a poor mans dry wall, then I wallpapered over the foam core. When you’re ready to remove, just feel for the nails and pull everything out. Feels like a mini demolition at first but the walls are left as new as you moved it with. Just put some putty in the nail holes if you have to.