Originally I had something else planned for today’s story but I changed my mind halfway trough writing that post and instead, I’d like to take a moment and thank you all for your sweet messages the other day. Your kind comments, here and on Instagram, your DMs and emails after Wednesday’s post have left me speechless… Thank you all so much! Your thoughtful words and encouragement have made my week, and they mean more to me than you’ll ever know. You’re the best! And for those of you who are interested, here’s how the wallpaper installation is going so far. (If you’re just tuning in – we shared the evolution of our cottage style dining room in this post, and are now in the process of installing a vintage wallpaper above the wainscoting. )
As you can imagine, installing wallpaper is a messy and time-consuming process. It is certainly not for the faint of heart! However, because I am stubborn and detail-oriented, it somehow ended up being an incredibly pleasant and satisfying process for me. Strange, I know, but the repetitive sequence of steps and the need to be completely focused and in the moment almost felt like meditation. Another thing that worked in my favor was the fact that I am persnickety to a fault and this sometimes annoying (to others 🙂 ) trait came in handy while I was trying to line up the petals of ten thousand little green flowers at the seams…) Anyway, here’s a look at a finished portion of the wall:
If all goes well, we’ll manage to steal away a couple of hours this weekend and finish the rest of the project. We’re dog-sitting (again) and this time the puppy (Fiona is her name) loves paper (a little too much) so we need to be extra careful around her. I know wallpaper is not for everyone, but I am curios: Have any of you installed wallpaper before? If yes, what did you think of the process? If your answer is no, is it something you’d like to try out on your own at some point? If enough of you are interested, I could try to write a post on this whole process, what products I used, which books I read, that sort of thing… Just a thought.
Wishing you a peaceful weekend!
We are considering papering a couple of rooms. We’d love to read your thoughts, process. Etc.
Author
Thanks for letting me know, Cindy! Then I’d better start writing 🙂
xo, Eva
I have wallpapered several times with mostly success. The last time was with “paste the wall” paper and it was the easiest I have ever done. I recommend that method for sure. Another tip is to paint the wall the colour of the background of your paper before you put it up. It needs time to cure so a month before is good. It will make a huge difference if you have even a slight gap at the seams. I know from experience. The smallest peek of white showing will ruin all your efforts.
Author
Hi Diane,
Thanks for letting me know about your experience with wallpaper! You make some excellent points!
In hindsight, I should have done the base-painting-thing because there is one spot where the white of the wall shows a tiny bit. I figure I’ll just go back with a bit of paper and fix it, or maybe a thin artist’s brush & some yellow paint… Luckily it is behind our hutch so no one will get to see it…
Thanks again!
xo, Eva
You are amazing, Eva–your talent and determination are exemplary. To answer your question, I LOVE wallpaper, but don’t have the patience to do it myself. You did a great job on your dining room!
I just had grasscloth installed and it is a very tricky installation, so I would caution against doing that oneself in favor of a professional wallpaper hanger.
Author
Thank you so much, Diana! You are so kind!
The wallpaper in our dining room is now up and finished, I think it was beginner’s luck :))) It was a fun experience for me because I wasn’t hung up on the outcome and that helped me, I think. I wouldn’t have dared DIY-ing this project with a more expensive /difficult to work with wallpaper.
xo, Eva
I’ve been wallpapering with my mother since I was a young girl. It’s
a lot of work and attention to detail is super important. But the end result is very rewarding.
Author
Glad to hear that, Loretta! That must have been so much fun!
And I agree, the end result justifies the amount of work & attention it requires…
xo, Eva