Do you have any suggestions for wall coverings?

Question

I'm renting, so I can't paint my room. What would you use on a wall in this situation? In the past, I have tacked up wrapping paper, carpet remnants, fence pieces, curtains and posters. But this space I'm moving into is HUGE and I have no idea what to fill it with! The cheaper, the better. Something that makes a good visual impact is also important, obviously.

To answer DIY Doc's questions:
1. I already made it clear that I can't paint my walls.
2. While "huge" is subjective and so is "the cheaper the better," those definitions seem to be clear enough that I am getting helpful feedback. If you want specificity, here you are: the room is 15' long by 15' wide with 11' ceilings, I'd like the walls to be covered with something, and I don't have a lot of money.

Answer 1

if you could find a couple of used but still pretty oriental rugs, they would take up a lot of space on your walls, look exotic, and warm up the place as well as provide some sound reduction.
another idea is making your own huge artworks by building large frames from cheap lumber, covering them with used sheets you can buy from thrift store (white) and stapling them on the back so you have created for yourself some enormous "artist canvases". Then just paint abstract designs on them with regular wall paint. Usually you can pick that up cheap in the mis-mixed section of Lowe's. Or just use a bunch of small sample cans if you can find them in bright bold colors.
Have fun! Darn, wish I were there to help. More fun than sitting at this computer today!

Answer 2

No offense at all to the first 2 answers...This is pretty much a poll for personal opinion. I'd really be inclined to ask about PAINT. You've already possibly degraded any security deposit.

Obviously aesthetics and show are your concern. You don't state any budget restrictions. Why not inexpensive folding screens? HUGE is relative, and since we don't know your definition; we cant extend the suggestion about how much of anything to use.

Fabric; most especially on some kind of clothes line thing, will need to be supported, or on some form of mechanism that tightens any cord. It will sag.

Since you've already put holes in walls; and will have to consider not getting a security deposit back, why not do fabric, but with rods attached at studs, and in any manner of deco fabric you choose? It seems you're creative on some level; obviously eclectic; and you might also consider the base look/sense/feel of the room; and do your walls to either coordinate or contrast.

Steven Wolf

Answer 3

Try installing an indoor clothes line available in the hardware or laundry section of most stores from wall to wall and hang interesting shower curtains, vintage table clothes, great fabric remnants(upholstery remnants are great). Using this you leave only 2 sets of holes in the walls and the fabric hanging is movable so you can even cover doorways/cabinets etc. Estate sales usually have great drapes, vintage tablecloths, shawls, quilts and the like. Have fun!

Answer 4

I'd suggest saris. They're luxurious, exotic and are much more cost effective than buying cloth or large posters.

One sari can be cut into two or three wall hangings, floor to ceiling. One wall hanging will be good for about 10 feet of wall, leave several feet of space on either side and it will stand out more boldly. If you use the same color in other places in the room, it will look much more pulled together. (This is a fairly common technique for decorators.)

They can be expensive to buy in local stores, so generally I buy directly on http://www.ebay.com

By the way, with light fabrics, you can use an improvised wallpaper paste that'll come off with a damp sponge. I first discovered it in the book 3 Black Skirts, but there's free directions here: http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byform/mailing-lists/bookarts/1995/11/msg00127.html