Redecorating can give you a fresh perspective. It can also teach you about what brings you joy and happiness.

Years ago, when I bought my first house, I chose a bold colour for my living room – red as an accent wall. Bold move, and I loved.every.minute.of.it! I know it’s not for everyone but I loved that wall. Jump forward 15 years and I thought, ”Hmmm, it’s time for a change”.  

After many hours of researching, I came across a new wallpaper that you can remove easily. That made me interested – for a whole host of reasons. I wanted a new feel to the room but I was also worried about making a mistake and having to live with it for many years. I came across this brand of wallpaper called NuWallpaper.

It’s wallpaper with a special backing on it, which can be removed easily without the pain of removing the usual wallpaper. This means that if in a few years you move or wish to put up a fresh colour, you can do so quite easily. It goes up just like typical wallpaper, and looks like it too. (I will update you on the wear and tear and the process I used later.) In total, I started the project on Monday (while on vacation) and finished it within a couple of hours.

Application

Applying it is a little different than other wallpapers. With the usual wallpapers, when its ”wet” you can usually shift it while its in contact with the wall. However, after that, that’s the only difference.

There is no need to apply any water or to activate the paste. All you need to do is unpeel a portion of the paper to reveal the sticky backing, and apply the first few inches. You can lift and replace as you need. It’s important to get that first row or column straight as it will make the rest of your panels go very quickly.

Keep unrolling the backing and placing the wallpaper onto the wall. Every foot, take a wallpaper plastic scraper and smooth out the air bubbles, so that the wallpaper lays completely flat and adheres to the surface. Again, getting this first panel down is a critical step that makes this project easy.

Work your way to the bottom and using an exacto knife to cut the panel at the bottom as cleanly as possible. Use a straight edge or rule to cut against and to make a clean straight line. Then onto the next panel, and repeat.

When you put the next panel on, you need to match up the pattern. I always matched and started out at the top and worked my way down. In order to match the pattern, you may see a longer lip at the top will form. Not to worry, once you get a few feet of matched seams going, you can cut off that top portion (with a straight edge also). You can also do a small 1/4 to 1/2 inch seam between panels (where one panel over laps the other, just like regular wallpaper.)

Keep applying the next panel, smoothing out the bubbles and matching the seams and then when you get to the last panel, cut off the portion that spills over the corner. (I only put wallpaper on one wall so that it could serve as an accent wall.)

Removal

I had one panel or roll of wallpaper that had a slight colour discolouration. Ugggh. So I put the removal of the wallpaper to the test. I simply peeled up a corner at the bottom edge and began pulling up the wallpaper. I slowly increased the edge until both hands had a good grip on the bottom edge. And then I just pulled it up slowly. Et voila. The wall paper came off and no residue, no paper to scrape off, etc.

I simply took the roll that better matched the previous panel and started again, and that panel stuck to the wall perfectly. No lifting or portions that ”just don’t stick”.

One tip based on my error – make sure the lots for the wallpaper are all the same. It will prevent funny colour mismatches and having to peel it off and do a ”re-do”.

Time to Complete

And there you have it. I included the before, during and after photos below so you can see how this project progressed.

Time to complete: 1 afternoon (if you want to ensure the seams and patterns match, and there are no air bubbles.)

Update

Its been 4 months since I gave a facelift to my living room. The wallpaper is holding up, the colour isn’t fading (even though my room has a hot southern sun on it) and no scratches or scrapes anywhere. Post Covid people have started coming over and they have all remarked on the aesthetic and look!

Bliss Reflection

Standing back and seeing the finished product gives me such joy. That’s not a surprise or unique just to me. Everyone feels that moment of relief when any reno or project is complete. 

Doing this wallpaper (or painting, or hanging up new prints, etc) is my form of art. I was never good at art – my sister got that talent. But my ”canvas” is my home, my walls, and my rooms. I get to pick my color palettes, textures and tools.

And I love being able to shape it based on what I see and feel. I love that moment when it all comes together – from ”old and dull” or ”so a decade ago” to ”wow – this feels good” and ”this is me”. Now I know colours, textures and ”things” aren’t me, but its how i get to express myself and I get some added bliss when others see what I see. 

I suspect when you get to make your space feel cozy and ”you”, it does something for your headspace. It makes you feel in tune with your environment and just makes you feel like things are flowing and you feel at peace in your corner of the world.

And these art projects don’t have to be big – for me it was just changing the colour of one wall, and suddenly it’s just a whole new feeling. It’s scary, it sometimes takes more steps than you ever planned, but allowing to myself be artistic, truly does something for my soul. The trick is, you have to find what kind of ‘art’ you like doing and to take that first step.

Bliss Hints and Tips

• NuWallpaper has a lot of information and resources that you can use to decide if this wallpaper is right for you. You can even use their room previewer to see if the pattern you love will work in your space (thank goodness I did, as I would have made a mistake if I used the first one I loved.)
• If you want to tackle this wallpaper thing, here’s a great and detailed blog that provide a simple and easy guide. Start a small project and learn how it feels. Once you do it a few times, you get the groove.
• And yes, you guessed it, there is a science behind interior decorating having an impact on your well being.  Check it out.
• NEW – for some inspiration and ideas, check 80+ ideas from House and Home.