There’s no doubting that wallpaper looks stunning on walls, but it can also work wonders around your home in other ways too.
If you’ve got leftover off cuts of wallpaper, unused rolls waiting for the perfect project or designs you’d love to buy, but have no walls available for decorating, then here are some alternative and creative ways you can use wallpaper!
1. Use wallpaper to transform furniture
Wallpaper and wallpaper panels can be stunning when used on furniture. Cole & Son’s Harlequin Circus wall panel is a perfect example of this, just look at how good it can work on a wardrobe:
And here it is used to great effect on a vintage retro piece of furniture by London-based Muck ‘n’ Brass Boutique:
This piece is currently available to buy on eBay.
2. Use wallpaper on your stairs
As we’ve mentioned before, wallpaper can work brilliantly on your stair risers as an alternative to carpet. It brings an instant statement to your hall or entrance way:
Or if you can’t decide on a single wallpaper to use, why not go for an eclectic mix and match approach? It’s a great way of incorporating all your favourite designs, or a good way to use up off cuts and leftover paper from other projects:
3. Wallpaper the sides of your drawers
If you don’t want to wallpaper the whole of a chest of drawers, why not just wallpaper the sides of the drawers instead? You’ll get a lovely flash of pattern and design each time you open them:
4. Create a custom wallpapered headboard
Can’t find the perfect headboard for your bed? Why not design your own using wallpaper. Just cover a plain headboard, or suitable panels of wood and, voila:
5. Transform wallpaper into art
If you’re anything like me, you’re always finding wallpaper designs you like, but don’t really have enough projects to use them in. Framing wallpaper is a brilliant alternative, as you get to enjoy the designs in your home without having to decorate a whole wall. Plus, you can mix and match them. A gallery-style wall of wallpaper is fab:
Large framed wallpaper panels like these look great too:
6. Create statement wallpapered shelving
Inject some new life and colour into plain shelves or wall hanging units by adding wallpaper to the back of them. It’s another great way to integrate your favourite designs into a room:
Do you have any other great ways to use wallpaper? Let us know in the comments below.
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I must admit to occasionally using the wallpaper as art trick Rachel, but I’m going to try the wallpaper on the side of my drawers next. Love it. x
Glad to hear I’m in good company with wallpaper as art!
Such wonderful ideas! You’d never think the top two furniture pieces were achieved with wallpaper. I might just have to join Carole in wallpapering the sides of my drawers 🙂 I have used wallpaper to cover the glass panels of my IKEA Billy bookshelves doors, but apart from that I’ve only used it to line my drawers (and cover notebooks like in schooldays 🙂
I used to hate having to cover books in wallpaper as a child, but love it now!
Oh I have used wallpaper to transform a really ugly little chest of drawers in my living room and on the back of a couple of bookcases too! So many nice ideas but loving the little flash on the sides of the drawers 🙂 x
For a minute there, I thought you meant the actual back of bookcases….but I now assume you mean the back of the shelves?!
Some lovely ideas here. I’m in love with that colourful floral stairs.
Great round-up of ideas Rachel!
I just know I will be doing some of these with any left over wallpaper from my next project. Gorgeous!!x
Oooh, do let me know what you do with it, Karen!
These are all such good ideas, I love the wardrobe and funky stairs.
Good choices! I adore the funky wallpaper on the wardrobe.
Some wonderful ideas here. I’m toying with the idea of updating my ikea wardrobe with some wallpaper. I also love the idea of wallpaper in frames.
Have you got a particular wallpaper design in mind for a wardrobe update?
Love the idea of the wallpaper on the stairs it really makes a statement, plus makes a functional space a lot more interesting!
I love the wallpaper shelving, inside drawers and on stairs, I’m a fan of patterns in little nooks and crannys like that, I just think it adds so much more dimension to interiors.