True, funny story: One day, I got an unexpected Facebook message from a woman in one of my Facebook groups. She said something along the lines of, “This is kind of random, but I feel like you might have a solution…”.
I was, to say the least, intrigued. I kept reading.
She went on to say, “My cat keeps seeing his reflection in the side of my stainless steel washing machine and won’t stop scratching it. What do I do?”
To be clear, I am not a cat expert and haven’t had a cat in over a decade. But you know what I did have? I had a solution. “Get some peel-and-stick wallpaper,” I wrote back. “Use it to cover the side of the washer.”
And guess what? It worked.
Cat not ruining your washer? Here are five other fun ways to personalize your home using custom wallpaper.
Use custom wallpaper to make a statement wall in any room
Wallpaper isn’t like it used to be. You no longer have to go to the home improvement store and flip through pages of already-outdated wallpapers before committing to something that you would, no doubt, hate five years from now (and if you’ve ever removed wallpaper, you know how bad that decision can feel!). There’s no need to use wallpaper you don’t love. You can make even make stunning custom wallpaper these days, using your own images or designs, for a 100% custom experience (I like using Photowall for custom wallpaper, regular wallpaper, and art for my walls).
Turn that custom wallpaper into a statement wall that will turn heads. Some ideas:
Make your bathroom come alive with a wall covered in a photo from your favorite travel destination (hi, Wallowa mountains).
Dress up a child’s room with an image of something they love.
Design something from scratch, like a floral mural, using customized clip art in your favorite colors.
Brand your office
Work from home? That doesn’t mean your home office has to look like you live in it. Turn your brand logo into wallpaper and be inspired and excited to go to work every time you step into your office.
Make the prettiest gallery wall ever
When we moved into our current house, we hired an interior decorator to help us sort out our living room space. I was tired of living in a space that had random stuff thrown in. Nothing I picked out at the store ever looked quite like I hoped it would when we got it home. So I let someone else do the heavy lifting.
One thing he did was help us with a gallery wall. A small one, but a collection of art that we love, nonetheless. Add your favorite pieces of art to a wall that is already covered in a custom wallpaper for a truly unique, “can’t buy this at HomeGoods!” design look (nothing wrong with HomeGoods, but you know what I mean). Have extra wallpaper that didn’t make the cut when you put it on the wall? Frame it and add it to the gallery. You can also find great printable wall art (often times free!) on the internet to add to your collection.
Statement stair risers
Want to make your stairs the star of the show? Add wallpaper to the stair risers (the vertical part between each step) for a playful, eye-catching effect. Choose a repeating pattern for a classic vibe or mix-and-match prints for a fun, eclectic twist.
This is a weekend project with a wow factor—and it’s renter-friendly if you use removable options!
Sometimes a little goes a long way
You don’t need to cover a big space to make a big statement. Use wallpaper for backsplashes, the backs of bookshelves, and even on small wall spaces that you don’t know what to do with.
Have the prettiest closet on the block
One of the selling points when we bought our house was the closet. It’s huge, and I dreamt of all the ways I would make it beautiful (spoiler: I haven’t done anything to it). Closets often get ignored when it comes to design, but think about how much time you spend in them! Adding wallpaper to your closet makes the space feel intentional and inspiring.
And because closets are usually, well, closeted, and nobody sees them, use this as a chance to really get creative and go wild with prints or fun pictures.
Whether you’re solving a quirky cat problem (ha!) or just craving a little more personality in your home, custom wallpaper is such an easy (and fun!) way to make your space truly yours. From bold statement walls to tiny corners that spark joy, there’s no wrong way to use it. So go ahead—get creative, think outside the box (or the backsplash), and let your walls tell your story.