Wallpaper Wisdom

Contrary with its name, wallpaper is not just for walls anymore. There are myriads of ways to utilize wallpaper other than the tedious task of putting it up on your walls. Its intricate design, vibrant colours, and even texture are just some of the things that are quite difficult to duplicate using paint. These characteristics make the humble wallpaper an excellent choice if you wish to add more whimsy to a room or a piece of furniture. Here are a couple of ideas for some wallpaper projects you can enjoy with your family.

Refurbishing old furniture using wallpaper. Photo courtesy of Apartment Therapy.

Refurbish your furniture. You can use wallpaper to re-design your old cabinets, dressers, or table tops. This is possible by using some basic techniques similar to the process used in making a decoupage. First, get the measurements of the part of the furniture you wish to redesign and plot it on the wallpaper and cut it out. Second, clean the surface using a damp cloth, wipe off the table top and let it dry. Third, spread some glue on the surface using a paint brush to achieve a relatively even coat. Next, carefully place the piece of wallpaper that you already cut out and use a brayer (which looks like a tiny rolling pin or paint roller) or a dry cloth to smooth out the wallpaper. Do this in a radial fashion, starting in the middle and dragging the brayer or cloth towards you. Let the glue dry completely before applying at least two coats of a sealant, like a polyurethane gloss for a shiny finish. You can also do this technique on the front panel of dresser drawers, or on the frames of pictures and mirrors.

Various framed wallpaper. Photo courtesy of Gaita Interiors.

Instant artwork. As mentioned earlier, most wallpaper designs are very intricate, aside from its amazing detail and vibrant colours. You can use scraps of old wallpaper for this project, too. This will also make great use of chipped plates, weakened food trays, or old photo frames. Choose a piece of wallpaper with an interesting pattern. Choosing a pattern could go both ways, whether it completely contrasts your wall colour, or it should blend in really well with the room’s colour palette. Simply trace the shape of the object you’ve chosen and cut it out. You can also use craft scissors to cut out the shapes from the wallpaper to add extra charm on the piece. Before mounting the wallpaper on the plate or tray or frames, wipe them first with a damp cloth. For the frame, simply slide in the piece of wallpaper where the photo usually goes and it is ready to be displayed on your wall. For other objects, brush some glue on the surface and lay the cut-out wallpaper on top. Use a dry cloth to smooth out the wallpaper onto the plate or tray. Let the glue dry completely before applying a coat of sealant. For light objects, two strips of double sided tape would be enough to hang it on the wall. For heavier objects, you might want to use a string to hang it like a painting. A cluster of small artworks like this can add extra charm to any room. – See more at: https://canadianinquirer.net/v1/portal.php?mod=view&aid=3713#sthash.oOYWP8OT.dpuf