I am renting a house and the outdated wallpaper is driving me crazy! Any ideas on how to cover it up temporarily?
2007-02-02 06:49:08 · 15 answers · asked by Lisa V 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Decorating & Remodeling
Okay--learned this from years in the military housing where you can't do anything permanent.
Find some fabric you like, whether cotton or linen (something that can get wet). Take liquid starch, dip the fabric in the starch and spread the fabric like you would spread wallpaper and let it dry.
When you are ready to move it peels right of the wall without any residue left.
2007-02-02 06:59:27 · answer #1 · answered by intewonfan 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ugly Wallpaper
2016-10-29 21:14:11 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have the perfect solution for you.....
I have recommended this tip to people who also live in apartments since the entire wall treatment is something you can simply take with you!
The idea of curtains from previous posters is "almost" what you are looking for, but take it a step further. You are going to "wallpaper" the wall with fabric without using any glue and when you move, you simply tear it down with NO damage to the wall and no one will ever know it was ever there...cool huh?
If you want plain colored walls, simply purchase "muslin" fabric (which is super cheap and very neutral in color... it's almost white but not quite). Either get it at the fabric store or check Ebay...I've gotten bolts of it for ultra cheap from various sellers (we use it to create removable murals). You can dye it if you like to become any color you choose.
If you want a different pattern, choose inexpensive patterned fabric or simply stencil the muslin you purchased. Heck, do a whole mural on it if you like.
Now, here's the trick that you will LOVE!
Purchase a bottle of liquid fabric starch from the grocery store.
It will cost you all of about $3.00 (you might need more bottles for a large room).
Working in strips as wide as your fabric, (pre-cut fabric to the length of your wall, leaving about an inch extra incase you booboo to be cut off later).
Using a paint brush, apply the fabric starch to the wall just as if you were painting it (a good, healthy coat).
Lay the fabric in to the wet starch beginning in an upper corner and working toward the floor, pressing it in to place as you go then move on to the next section. Smooth out any wrinkles as you work. Make sure that your edges have been smoothed super well so that they adhere tightly.
Once the fabric is completely dry, you will find that you have a beautiful wall treatment that completely covers the nasty old wallpaper, giving your room a sigh of relief that you have done it such a favor and you can decorate in any color scheme that you wish!
Now, the great part: when you go to move, simply peel up one edge of the fabric and peel from the wall.
The entire piece will come off gloriously and leave absolutely NO telltale marks. The fabric starch dried clear under all that fabric so you don't even have to wash the walls because no one will know it was ever there.....
You can wash the fabric and use it again in another home or turn right around and sell the whole shabang on Ebay and get your money back (I love Ebay! Can you tell?).
Have fun with this inexpensive, easy to do solution to the problem that many of us have faced in our rental lives!
Victoria
"Decorating With Class On A Budget" Blog: http://victorialarsen.typepad.com
Website: http://www.victorialarsen.com
2007-02-02 17:28:59 · answer #3 · answered by Victoria L 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
the easiest & usually the cheapest way to get rid of ugly wallpaper is to just paint over it. Making certain that if it is a "loud design" with deep coloring that you put a coat of "Kiltz" on & allow it to dry before you apply the paint of your choice. Also you can try to over-lay the ugly wallpaper with a newer more appealing wallpaper.
We've done this many times with great success. Good Luck!
2007-02-02 06:58:46 · answer #4 · answered by rjsluvbug 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Kinda like the paint idea - I used leftover copper glaze (faux finish ingredient) on the outdated wallpaper in my bathroom. Looks like silk now!
How much is your deposit and how long do you plan to live there? Weigh that against the possibility that the landlord knows or cares if you preserve the old ugly stuff. Or, if you want to be up-front about it, ask for permission.
(But I've found in life it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.)
2007-02-02 07:03:32 · answer #5 · answered by Little Ms Sunshine 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
put a curtain tension rod from wall to wall and buy some curtain panels to cover it. You can go to Target ,Ikea on up to Ralph Lauren.They will all have basic rod pocket panels.
If you can paint over it, it is not the usual thing but it can be done if the pattern is terrible. Square it with the land lord.
2007-02-02 16:12:38 · answer #6 · answered by JENNIFER B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are allowed to on some of the design shows I have seen then paint directly over it and if the design is somewhat decent it looks kinda cool behind the paint but with out the ability to do this maybe you could hang like fabric over the walls to hide them.
2007-02-02 06:53:51 · answer #7 · answered by peeps 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can use paper over any old paper as long as it is stuck to the wall. pull off the loose paper and replace with the cheapest, most textured paper you could find. Start in one corner but split the new paper roll in half, long wise so the new seams. It won't look perfect but it will do.
2007-02-02 06:59:32 · answer #8 · answered by Stan M 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you really don't like it talk to the landlord and ask if you can paint over it. As long as you're not coming up with some wild color they may not object. If you don't want to paint use paneling.
2007-02-02 07:01:19 · answer #9 · answered by Pisces Princess 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try putting up some bead board. It looks 10x better.
2007-02-02 06:53:09 · answer #10 · answered by queenofkings2525 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋