I Didn’t Expect This $3 IKEA Hack to Make Leftover Wallpaper Look So Luxe

A garage sale can go two ways: bust or bounty. I scored with the latter after finding a $3 garbage bag containing several rolls of wallpaper scraps, including a bright pink and teal design that depicted mythical felines sporting wings. A bit of Googling revealed that this whimsical wallpaper is actually an Emma J. Shipley Lynx design, which retails for $150 per roll. 

Sadly, the pieces I found were not enough to cover any one accent wall in the house, and it would be tragic if the creatures were hidden inside a closet. The wallpaper actually sat in my home office for six months, right next to IKEA frames that a neighbor gave to me for free upon moving. 

Then one day I was spacing out and had an aha moment! What if I used the wallpaper as art? Because the print is a repeat, it would be odd to have two identical images side by side. I decided to place them in opposite configurations — one horizontal, one vertical — and make it look like the lynxes were facing each other. 

Installation was effortless. I didn’t have to measure anything. I put the wallpaper over cardboard and simply placed the glass portion of the frame over the design. Using a utility knife, I cut around. To get rid of fingerprints, I used Koala Eco glass cleaner to make sure my frames are smudge-free and gallery-perfect.

These new artworks fit just right in a narrow hallway leading to my son’s bedroom. That space always bothered me because it looked like a boring tunnel. Placing these on the wall added a sense of adventure and whimsy. To anchor the hallway, I ordered a plaid Ruggable Emerson runner, which picked up on the deep teal and magenta undertones in the framed wallpaper.

This project proves you can transform a zero-personality hallway with an easy upgrade that can be done faster than watching a show. It also inspired me to start considering painting the door a shade of teal to evoke a bit more mystery!