Hi Reader!
Fun fact: across our 11 different homes, I’ve installed about 30 different wallpapers.
(Yep – I have a thing for wallpaper!)
But I just hung some (seriously gorgeous) wallpaper in our latest rental kitchen, and it’s easily the BEST wallpaper for kitchen projects I’ve ever ever used.
Ever.
(In fact, once I finished this project, I immediately texted my sisters and said “THIS is the project that will bring me back to the blog, because I HAVE to share this!”)
Today, I’m going to show you why this particular paper was such a game changer, so you know what to look for if you’re thinking about wallpapering your backsplash too!
Our Kitchen | Before & After
Here is a quick snapshot of our rental kitchen before…
And here is how our rental kitchen looks now, thanks to this gorgeous wallpaper by Daisy Bennet/NextWall.
Besides the fact that this paper itself is about the most gorgeous paper I think I’ve ever used in a home, there are 3 key features that lead me to proclaim it the BEST wallpaper for rental kitchens...
(Yes, even despite it’s higher cost!)
1 – The Wallpaper Looks Like Tile
This one is a bit of a no-brainer…
This particular paper lends itself to kitchens, bars, and even bathrooms, because from far away, it literally looks like real tile.
The shading and “grout” isn’t overt or cheesy; and until you touch it, it really passes for real tile.
2 – The Wallpaper Goes Up Like a Dream
I’ve found that when it comes to wallpaper “You get what you pay for,” tends to ring true.
This paper’s brand is NextWall, which I’ve used before here and here.
Although there are brands and patterns you’ll find cheaper, I’ve consistently found that NextWall’s paper is among the easiest and most-forgiving to install.
But beyond just the quality of the paper itself, this pattern is easy to line up.
Some more-organically patterned papers can be tricky to locate the pattern match, cut it properly, and hang it so that it lines up right.
But this tile pattern is straight.
There’s essentially no pattern matching beyond lining up the grout lines. As a result, this is probably the fastest wallpaper I’ve ever hung.
And drumroll please…
3 – The (Grid) Design Practically Eliminates Waste
One of the main reasons wallpapering gets expensive is because of the pattern matching.
A typical wallpaper repeat is 18-20,” which means you cut off (and discard) A LOT of excess paper when papering a small space (like a backsplash).
So even though the square footage area of a backsplash might be small (compared to a full, blank wall), you still use up a lot of paper through waste.
Notice how this paper’s repeat is 6.75″ (essentially, the height of a single tile).
So even if you have to trim the paper mid-tile, you can still start again on the very next row.
This.is.game.changing.
To install this paper, I literally
- Counted how many “tiles” I needed for a particular area (i.e., 3 vertical tiles under the cabinets)
- Cut that much paper off the roll
- Applied it to the wall right next to the previous strip (lining up the grout lines, of course)
- Then cut off the next set of 3 tiles and kept moving
I had practically zero paper waste in this entire installation.
So even though the price/roll is more than I usually spend (I like to stay under $30/roll for any project), I ended up using less rolls overall (about 2 rolls and a little bit of a 3rd), which made the total install cheaper too!
Key Takeaway
If you’ve been tempted to wallpaper a backsplash area of your kitchen, the main takeaway here is to look for papers with a clear, obvious, straight, short tile pattern.
Even if you don’t want to use this particular paper, there are lots and lots of options that have a similar grid layout.
I’ve wallpapered a lot of spaces, but using a “tile” paper was new for me, and it really was a game changer in terms of installation, waste, and time!
Sneak Peek
These days, it seems like EVERYTHING comes with its own charging cord. And I was going crazy trying to remember what cord belongs to which gadget. Until I did this.
All the details next Sunday!
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Behind the Scenes
In a lot of my latest photos, you'll notice I'm wearing the same tank tops over and over and over!
These inexpensive tops are so incredibly flattering, come in lots of colors, are long enough to be tucked in (and stay that way!), and instantly transition from comfy to a night out out with a jacket or cardigan.
They are my latest "busy Mom wardrobe" staple, and I can't get enough of them!
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See you next week!
~Megan
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