How To Use Fabric As Temporary Wall Paper

Have you ever rented a place that never quite felt like home because of all the white wall ins the house?  I have always hated having white walls in our rental places, so I learned how to use fabric as wall paper. This is a great alternative because it is easy to come down when it's time to move and it will look like nothing was ever placed on the walls. I put a fabric piece up in my kitchen. Here is what it looks like:

Here's how you can decorate with fabric as well:

What You Will Need
Liquid Starch
Ruler or Measuring Tape
Fabric
Paint Roller

Step One: Find out exactly what size of fabric you will need. Measure the wall from top to bottom and then from side to side. Add an extra inch to each side of the fabric. Write it down so you have the info when you go to pick out your fabric.


Step Two: Find the fabric that you would like to use for the wall. Be picky. Know when you buy it that is something you will like to see everyday. It is removable but why go through all the trouble? Love the fabric or pick something else. Simple.

Step Three: Clear the area around the wall. You don't want the room and the furniture in it to get messy.

Step Four: Apply fabric to wall. Pour starch into a clean paint pan. Apply starch to the top half of the wall with a sponge. Apply starch to the top of the fabric, smoothing fabric in place to remove wrinkles. Be sure the starch is put on evenly. Then work your way down the panel. Continue with the next piece of fabric.

Step Five: Trim the excess fabric around the edges. Wait until the fabric is dry before doing this step.

Step Six: Sit back and enjoy your new wall decor!

To Remove Fabric: Peel one corner loose, then peel the fabric off of the wall. If the fabric does not come off right away use a little water to dampen the fabric and it should come off.

(By the way, I have to admit the wall decor on this post was actually put up with clear thumb tacks. I'll get to the starch thing eventually;) )

Kitchen Decor- A Small Space Makeover

So I have been really working on my kitchen the past few weeks. I have been organizing like crazy and decorating as well. There is a spot next to my refrigerator that had a baby walker and a baby bathtub stuffed in it. Since Noah doesn't use either one of those items anymore and the mess was giving me a headache I figured it was time for a change. So here is what I was working with:

Before:

A boring white space in my kitchen. My son was getting a new dresser the same day I decided to do this because one of his drawers was broken to the point where I am pretty sure it wasn't going to be able to be fixed. AND where we live in Japan we actually have to pay to throw away furniture. And I was NOT going to pay someone to do that. Then I looked around my house to see what else I can find that was laying around in boxes so I didn't have to purchase anything new. So, we started with a dresser, some fabric, two frames, a small hanging basket, two candles and a place mat. Hmmm.

After a while of working I came up with this:

I put the dresser in the corner to start off the project. Then I placed the candles on top of the place mat on the dresser.

I then decided I would use the fabric to cover up the area that had the missing drawer. Right now it's on with thumb tacks. I'll get around to a more permanent solution when time allows.

And finally I took the two frames and made daily schedules for our family. One morning schedule and one afternoon. And I made an area where we could write notes with dry erase marker so we can change it daily.

And there you have it. A decorated dresser that can work in your kitchen! Not too bad for things laying around my house. Haha.

What home improvement projects are you working on?

Decorating on a Budget: Wall Decals

So, I have found a new way to decorate our home that is easy, inexpensive, not permanent (which is super important living in a rented apartment), and fun to do! WALL DECALS!

It was love at first site.

I was trying to figure out a way to fill up large wall spaces in our home that would not cost me a lot of money. When I saw this on ebay one day I just had to give it a try. I purchased one piece for my dining room area and here is how it turned out:

Great right? Well then that was it for me. I started making a mad dash around my house trying to find other places I could put up more art. I decided my living room wall needed a piece of art and so did my bedroom. Here is how it turned out:

Bedroom:

Living Room:

Fabulous right? All together I paid $20.98 for the wall pieces in my living room and kitchen. And yes, that is total. Ebay is an amazing thing. If you want to get some for your wall I would recommend this company on ebay. They did the bigger two in my kitchen and living room and they turned out beautiful!

Now I will tell you this is a company in South Korea so you will have to wait a few weeks to get it but the price is unbeatable and it gives us mommies a chance to work on our patience:)