Leftover Wallpaper and Border Uses

[Dave]

Well, you did it! You wallpapered that room or you just hung a really cute border. You're pleased with your work as you stand back to admire it. You then start to clean up and realize that you have several feet of wallpaper or border left. Shrugging your shoulders you figure, "that's okay - it's always good to have some extra for repairing and patching." But honestly, if you needed THAT much leftover to repair or patch then you'd be best off starting again from scratch. What else can you do with those several feet or even yards of wallpaper or border that you have left over? You can't see throwing it away - that'd be like throwing good money away. You can stick it in a closet or a drawer somewhere and forget about it or you can find other uses for it.


A couple of years ago I hung a cute teddy bear and alphabet block border in my young son's room. And of course, I had the equivalent of about half a roll leftover. I didn't want to throw this out - this was rather expensive border so I started to think about what else I could do with it. Taking scissors I started cutting the shapes of the teddy bears and the blocks out. I pasted these shapes here and there on the walls of his room and at the head of his bead and on the back of his door. Thrilled with the result, I made more cutouts. I decorated an old toy box that I had refinished as well as some bookshelves in his room with these. Not only did I not waste this adorable border but his entire room was now decoratively customized with this precious teddy bear and alphabet block theme. Does the décor in your child’s room consist stars, clouds or rainbows? Carry the theme all the way up to the ceiling. The possibilities are endless.


Give it a try. Don’t just limit yourself to children’s rooms wither. Are you planning on wallpapering or adding a border to the kitchen? Try decorating a blank kitchen wall with matching cutouts. Do your kitchen cabinets need a lift? Apply some to the face of a cabinet. Is the wallpaper you’re using vinyl? Line your kitchen drawers with it. You could even decorate furniture with these cutouts and some clear urethane finish – the backs of chairs, table tops. Decorate your windowsills. Be creative. Do you decoupage? There are so many uses. Let your imagination run wild and have fun. You’ll love the results!