DIY- Starched Fabric Wallpaper!

September 7, 2012 by 1 Comment

 I know there are few people in this world like me, that see a wall like this and it is their worst NIGHTMARE!! I don’t mind a crisp plain white wall but not when-

 

EVERY. SINGLE. WALL. I. SEE.  IS. WHITE.

 

I still live in a rental and painting is not an option. Bummer! So, for now I am always looking to add a little something to my spaces. That little or big something that sets it apart and makes it mine. For someone like myself who loves simplicity, I also need a visual impact. Something with  that “WOW”  factor to it. I am always looking for some ways to add interest & pops of color to my house without using paint on the walls. This is not an easy task! Not an easy task until NOW.

 

Did you know that you can attach fabric to the wall using Liquid Starch??

 

It is super easy to do and when you are sick of it you just pull it off and wipe the wall down. The best part is you can get fabric for cheap if you look for it. Which can make this project super cheap but give you a high end look! Who doesn’t like the sound of that??!!

The first thing I did was find some inspiration photos of the look I was going for.

 

I LOVE the big horizontal stripes from these photos and thought it would be a great way to add some interest to the bedroom I as working on. I also, thought it would be super easy to recreate this look with strips of fabric instead of the paint. I also loved that it was simple and bold but would allow me to add some other decorating elements to it without getting too crazy.The colors I chose for my room are black, white (I can’t get rid of it so I better embrace it) and a darker lime green. The color I chose for the stripes was black.

 I went to JoAnns and got 6 yards of plain black cotton fabric. You don’t want a real heavy fabric or it won’t stick to the wall. Your yardage will vary depending on the measurements of your wall. I used a 40% off coupon and the fabric came to a grand total of $12!

I then went to Walmart and picked up some liquid starch. It is located next to the spray starch… but make sure it says liquid on it. It was $4 bucks. Wahoo!

Step 1: Cut the fabric in half horizontally. I chose to do this so I didn’t have to measure it all. The fabric was 44″ wide so my stripes were 22″ when I was done. If you want smaller stripes you will have to measure and cut them each. I also recommend using a Rotary cutter so your edges are nice and clean. ( They will not fray when you get the starch on them.)

 

Step#2- Measure out where you want the stripes to go on your wall.

Step#3- I used push pins to hold my fabric in place. I left the pins in until the starch dried on the fabric. Leave an inch hangover of fabric on each side. (When the fabric dries it is really stiff. You can then take an Exacto cutter and roll it in the corner of the wall giving you a nice clean edge.) 

 

 

Step #4- I then placed the starch in a paint tray and used a  foam roller to apply it. Make sure to apply it everywhere evenly and really coat the edges so the fabric doesn’t come up.

 

Step #5- Wait for it to dry. It doesn’t take very long for it to dry completely. When it is dry remove the pins and remove the excess fabric in the corners.

 

When you are done it looks like this….

 

 

What do you think? Does it make a statement in the space? Does it make the room more interesting? I think it does considering it is not paint and it was less then $20. When you decide you want a change you can just peel it off, wash it and use it for something else. Pretty sweet huh?

Here are some other variations that I thought would be fun to try this method out using:

{Collage Wall of fabric}

{ Faux Headboard}

{Wall Decals}

 

 {Line Bookshelves and storage spaces}

 

You ready to give it a try??!! I would love to see pictures of what you create

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  1. Heather O. says:
    September 8, 2012 at 9:10 pm

    We have just moved into a rental full of boring white walls. This is the perfect solution for creating some interest without painting. Thank you for the great idea!

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