Here's how you can upgrade old furniture with wallpaper remnants
At some point we all get sick of looking at our own furniture and we start wanting something new. But before you empty your savings account to pay for a full remodeling, try this simple solution: look around for wallpaper that you like and use it to spruce up your household. It's quick and doesn't cost much. Besides, you can give your imagination free reign — either with an old remnant you already have, wallpaper of your choice from your local building supplies store, or online (here are lots of examples).
If you'd rather, you can also use large photographs, an old poster, newspaper clippings, or a beautiful wrapping paper! Once you start looking around, you'll hardly believe how many ideas await you.
This piece of furniture, for instance, was a totally normal IKEA dresser. Now, with a little paint and a few wallpaper remnants, it's one of a kind.
Or how about using an old map of a place you love? The ideal method for globetrotters to curb their wanderlust while they're stuck at home.
Here you can see how a 'bourgeois' old dresser got turned into a lovely set of drawers for the kids' room in just a few steps.
This linen cupboard is also straight out of the IKEA catalog — but with minimal effort, you'd never know.
For flower and plant fans, this method is really ideal. You can find simply gorgeous floral patterns anywhere.
And while we're at it... you don't just have to use big cupboards or dressers. Even a couple of boxes can be brought to life like this:
With a little skill and an eye for style, you can create lovely contrasts. The natural color of the wood perfectly suits the pattern in this wallpaper.
Or how about "motley"? Here someone really threw together remnants, and to wonderful effect. Wrapping paper works just as well as wallpaper for a transformation like this one.
Ah, for the days when black furniture was still modern. But you can even spiff this one up: golden highlights look especially good here.
Granted, IKEA's BILLY shelves are and will probably always be a practical addition to the household. But this way they bring a great splash of color to the kids' room.
Watch this video to see how it's done. Here they use adhesive wallpaper. But the whole trick works just as well with normal paper and glue:
Who'd have thought it could be so easy to bring new aesthetic impulses into your home. And all without schlepping heavy furniture up and down the stairs or forking out large amounts of money. All you need is a little bit of old wallpaper, leftover wrapping paper, or maybe a nice wall poster. And some imagination.
Or of course, you can enlarge your favorite photograph and use that.
Such a clever trick!