Furniture

Contact Paper "Wallpaper"

Another temporary wallpaper material? Contact paper! I loved this project featured on Design*Sponge, and had planned on posting about it. And then Stephanie emailed me about my happy tape wall. She is so nice and has a lovely blog. Check out her chevron wall tutorial here. {Please note that Stephanie suggests using/removing the contact paper…

Another temporary wallpaper material? Contact paper!

I loved this project featured on Design*Sponge, and had planned on posting about it. And then Stephanie emailed me about my happy tape wall. She is so nice and has a lovely blog.

Check out her chevron wall tutorial here.

{Please note that Stephanie suggests using/removing the contact paper with a lot of caution on drywall. She says it works like a dream on plaster walls though. Good to know!}

Does anyone else have any experience with using contact paper as wallpaper? What are your tips?

Just to see what it would look like, I cut some strips of white contact paper for the backs of my bookshelves before they were relegated to the basement. Sort of fun, I think. And such an easy project because of the cutting guidelines on the paper backing.

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45 thoughts on “Contact Paper "Wallpaper"

  1. I did this on top of ugly wallpaper in my college apartment bathroom. And then I had to take it down when my lease ended, and it ripped off the original wallpaper. But what did I care? I was in college! :) And I just covered it back up with more (boring) contact paper…

  2. Why did you put your shelves in the basement? I love the punch the stripes add to the back of the shelves. The chevrons are awesome, and I do have plaster walls, but not the patience, I'm sadly afraid.

  3. I just ordered some chalkboard contact paper that I'm planning to use in my boys' rooms. It sounds like it'll be fun and I like the fact that I can just pull it off of the wall once they get older.

  4. Love Stephanies ideas, she is the best!!

    I still want that shelf thing you have in your master, it is perfect for my office. Off to craigslist to search again today, wish me luck!

  5. Hi Jenny, do you have any idea if contact paper would work as a good solution for covering a horrible tile backsplash in a rented apartment kitchen? Maybe 2 alternating colors cut into strips and done as stripes? What do you think?

  6. I love Stephanie's wall. When she was contemplating doing a chevron I mentioned to her that Dabney Lee used somesort of contact paper for her stationary booth and she just went for it! It came out great.

    I used contact paper on my stairs for a pop of zebra. I love it. It was faster than individually painting each riser. Plus due to where I placed them they don't scream out at you. You simply see them as you walk up the stairs.

    You can see them here: http://high-heelfootinthedoor.blogspot.com/2010/01/you-like-me-you-really-like-me.html

    Jon helped me which is code for he did the whole project for me and while I went with contact paper to not damage the wall he told me it was removing paint. Oh well!

  7. Chelsey,

    Regarding the ugly backsplash. I saw a guy who had a thin piece of board cut and painted it shiny read and just put it in front of the ugly tile. It looked great.

  8. I have never put contact paper on the walls but it looks really great in these pictures. I have enough trouble putting it in my cupboards, can not imagine doing it all the walls. kathysue

  9. 1. I am a huge fan of your site! DIY forever! I live in a city and am really excited to see what you do in NYC! Congrats and best wishes on the upcoming move!

    2.I rent so contact paper has been a GODSEND. I have used a faux leather black contact paper to redo my entire kitchen! I've covered my counter-top (which was stained, burned, severely damaged) and I also covered my fridge so it would match my decor!

    A tip I've picked up for applying it is using either a bowl scrapper (if you are a baker) or a credit card, and for removal a hair dryer is handy in warming the glue for clean removal!

  10. beautiful! my sweet savannah just did a post about something similar to this using a removable tape of some kind, but i forget which. it was awesome. i love this idea as a renter who isn't allowed to paint my walls!

  11. how do you churn out these stellar projects with such frequency?! i swear every day i check your blog you've done something new in your own home. that's why we all keep coming back, that original content! you must be superwoman.

  12. I love the way you've dressed up your bookcases with stripes — and it's so low commitment!

    My only concern would be the bubbling…were you able to get a smooth surface?

  13. I LOVE this idea. My question is… do you think this would work in a bathroom? I live in a place with really high humidity and the bathroom is especially bad. Would it continue to stick through lots of steamy showers? I'm really wanting to attempt this.

  14. I love the way that looks behind the books! It's a really creative idea, and I love that you can change it with ease!

  15. I've never put up contact paper, but years ago I had to remove some from kitchen walls and it was a nightmare! Bits of paint came off with it, leaving quite a mess. I will say that the paper had probably been up for years and years and maybe the new stuff wouldn't do the same thing, but I think the bravest I'll get is trying some of that Japanese masking tape!

  16. I have the same question as Emily clark. Would love a lesson from you in time management. Do you ever sleep? Love all the photos here.

  17. When I was in Jr. High, my Mom 'wallpapered' the inset of my closet doors and the flat, square molding around my window with contact paper. I loved it – esp with the coordinating bed linens she surprised me with! – and, as far as I can remember, it didn't peel off or anything. But that was my Mom, who could do anything. Me? I get the contact paper all stuck to itself!!!

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