We may be out of lockdown, but our mania for DIY isn’t going anywhere.
Spring is traditionally a time for a reset for both wardrobe and home with the annual undertaking of the great spring clean, but you don’t have to wait all year to look for ways to breathe new life into your home.
One of the quickest ways to change the appearance of your four walls is by decorating them, but until recently, renters were destined to keep them unmarked as per strict landlord contracts. However, there is a way to add interest and personality while also protecting your deposit. Enter, removable wallpapers.
What are removable wallpapers?
Essentially a giant sticker, removable wallpapers feature a pattern, colour or design on one side, with a sticky back on the other. You won’t need much in the way of tools; just a scraper to smooth air bubbles and creases from the paper and a Stanley knife or a trim tool to get rid of the excess.
How to apply removable wallpaper
Simply measure the length of your wall, cut to size and peel the backing off. Affix to walls without the need for messy paste or any other decorating equipment. They come in every colour and style under the sun, and peel off just as easily as putting them up, leaving the walls underneath completely unscathed.
Are removable wallpapers good for renters?
They are perfect if you’re a tenant as the adhesive is so light it won’t damage the paint or walls underneath. That said, the glue is strong enough so that you shouldn’t find panels flopping down away from the walls either: it dances a Goldilocks-style tightrope of being just tacky enough.
If you have any qualms about sticking them onto your walls, try using them to upcycle bits of furniture first - they look great on the side of bedside tables and bookshelves too.
If you’re a homeowner who likes to switch up their décor style, removable wallpapers offer a cheap and easy way to change your interiors once you’re bored of them. Provided you get the right type, you can even use them in humid areas like the bathroom and kitchen (although good ventilation is of course a prerequisite).
We’ve collected the best styles to pick from below. Three, two, one - let your home transformation begin!
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Georgina Floral Removable Wallpaper
Keep spring in your home year round thanks to this removable floral print wallpaper available at Urban Outfitters. The stick-on strips are perfect for adding an accent to one wall or using to update tired furniture. It measures 121.9cm x W: 60.9cm.
Buy now £35.00, Urban Outfitters
ArtiStick Tropical Palm Green by Arthouse
There’s zero guesswork required to figure out what these guys sell - it’s all in their name. The online merchants of wallpaper have everything from textured wallpaper to imitation brickwork to give your space a new injection of character. We’re into this tropical look which promises to form the perfect background to your plant display.
Buy now £19.98, Wallpaper Online
Lark Manor Halcyon 5.5m x 52cm Peel & Stick Wallpaper Roll
Give a statement look to spaces big and small with this elegant pattern featuring flocks of cranes mid-flight. Backed onto a sky blue hue, previous customers have used it on guest bathroom walls, on the back of cabinets and on chest of drawers for an easy way to achieve a high-impact look.
Buy now £27.99, Wayfair
East Urban Home Vintage Library 264cm x 170cm Peel and Stick Wall Mural
Few have the space to install a bona fide library in their London homes, so if you can’t make it - fake it instead. Offering a vintage library look with rows upon rows of first editions (probably), this mural-style print is perfect for small spaces like a loo or on the wall under the stairs.
Buy now £22.99, Wayfair
ARTHOUSE Artistick Self Adhesive Urban Red Brick Wall Wallpaper
Love the industrial look? Take your plasterboard back to basics with this brick-patterned peel and stick wallpaper which cleverly uses shadows and colours to mimic the real thing.
Buy now £20.00, I Want Wallpaper
Nu Wall Self Adhesive Spot Mono Wallpaper
Your friends and family will soon spot the difference in your home after you apply this dalmatian-inspired peel-and-stick wallpaper
Buy now £24.00, Dunelm
Nu Wall Self Adhesive Over the Rainbow Wallpaper
For kids who change their style as quickly as the contents of their toy box, removable wallpaper can be a godsend. Plus if they’re in a Picasso phase, it won’t matter much if they draw all over it. This cheerful rainbow style is the perfect print to use in their rooms or to brighten up their bedroom furniture.
Buy now £24.00, Dunelm
Evolyline Blue Arrowhead Modern Wallpaper
It’s hard to go wrong with a geometric print. Monochrome can sometimes look too harsh in the home which is why we like this cool denim blue hue instead. Perfect for all rooms, use to cover the whole wall or create a focal point by doing a feature wall.
Buy now £11.51, Amazon
Chilling Cheetahs Removable Wallpaper
We’re wild for anything that features a spot of animal print. While full leopard-print might feel a bit OTT for your whole wall, this colourful jungle pattern has enough small details to hold our attention. It measures 121.9cm x W: 60.9cm.
Buy now £35.00, Urban Outfitters
