How to Make Boring Wall Panels Pop with Fabric

While there’s nothing wrong with neutrals in your home, it is possible that there can be too much of a good thing. If a room in your house is looking a little bland for your taste, there’s an easy way to revamp not just the look of the walls but the look of the entire room! And the best part? No new coats of paint or dry wall are required.

In many older homes, wainscotting is present on the walls. Wainscotting, or wall paneling, gives any room a classic, elegant feel. But even this touch to your walls can grow old if you’re looking for a little more pizzazz.

No wall paneling to be seen in your home? You can actually create your own wainscotting using Dollar Store picture frames and the same paint color as your walls. From this point, you can go about this brilliant project just like anyone else would.

The trick to this DIY project is fabric starch; the starch is the adhesive that keeps the fabric to the wall. For an extra strong bond, put a coat of starch over the front side of the fabric, too. The starch is a great alternative to glue, which might seep through and discolor the fabric.

One of the best parts of this project is the creativity that comes along with it. You can choose any design in any color that tickles your fancy, especially if you’re working in a room of all neutrals; in this case, you have no other color to adhere to, and you can create your own color palette from scratch. Make sure to choose something a little funky and have fun with it!

An easy way to speed this project along is by making a template of your wall panel. The best way to do this is to trace the shape of the panel onto a piece of cardboard; this way you don’t have to continuously go back to the wall to trace out the size of your fabric. This will save you time, energy, and probably a cramp in your wrist.

Hopefully, this simple DIY project will help you revamp the look of your room for little time and next to nothing!

What do you think of this easy way to upgrade your boring wall panels? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

DIY Wall Paneling

Materials

  • Fabric
  • Fabric starch
  • Paint brush
  • Cardboard
  • Scissors
  • Painter’s tape

Instructions

  1. To avoid remeasuring each wall panel, make a template out of cardboard.
  2. Cut your fabric rectangles out using the cardboard template.
  3. Tape the top of your fabric to the top of the wall panel.
  4. Using your brush, paint the fabric starch onto the wall panel. Feel free to paint some onto the back of the fabric, too.
  5. Apply a layer of starch on the front of the fabric, as well.
  6. Let dry for at least an hour before removing the tape. Once dry, use a razor or your scissors to cut out the electrical sockets.