Unexpected Uses for Leftover Wallpaper

By Sarah Newell
Updated January 07, 2014
Ditte Isager
Quickly and easily dress up your home―brush and paste not required.
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Wallpaper as Drawer Liners

Ditte Isager

For a flash of style with every pull, line the inside of a drawer with wallpaper cut to fit. Attach with double-stick tape or removable mounting squares so the lining won’t shift when you’re rummaging for a sock’s mate in a pre-coffee morning daze.

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Wallpaper as Artwork

Ditte Isager

Framed pieces of wallpaper create a miniature art gallery when grouped together. (Resist the temptation to add informative placards that read bedroom, 2001 or hallway, circa 2004).

Tip: Before cutting out a section of wallpaper to frame, let the mat board be your guide. Adjust the mat to find the piece you want, trace around the outside of the mat, and cut.

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Wallpaper as Wall Hanging

Ditte Isager

A length of wallpaper hung scroll-like lends an Asian art–inspired touch to a room. Fold the top and bottom edges over wooden rulers or dowel rods. Secure with tape and hang from a ribbon.

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Wallpaper as Book Covers

Ditte Isager

Leave brown paper bags for packing lunches and protect your favorite reads with leftover pieces of wallpaper or pages from a wallpaper book. Added bonus: Many of these book covers are tear-resistant.

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Wallpaper as Tin Can Camoflage

Ditte Isager

Andy Warhol elevated the soup can to a work of art, and so can you. Replace the chipped mugs that have been holding your No. 2’s with aluminum cans wrapped in leftover strips of wallpaper. Here's how to do it:

  • Step 1: Clean. Thoroughly wash, rinse, and dry an empty can and peel off the label.
  • Step 2: Cut. Use the label as your pattern to cut the correct-size strip of wallpaper. If the label is not intact, use a measuring tape to determine height and width.
  • Step 3: Cover. Secure the strip to the can with double-sided tape along the top, the bottom, and the seam.
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