This DIYer Convinced Me to Put Bedsheets in the Living Room (It’s Brilliant!)

When I first moved into my apartment I added peel-and-stick wallpaper to two different walls, plus I also installed a peel-and-stick arch (yes, I moved in right around the time colorful arch accents were popular). While the two walls are still papered, I recently removed the peel-and-stick arch in favor of white walls and a large frame. 

I have to say that removing even that 15-by-23-inch piece of peel-and-stick made me scared for what’s to come when I eventually move out and remove the wallpaper from the bigger walls. When I peeled back the arch, I did not see blank white walls; I saw peeled-up paint and sticky residue, and even found evidence of trapped moisture (read: mold, ew). 

Luckily, it wasn’t fully beyond repair; a rag and bleach, Goo Gone, and my spare can of Decorator’s White paint could fix it, but it’s certainly not a project I’d do in my home again. So when I saw this faux “wallpaper” on Instagram, I bookmarked it for the next time I want to add some pattern to my walls with perhaps a little less stress and sticky residue. 

DIYer Abby Kulp of @abby_roadhome used patterned bedsheets to liven up her bedroom walls, but this look would work in a living room or entryway, too. For her project, Kulp used two sheet sets (these are the exact ones she used) and strippable wallpaper glue. 

Here is her best advice for a smooth, wallpaper-like finish. 

1. Use thumbtacks to tack the corners of the bedsheets up while the project is in progress.
2. Once you pin the corners, steam the sheets so they won’t look wrinkly on your walls.
3. Use a laser level to make sure the sheets are hanging straight — especially if you’re using a pattern like Kulp did.
4. Use strippable wallpaper glue to stick the wallpaper onto the walls. 
5. Cut the edges of the fabric in a zigzag for a seamless look when you’re connecting multiple pieces of fabric for a seamless finish. It should almost look like a closed zipper. “The seam completely disappears,” Kulp says.
6. When it’s time to trim the edges near the ceiling and floors, use a utility knife and a taping knife. 

Kulp picked a block-print-looking floral fabric, and I, too, think I would go the block-print route in my own home. But I could also see this working well with a stripe or paisley sheet that might be expensive in a designer wallpaper version. 

“The after is so cozy and beautiful,” Kulp says — and it’s the perfect way to add a bit of pattern to your walls with a little less commitment than permanent (or even peel-and-stick) wallpaper.