Can’t afford wallpaper for your bedroom? Want a new look in the den but can’t afford the investment? Look no further than your scrapbook supplies! If you do a lot of scrapbook crafts you might already have everything you need to create a new design for the walls of your bedroom, bathroom or another area of the home. Scrapbook paper is inexpensive and can be used to make thousands of patterns and designs for most any room of the house.
Have you ever seen the huge array of scrapbook paper available nowadays? There are vivid colors, unique designs, even images from around the world. These papers are generally used to enhance saved pictures and photos but can also be used to create new and interesting wall decor. Use all different sheets or purchase several papers that are exactly alike. Whether you want a black and white checkerboard design, or you want to feature various lighthouses from around the country, scrapbook papers make it easy.
Use diluted white glue to affix the scrapbook papers to the walls. You can randomly stick the various papers around the room or create an exact pattern. You can take measurements and be precise in the positioning of each paper or you can use a taping technique to “eyeball” the finished design. To do this, simply stick a piece of tape to each paper then place them on the wall. The tape allows you to reposition or even move the scrapbook paper to another location. After you have all the papers in the areas you want you can then use the glue to affix the papers to the walls.
Instead of diluted white glue you can use Decoupage adhesive. It’s found at department stores – in the glue section – or at craft stores. It’s not expensive and one jar will cover a huge area. Apply the adhesive to the backside of the paper, position the paper on the wall, then apply a coat or two over the top of the paper. This will make it easier to wipe clean and will help protect the paper.
The new scrapbook paper designs don’t have to be placed on every wall. Do one wall, do two adjacent walls, or just put a few papers on each wall. The finished look is entirely up to you. There are many different looks you can create depending upon how you place the papers. One look is achieved when you align the papers around the top of the wall, then again around the bottom of the wall. Another look is done when you align the papers in a group on one large wall. The group can be four, six, eight papers or more. You can also do checkerboards with any colors by painting the wall then attaching the new papers.
You don’t necessarily have to use all the scrapbook papers in the size and shape that they are purchased. Cut smaller versions of the papers to create one look; combine small and large papers to make a totally different wall pattern. Smaller versions of the scrapbook paper can even be arranged to form a patchwork quilt-like effect on one wall. There are no limits to the various designs that can be created.
Bring the whole room together by making coordinating pieces from the scrapbook papers. Cut small pieces and create a design on the front of a hamper or bedroom trash can. Or, decoupage many small pieces on a lamp to coincide with small pieces on the walls. Do the same with the fronts of dresser drawers, some drawer pulls, picture frames and even mirror frames. Use one large scrapbook paper to decorate the foot board of the bed or even a flat headboard. Don’t overdo it, though; a few coordinating pieces is all you need.
Use baby-theme scrapbook papers to create a cute, inexpensive look for a nursery. Choose bright colors and vivid patterns and let a teen go crazy in his or her room. Or, choose foil types of scrapbook paper to create a look of elegance in the bathroom or kitchen. Decorate a cabin by choosing outdoor themes, then placing the papers here and there, around one room of the cabin. It’s fun to decorate entire rooms with scrapbook paper and the overall look is much more impressive than the actual cost. The only problem is, there are so many great scrapbook paper designs, you’ll be looking for hours to find just the right ones for your home!
Reference:
- Purchase scrapbook paper here: www.michaels.com
