How to Create Your Own Faux Wallpaper

Painting your house white is about the safest choice you can make. It’s there right after looking both ways when you cross the street. But sometimes safe becomes a tad boring. (although that doesn’t apply to when you cross the street. Always look both ways, you hear?)

Wallpapers are a good way to add a touch of personal taste to an all-white room, but they are quite the commitment, both visually and financially. Not to mention, their application process can be awfully tedious if you try to do it yourself rather than have a professional do it for you. But this fun project allows you to create your own basic wallpaper pattern on your wall with nothing more than a can of paint.

Keep it simple

Start by picking a color. Try to think about the other colors in the room you’re remodeling and think of something that would complement them. Next, think of the pattern you would like to have on one or more of the walls (an accent wall with a pattern would be a nice way to see if the pattern works for the room). Assorted lines a-la hunting cabin is a great place to start. They don’t have to be perfect or the same size, plus, you don’t need a stencil for it.

How to create a stencil

If you’re a little more ambitious, you can try creating a stencil and work with it in even spaces. You start with an A4 sheet of paper and draw the shape you’d like to pattern on the wall (heart, star, moon, whatever it is you’re into). If you’re not exactly skilled with a pencil you can just print it with your home printer. Once you have the shape, cut it out so you have a stencil to work with.

Now get to work

Start in the top corner of the wall, hold your stencil up against the wall and paint the inside. Repeat to make a pattern as you wish. Work in small sections and stop for reevaluation every once in a while. You might find out that a few rows on the top pop well enough or that you want a few clusters of the shape in each corner. You are the boss of this project.

How long does it take?

The paint job shouldn’t take more than one afternoon. Put on your favorite playlist or line up a few episodes of your favorite podcast to keep you company and you won’t even feel the time fly. By bedtime, you should be able to put all the furniture back in place.