Recycling Wallpaper

Ten Green Ways to Use Leftover or Unused Wall Covering Paper

Mar 16, 2010
Stefanie Gabrych Fraser

Cards made from wallpaper - Stefanie Gabrych Fraser

If you've got wallpaper leftover from a decorating project, or if you have unused rolls tucked away in closets and cupboards, use it to add some pizzazz to your home.

Not only will you save money, you'll also be doing our planet a favour and saving a few trees in the process. There are lots of ways to use wallpaper, whether you have only remnants or entire rolls. Make it a family affair and round up the kids to help you with the simpler projects. They’ll not only have fun, but you can slip in some eco-friendly lessons on thrift without saying a word.

Here are ten fun and frugal ideas to get you going:

For Large Lengths (2 Metres or More)

Tip: In most cases you can use normal wallpaper paste to affix the wallpaper.

Make a bold decorating statement by creating a fibreboard or plywood panel with wallpaper. Measure and cut the wallpaper to fit the board and glue on. To display, simply prop it up against a wall.
Papering the panels of a wardrobe or cupboard is fast and easy and will add instant panache to any room. Measure the panels, cut the wallpaper remnants to size and glue in place. If you have extra, add the same or contrasting wallpaper inside the cupboard.
Another way to interpret wallpaper in your home is to use it as a headboard, if you don’t have one. Measure a long width of wallpaper and apply it to the wall behind the bed as a trompe l'oeil headboard.

For One to Two Metres

Cover the top of a small bedside or sofa table with a piece of wallpaper. Measure the top of the table and cut to size. Hold in place with a piece of glass, and then you can change the look whenever you want.
Frame pieces of wallpaper as if each one is a painting and hang on an empty wall creating an instant art gallery. Cut the wallpaper to the size that you need, frame and hang. If you are using different size or style frames, paint all the frames the same colour for a unified look.
Cover your books with a mix of pretty wallpaper leftovers that match your décor. To cover your cook books in the kitchen, use vinyl wallpaper.
Pretty up the inside of a drawer with wallpaper cut to fit. Attach with double-sided tape or removable mounting squares so the lining won’t shift when you rummage around for your sock’s mate during your pre-coffee morning stupor.

For One Metre or Less

Decorate empty cans with strips of leftover wallpaper. Remove the label and use this as the template for the new cover. Glue the cover to the can and then use the cans to store kitchen utensils or home office implements.
Cover cardboard shoe boxes with wallpaper to create colourful storage. Use these to store your clutter out of sight in any room.
It’s easy and so economical to use leftover wallpaper to create your own party invitations and matching envelopes as well as gift or loot bags. Templates can be made from used envelopes and from old gift bags. The smallest bits of wallpaper can be used to make gift tags and book marks.

Finally, if you’re still left with a pile of wallpaper remnants, a local school or day care centre will be more than happy to accept these for their craft projects.