In our family, we all like to help each other with projects, especially home projects. Just one word of warning. If Sandy is creating be sure you understand the parameters of the project. We were asked to help wallpaper Michelle’s bathroom. That request sounded tame enough. Right??
Wrong!
The deal was, we were making our own wallpaper on sheets of brown paper using the colors of the bathroom. In this case, the colors were green, purple, and terra cotta. Once the sheets were made, we ripped them into pieces and then began pasting them on the walls in a unique pattern. No rules were used. The results were a bit of a jigsaw puzzle with no shapes on the pieces. The outcome was fun, not for everyone, and unique to say the least.
Here’s what we used for this project:
- We already had the paint in the four colors (including white)
- We needed brown painters paper
- Wallpaper paste
- Items to make patterns in the paper like the bottoms of glassware, doilies, sponges, brushes, and anything we could imagine.
- Brushes to apply wallpaper paste
- Squeegee and/or wide putty knife to smooth out the paper
- Paper cutter for pieces along the ceiling and corners
Greatest benefits:
- Cheap, Cheap, Cheap
- Totally creative
- Tons of family fun
I love the fact that we all have ideas that take us in a multitude of directions. No idea is right or wrong even though, because of our different personalities, we often give and receive a great deal of grief from and to each other.
Completing our projects often takes us into uncharted waters. We often realize that there is no instruction book available and we have to wing it. We know that others have done it, so we wanted to take a crack at it!
If it turns out wonderfully, great. If the wallpaper is falling off the wall, we regroup and repair it again. The real fun comes from the fact that we are completing the project together. We are free to use our imaginations and create. We also leave a bit of ourselves in the owner’s home. This can have an upside and a downside if you follow my drift.
The thing I enjoy the most are the comments from other people like “You did what” or “Where did you get that idea?” The truth is there is no right way to do our projects. That’s exactly how we like it. Try it. You might enjoy it too.
By the way, in honor of transparency, this was not Sandy’s first rodeo. This was her first amazing attempt. The powder room at her home. Great fun.
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