This is week 2 of the Spring One Room Challenge, and I’m sharing how I created an accent wall with wallpaper for my girls’ shared room! I used traditional wallpaper to bring some interest and pattern to the room.
The One Room Challenge is upon us! This challenge both features designers and guest participants who are tackling a room makeover in 8 weeks. I’m excited to be joining up as a guest participant this Spring and give my girls’ shared room a makeover!
WEEK 1 | WEEK 2 | WEEK 3 | WEEK 4 | WEEK 5 | WEEK 6 | WEEK 7 | WEEK 8
When my girls decided that they wanted to share a room, I was excited to give the room a makeover so it would work for both of them! I had this room styled as a nursery for my youngest, so this change has lead to a new room makeover. My 5 year old is so excited for the change, and for the sweet wallpaper that I picked out.
Here is a reminder of the “before” – and my design plans and mood board for the room!
Creating An Accent Wall With Wallpaper
I found my beautiful wallpaper at PhotoWall – they have such an amazing selection to pick from! I wanted the wallpaper to set the tone for the room, and it definitely will do that with a big impact.
When the wallpaper I ordered arrived I was SO excited to get it up on the wall. I had never applied traditional wallpaper before (I’ve done peel & stick wallpaper many times though!) so the process was new for me. I found that it was easier than I was expecting, you can read about the whole process of applying wallpaper here!
The first few times I applied peel & stick wallpaper I figured out some tips & tricks, and the same applied to this round with traditional wallpaper! I’m sharing some of my wallpaper tricks with you today to help you if you’re getting ready to apply traditional wallpaper in your home.
RELATED: HAND PAINTED ACCENT WALL TUTORIAL
Wallpaper Tips
- Measure your wallpaper. I know this may sound obvious, but for someone like me who likes to “wing it” on DIY projects sometimes .. measuring is your friend! Measure the width of your wallpaper, mark it on the wall just slightly short of that width, and use that as your guide for your first piece. This will give you a little overhang on the corner edge so you can cut it with a razor and make sure it is lined up correctly. Take the time to make sure your first piece is correct, because that will determine your whole wall.
- Apply the paste on the wall, not on the back of the paper. I originally thought that paste had to be applied to the back of the wallpaper, but I was wrong! I applied the paste on the wall in sections first, then placed my wallpaper panel on the wall and was able to re-position it as needed while the paste was wet. This process was easier than I thought, and I didn’t have any troubles doing it this way!
- Leave overhang on the ceiling. Most DIYers can tell you that walls and ceilings are rarely perfectly straight. I know this very well having done multiple wall treatments and wallpapering in the past. Even though it seems like your ceiling should be level and straight, chances are it isn’t! By leaving an overhang of a couple inches on the ceiling (no paste should be on that part of the wallpaper), you can trim off the excess with a razor after you have finished with the panel. I found that leaving that extra couple of inches was key to not being left with any unsightly gaps at the top due to un-level walls and ceilings.
- Use a roller to smooth the seams. I ordered a wallpaper kit with my wallpaper order, and it came with a super handy plastic roller for the seams! This tool helped press down the seams and get any excess paste out from underneath the paper. Added bonus – it is super fun to use!
- Wipe down the seams and corners to remove any excess paste. I used a damp towel to wipe down all the seams and edges to make sure the wallpaper was clean and smooth. The last thing you want is to see dried paste after you did all the work to make your wallpaper look beautiful on your wall!
Painted Twin Bed
Right before I applied the wallpaper, I painted the antique twin bed that my 5 year old sleeps in. This bed belonged to a family member, and I painted it a few years ago. The paint had been chipped after going through a few moves, and I wanted it to coordinate better with the wallpaper I picked out!
I used Fusion Mineral Paint in the color Sterling as the base coat (to seal in the original dark pink color) and then I used 2 coats of the color Casement, and I’m LOVING how it turned out! It stands out SO well against the wallpaper and looks fresh and clean. What do you think of the progress I’ve made so far?
Next I’ll move on to finishing painting the walls (I’m almost finished!), and painting their dresser. I’m going to be using Fusion Mineral Paint for the dresser too .. any guesses on which color I’ll be using??
Girls Bedroom To Do List
- Paint the walls
Apply WallpaperPaint the twin bed- Paint the dresser
- DIY window trim
- Add roman shade
- Add wall sconce light
- Purchase a new side table
- Add a new rug
- Decorate
Come back next week to see the dresser makeover – I’m SO excited to finish it up!
You’ll also love these room makeovers:
- Kitchen Makeover On A Budget
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- Master Bathroom Makeover
