Removable Wallpaper Basics

I am not an expert on wallpaper, but I do love it and now have done it in two rooms in our home. The good thing is there are a lot of temporary options now so you don’t have to do much work to put it up and get it down.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links & if you use the link to make a purchase I may earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies & their products only when I genuinely love the quality & use them in my own home, & not because of the commission I could receive.

Here are a few basics…

• Measure what you need and buy extra (when lining up the paper you’ll have to trash some of the paper). You’ll want to find out the size of the wallpaper strips. Some places have a calculator like this to help.

• Target’s Devine Color wallpaper is one of the most affordable options I have seen and what I used in our laundry room. It can be difficult to work with (it’s like putting contact paper on your walls if you have ever used contact paper - its thick and sticky…but you can also pull it off and re-adjust)

• You’ll want to make sure the rolls you get are from the same Lot number - this helps make sure they line up correctly.

• With a crazy pattern like the dots below - they are harder to line up - but a little more forgiving if you don’t get them just right.

Check out my laundry room before some paint, shelves + wallpaper! Find it here.

This tool is helpful to smooth out the wallpaper. When you attached you may have some air bubbles and this will help to smooth it out. You’ll also want an exacto knife like this to cut the ends when you get to the bottom of the wall. I linked more options at the end of this post as well.

I also did this buffalo check wallpaper in our old house. This is also from Target. I can’t really count this in walls I have wallpapered because my husband finished the job. I just hung the first two strips.

If you like the look of the wallpaper, but are scared to commit - you might like decals. They are much easier to apply and very easy to remove too.

Here are some of the products I mentioned above…

More Questions about wallpaper…

What are some ideas for how to use wallpaper?

This article from Redfin includes some ideas for how to use wallpaper and they interviewed me

What can you use it on a textured wall?

Probably, but its not recommended. I say probably because one of the walls we wallpapered did have texture - but most websites do not suggest it.

Can you use it on a painted wall?

Yes, but it seems like most brands suggest a satin, eggshell paint or semi-gloss - not a flat paint (this may remove the paint)

Does it mess up the wall when removed?

It shouldn’t. You could use a strip to test, but most brands claim it can be removed without damage.

How do I install removable wallpaper?

Here is a great youtube tutorial.

If you have more questions - feel free to leave them in a comment here or instagram!