When the wallpapering is finished and the tools have been cleaned and put away, what do you do with the those ‘left overs’?
Well, if you had the foresight to keep your receipt - most stores will accept full roll returns. However, chances are there will be many people left with one or more part rolls when all is done and dusted; particularly in the case of patterned wallpaper. Naturally, with the high price of some wallpaper there is a reluctance to just throw these remnants out with the scraps and soggy off cuts- so we keep them ‘just in case’.
It can be a little frustrating when you've made such efforts with the measuring, and you would not be the first who has had to go back to the store for another roll because you need a small – often very small – piece to finish off. But what to do with left over wallpaper…apart from having the most expensive drawer liners on the block?
Wallpaper has been around for years
Paper is a material used by man for thousands of years; a material with thousands of uses; putting the word ‘wall’ in front of it doesn't make it any the less useful. But many people run out of ideas after lining the kitchen drawers! Putting left over wall paper to good use however is easy; you just have to think ‘outside the box’ sometimes
Types of wallpaper for up cycling and creativity
There are several types of wallpaper you might have left over; and all will have uses of some sort;
- Woodchip
- Vinyl’s
- Embossed and textured
- Lining papers
We may be using the left over wallpaper for its attractive colour and pattern, or its texture, but keep in mind that some wallpaper has a water resistant coating and will be difficult to use for Paper Mache.
Some uses for left over wallpaper around the house
There are many things we can do with our left over wallpaper around the house that can be both useful and decorative; a few examples could be;
- Draw linings- the most popular, we couldn’t leave this out.
- Bed headboards can get a real lift with wallpaper, either contrasting to that on the walls or the same.
- Wallpapered waste bins and magazine racks coordinate well in the lounge or dining room
- Internal doors wallpapered, especially panelled doors can be really effective
- Framed artwork, again contrasting with either the walls or paintwork works well
- Fruit bowls and decorative dishes or other art work can all be manufactured from left over wallpaper – Paper Mache
- Wallpaper on stair risers can look really chic and is a great alternative to other more traditional stair coverings
- Self assembly cardboard boxes can be covered to make attractive stacking storage space.
Left over wallpaper to entertain the children
Left over wallpaper can keep small children occupied for ages too! Even in this age of 4G and face book, kids can sometimes miss out on the simpler forms of childhood play of yesteryear. Today, technology and play merge seamlessly into one…but suitably inspired by clever mums and dads, kids can be amused for absolutely hours for next to nothing; and will be learning through play.
Get creative
There are hundreds of things to do with left over wallpaper to keep children amused and not just the little ones. Listed here are a few ideas, some old and some new(ish).
For the young ones who haven’t mastered the smart phone and don’t yet have a ‘following’ there are traditional favourites such as;
- Jig saws. Simply done by sticking a piece of illustrated or patterned wallpaper on a piece of card and cutting into pieces; sounds easy? Give it a try.
- Balloons. Get the twister type used at children’s parties for making animals and funny men. Apply paper mache and paint afterwards.
- Puppet making is a favourite going back many years.
- Cardboard boxes can be converted into puppet theatres with wallpaper covered sets and props.
- Christmas decorations. Left over wallpaper is ideal for making a variety of baubles and decorations. The stiffness of heavy duty wallpaper lends itself perfectly to folding techniques ideal when creating hanging decorations.
- Look around the home, the kitchen, bathroom, at how many different shaped boxes you have- different shaped plastic bottles and other containers…with a light covering of paper mache, all kinds of scenes and landscapes can be created.
**Tip: the adhesive soaked off-cuts can be useful for Paper Mache modeling and will keep for ages when kept in air tight conditions
Wet folding origami
Wet Folding is a variation on origami whereby water is used to dampen the paper making it easier to manipulate and shape. This process offers the added element of flow and texture to the otherwise geometric confines of traditional origami. This method of origami is well suited to some of the heavier wallpapers
We’ve covered here just a few ideas on what to do with left over wallpaper, alternatives to the waste bin or that forgotten world under the stairs. The next time you finish wallpapering a room give some thought to the left over’s…it might be fun.
For a full range of wallpapers visit the Fashion Wallpaper website and explore our endless collections.
