11 Unique & Affordable Wallpaper Ideas For The Home
Are you looking for unique & affordable wallpaper ideas? Here are some inspirational ways to design your home by doing DIY projects on a budget – from accent walls, to drawer liner and more. Read to the end to see my top wallpaper picks right now!
It’s no secret wallpaper has made a massive comeback in the design and DIY world. Today’s designs encompass a wide variety of colors and styles.
They also come in a variety of price ranges, making a high quality product affordable for the masses.
Today I’ve rounded up several ways that I have used peel and stick wallpaper in my home.
I’ve also noted several friends who have taken on the design trend in affordable and unique ways.
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Tips & Tools Needed For Install
Before we get into the ideas lets chat quickly about the tips and tools needed for successful wallpaper install!
- Find the center of the space you will be working in. Start your first strip of paper there and work outward.
- Use a laser level or leveled pencil line to guide the placement of the outside edge of the wallpaper.
- Have a straight edge tool or paint shield on hand to press out bubbles as you work.
- Use a utility knife to cut around electrical outlets and switches.
- To create a straight edge along baseboards, press your straight edge tool into the crease then run the utility knife along the top.
- If any wallpaper strips become uneven, use a large carpenter square to re-edge.
For visual reference, take a peek at my Instagram Highlight where I share a detailed step by step install guide.
Wallpaper Accent Wall Ideas For The Home
The first time I used wallpaper in my home I wasn’t 100% sure I would love it. So I purchased one affordable roll in a neutral, brick pattern and placed it in discrete area of my home. (where the door was closed 99% of the time)
Yep. I put it in the lego room!
My sister in law provided an extra set of hands for this install, which made the process go smoothly.
I instantly fell in love with the ease of use and fun statement. Immediately, I started planning more spaces to use it.
A few months later I decided to revamp the dress up closet in the playroom. What started as a quick fix with wall mounted hooks had turned into an unorganized, overflowing mess.
Since I’m constantly on a mission to make our family more organized, I decided a fresh start in this space was a necessity.
For this space I chose a geometric wallpaper in a pop of color to line the back of the closet, then added a simple wire closet system for hanging costumes. The space is now organized AND beautiful and my kids do a decent keeping it that way.
Unique & Affordable Wallpaper Art For Walls
While we are talking about kid spaces lets move onto our boys shared bedroom. This bedroom is the largest in our home and already contained a large hand painted mural wall across from the beds. Since I didn’t need an accent wall in here I ventured into using wallpaper as art above the bed. Again, I purchased ONE roll to keep it budget friendly as well as a variety of empty wood frames from a local thrift store.
Wallpaper pieces were cut to size and placed above the beds in gallery form. The frames were then hung over the wallpaper to make instant art.
Wallpaper As Drawer and Shelf Liner
Because I had plenty of leftover from my wall art project I decided to use the leftover as liner in the boys dresser. This particular furniture piece was already well loved and in need of a makeover. I sanded and painted then added wallpaper to the drawer bottoms as a finishing touch.
Since, I have used leftover paper in each kiddos dresser drawers as well as under our kitchen sink.
Wallpaper Behind Bookshelves
Adding wallpaper behind bookshelves is a creative way to add a pop of color and pattern to a normally blank space. This particular piece was a $10 flea market find that I flipped by adding a fresh coat of paint and black and white wallpaper.
Using leftover paint around my home and leftover wallpaper from a drawer liner project, I was able to flip this piece of furniture and make $65!
Living Room Wallpaper Ideas
In the spring of 2020 I decided to take on transforming one room in my home in just 6 weeks for the One Room Challenge. Within this transformation I built twin reading nooks to flank the sides of our fireplace.
Wallpaper came to the rescue again as a huge statement for the back of the nook walls. This was one of my BEST REVEALS to date and I am so proud of how this space turned out!
You can find all sources for the Living Room in THIS Post
Wallpaper On A DIY Decorative Tray
A few months back I participated in a Mother’s Day campaign for a tool company. I was inspired to build this DIY Decorative Tray with scrap wood from my garage. The only problem is that the seams on the bottom of the tray were proving to be less than ideal.
My solution? Put some wallpaper on it!
This cute tray has served us well this year not only for food serving but also as a place to display decor in our home.
Framed Affordable Wallpaper Ideas
I tend to run a tight [organized] ship at home and one of my pride and joy projects is our family command center.
Before the school year starts I tend to give it a re-vamp to update the space as our needs grow. This year I took it the extra mile by repainting the walls and door to the garage and adding a framed wallpaper background.
The transformation of this space can be seen in THIS story highlight and my Ultimate Command Center Guide can be found HERE.
The Latest Project
My latest wallpaper project is currently happening as we speak! Im working transforming our Master Bedroom to showcase a super exciting brand campaign for 2021! You can read all about what Im up to in THIS POST.
For this particular project I decided to build a faux headboard and install wallpaper inside of a board and batten frame. I haven’t even revealed this to my Instagram followers as I write this so the photo below is LITERALLY the first glance.
When the room is finally showcased in November 2020 I will add the full reveal post HERE.
Shop my Favorite Wallpaper Prints!
A Few More Affordable Wallpaper Ideas
There are so many great ways to showcase wallpaper in the home and I’ve only chipped the top of the iceberg! Here are some of my blogging friends who have also used Wallpaper in affordable and unique ways in their home.
My friend Amanda @loverenovations is kind of a serial wallpaper user like I am. You can see all of her unique and affordable wallpaper projects HERE.
Cara @neverskipbrunch blew me away with her genius wallpaper idea in her girl garage.
Sarah @makingjoyandprettythings shares tons of wallpaper ideas in THIS POST. Some are similar to mine and some are VERY different!
