Now that the floating shelves are installed, it’s time for wallpaper! This is the first time I’m using peel and stick wallpaper which I’ve heard can be quite difficult to work with. Traditional wallpaper is easier in the sense that it is reposition-able after pasting the wall or the paper, depending on the type. I have used the paste the wall type and it was relatively easy so we’ll see how this goes. There is a reason I needed peel and stick for this project which you’ll see later on. But for now, I want to keep that part a surprise!
Typically with wallpaper the most difficult part for me is actually choosing the color and pattern of the wallpaper. I’ve spend countless hours scouring the internet for the perfect wallpaper! I’m happy to say, I think I found it! At first, I thought I wanted something with either stripes or a checkered pattern. Here are a few of the first round of samples that I received.
Then I decided that the squares and stripes would compete too much with the floors so I went in a completely different direction. I changed my mind and opted for a floral pattern instead so I ordered more samples! Here are just a couple that I got but ended up not being perfect. I actually loved the one on the left, but the scale wasn’t right. The pattern was much too large for this small space but the colors were exactly what I wanted! Or so I thought.
The best part about this particular brand is that it was completely customizable. You can literally pick any color you want and order samples in everything. I ordered samples twice because I couldn’t decide and then in the end, I pulled an audible and ordered something that I hadn’t even gotten a sample of. It was definitely a risk, but I’m really happy with my choice and how it came out. I got the wallpaper from Love vs. Design and the pattern is called “Outlined Peonies” in the colors “Petunia” and “Aster”. Originally I was going to do a light background with dark outlines, but opted for the darker background with the light outline and I think it ended up being the right choice!
I started with the middle back of the wall but made a mistake right off the bat. I assumed that each sheet of wallpaper was the same, and would line up perfectly, but it was actually in a series of two, meaning the pattern didn’t repeat on each panel, it repeated every 2 panels. I accidentally started with the second panel instead of the first which is why it doesn’t go all the way to the bottom on the left side. In order to match up the pattern, I couldn’t use the entire piece. It’s fine since it will be behind the washing machine but I was annoyed that I made that simple mistake.
Some mistakes I made and things I learned installing peel and stick wallpaper:
- Clean your walls first! If you don’t, the wallpaper will not adhere properly. Clean the wall with 70% isopropyl alcohol mixed with 30% water. Let the wall dry, and then repeat up to 3 times.
- Make sure you check the number of panels in the series and see where each panel lines up. This particular wallpaper had a 1″ overlap between panels and the pattern repeated every two panels.
- Make sure you overlap the corners and edges by at least an inch in case the walls are not straight. You can trim it perfectly afterwards.
- Be sure to order enough and plan on adding 10% for waste!
- Start at one end and smooth it down as you go, peeling off the paper on the back a little bit at a time. The wallpaper will stick to itself so be careful not to expose too much at once.
Many people asked why I didn’t install the wallpaper before putting up the shelves. My answer is that I didn’t want to risk ruining the wallpaper when I put the shelves in since they were such a tight fit. It was virtually impossible not to scratch the walls while putting in the shelves so I opted to do it this way. Yes, it would have been easier to install the wallpaper first, but I didn’t want to risk it.
I also ran out of wallpaper which was unfortunate. I was planning on wallpapering the ceiling as well which is why it’s not painted, but I ended up coming up short. I did order some more so that I could finish. I also needed some extra for another part of this project, but you’ll see that in the next post!
I really love the color of the wallpaper next to the shelves. It’s exactly what I pictured in my head and it looks even better in person. The laundry room is coming along but I’m not done yet! Still a few surprises to add and then the fun part…styling the shelves and putting them to use!
That’s it for this week! Going to order some more wallpaper so I can finish the ceiling and move on to the next phase of this laundry room makeover. Until then, happy DIY-ing!
-Selene Builds Things