Instead of wallpaper: a creative approach to decorating walls with your own hands

I’m about to move again and have time to fantasize about wall decoration. We firmly decided that there would be anything, just not wallpaper. I will really miss my white brick walls - they turned out to be quite practical both in the kitchen and in the bathroom. I’ll share what I like. It will be useful to someone.

Painting walls instead of wallpaper

Painting walls with the perfect finish for painting is more expensive than gluing wallpaper. If you prepare the walls yourself, then with the money saved you can choose premium paint and the price will be equal to good wallpaper. I couldn’t choose the perfect wallpaper in my city, and what I liked online was not available in the required quantity. So we lived in a slightly beige finishing putty for 4 years.

Now I won’t even bother looking for wallpaper. All that remains is to decide on the general style. The options in the photo below should be considered for painting one wall in the room; the remaining walls should be left plain.

Master classes on self-painting in ombre style and all kinds of stretch marks are easy to find online.

Geometric designs using masking tape are not only possible for an artist or an experienced finisher. It is important to think carefully about the details and sequence of actions. A sketch to scale is required, even if colored with colored pencils. For inspiration, look for videos on wall painting, in them you will also see the sequence of work.

A set of colors and white paint can turn into a mountain landscape or a giant tartan. You can look at color combinations on special websites with color palettes. You can tint the paint at the point of sale; many manufacturers provide this service.

A labor-intensive but not complicated process of painting walls with a geometric pattern. The main thing is not to rush.

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Bas-reliefs and stencil painting

This is already a decorative option, an excellent alternative to a print on wallpaper or photo wallpaper. Making a stencil with your own hands is not an easy task, but it can be done. There are a lot of templates on the Internet and there is no need to invent something yourself. Notice how the designer in the photo works with a regular foil backing:

Stencils can be purchased at large construction stores and online stores. For anything more fancy, you’ll have to tinker. The result is worth it!

Did you notice the unevenness of the wall in the photo with the attic? The relief of the walls does not at all spoil the overall impression of the design of the room, in my opinion. Don’t be afraid of painting walls just because there is no way to make them look like a mirror.

Wall decoration with wood

It’s good that times have come when there is no fashion for a certain interior style. It can no longer be said that decorating walls with wood is out of fashion. If you like rustic style, bar-house, loft elements, then pay attention to these options:

In this case, just 3D wallpaper, which can be replaced with laminate, parquet boards and other lumber.

Often the boards are taken from dismantled sheds and pallets. With proper treatment, a wooden wall can become a work of art. I really like this alternative to wallpaper.

There are several videos on YouTube with the full scope of work, starting with finding wood. The photo below uses disassembled pallets.

Plaster and false brick

Plaster can be incredibly expensive, or it can cost practically nothing except materials and a couple of shaped rollers. Caring for textured plastered walls can be more difficult than caring for a perfectly smooth wall. It is enough for me to walk the furniture attachment of a vacuum cleaner along my kitchen brick wall once a year, and this is taking into account the absence of an exhaust hood.

Thanks to a large selection of overlay vinyl, gypsum and God knows what other panels, anyone can have access to brick in their interior. I have a special weakness for it and it is possible that one of the walls in the new house will be decorated something like this:

You should never be afraid to be creative. Everything will definitely work out if you take your time and be patient. You will always have time to put up wallpaper if something goes completely wrong.