Front Hall Refresh with Wallpaper

Do you want to create a more welcoming front hall? The front entryway is the first space that visitors see when they enter your home and most likely a spot that you pass through several times a day. It sets the tone for your home and can create a real statement. It also has to be functional, so a place to sit and hooks for jackets and bags are must haves. In this post, I show you how I planned and completed this front hall refresh with wallpaper.

This space has come a long way since we first moved in. The walls were pinky beige and the front door was an awful brown colour. I don’t have a before photo with the brown door since it was literally the first thing I changed when we moved in. Three years ago, I refreshed the space with some light grey paint and added the wall shelf and wall hooks. A year ago, I painted the door for a second time, this time in Benjamin Moore Eclipse. Although I liked the wall paint colour, it had always been my intent to install wallpaper in this space. This is what the space looked like just before wallpapering.

Wallpaper

I think wallpaper is really used to best advantage in small spaces like powder rooms and closets, and on feature walls. This space really lends itself to wallpaper as the walls are self-contained, meaning they don’t carry into other rooms, and the space itself is small. I spent about $50 on wallpaper and supplies for this project. Wallpaper can be very affordable if you are decorating a small space or an accent wall.

I wanted a neutral wallpaper that would flow with the rest of our home, but I knew I wanted a pattern. This pretty floral wallpaper, the Aaron Bird Trail paper, was love at first sight. It has a charcoal grey floral pattern in a hand-drawn style on a soft white background. The paper is whimsical and feminine, and I knew I would be able to pair it with many colours and different seasonal décor ideas. I tend to choose décor that doesn’t lock me into just one look, as I like to change up pillows, blankets, and accessories quite often.

Supplies

• 2 rolls wallpaper (each roll covers 56.4 sq. ft. and my space was about 90 sq. ft.) – allow extra for matching and possible errors
• Clear wallpaper adhesive and inexpensive paintbrushes
• Quilting ruler and pencil
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Wallpaper brush
• Soft cloth, dampened
• Step stool or small ladder
• Utility knife with several fresh blades
• Thin metal ruler (12” or longer) for cutting along
• Wallpaper edge roller

How I Completed my Front Hall Refresh with Wallpaper

Preparation

The first thing I did was to remove the wall shelf/wall hooks and screws. I didn’t remove the drywall anchors or fill the holes because I planned to use them again once the wallpaper was up. I washed the walls and all trim with TSP (dish soap also works). Next, I painted the trim and closet with a fresh coat of Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace. Then, I painted the trim around the front door in Benjamin Moore Eclipse to match the door colour. I painted the trim to give our small door more presence in the space and I wanted to see the beautiful door colour directly adjacent to the wallpaper.

Wallpaper Tips

The wallpaper is a “paste the wall” variety rather than a “paste the paper” or “peel and stick” variety. I used a  clear wallpaper adhesive that you can purchase at any hardware store. Purchase more than you think you will need- I ended up using the full quart-size container for this space.

Before you get started, mark vertical lines on the walls (faintly with pencil) where the wallpaper seams will be located. This will help you with pasting and also alert you to any possible positioning problems. For example, you don’t want a seam to fall directly in a corner and you don’t want to end up with a really thin strip for the last piece of the project or up against a door frame.

Wallpaper Cutting

I started at the left side corner edge because I find cutting along outer corner edges to be a challenge. I measured and then cut my piece about 4” longer than I knew I needed. This is important because you will want to cut the paper to fit the wall precisely once the paper is on the wall. The joint between the ceiling and the wall is invariably not level or straight. Therefore, it’s nearly impossible to cut properly before placing wallpaper on the wall.

Wallpaper Application- First Piece

Once your piece is cut, test it out on the wall to ensure you have measured and cut properly. Then, liberally apply the wallpaper paste to the entire wall segment using the pencil marks you added at the start. Paste will only be applied right before the application of a wallpaper piece as it dries within 5-10 minutes. Place the piece of wallpaper onto the pasted wall in the correct position and smooth it out with your hands so it is in position from bottom trim to ceiling. Use your wallpaper brush to gently smooth out the wallpaper and ensure good adhesion. Wipe up any adhesive that leaks out along edges with a damp cloth (adhesive can stain your wallpaper or change the sheen).

Next, use your ruler and utility knife to cut along the ceiling edge and bottom trim edge. My most important wallpaper tip is to change this blade often- about every 2-3 pieces of wallpaper. Use the wallpaper seam roller along all edges and seams to ensure they don’t curl later on.

Wallpaper Application- The Remaining Pieces

With subsequent pieces you need to think about pattern matching along the edges. This means there will be a certain amount of waste wallpaper created with each usable piece.

The rest of the pieces went up quicker than the first. I worked my way around the room and didn’t encounter any major issues. Because of the angled floor trim by the stairs and the two doors in this space, it took me an entire day to wallpaper this small space. A single accent wall of the same size with no angles or doors would take only about 2 hours. Always allow for plenty of time when applying wallpaper because mistakes are bound to happen when you rush. Make sure to cut your pieces 2” longer on each end and to roll all the seams as you go.

Beautiful Wallpaper Options

If you’re looking to make a beautiful statement with your front hall decor, I recommend Photowall. They have the most beautiful wallpaper options available. Take a look at these lovely papers (from left to right- Rose Winter Garden, Garden Fields, Tulips) :

Styling the Front Hall

Since the existing shelf, wall hooks, and wooden chairs had worked so well for us the past three years, I decided to keep them. Reinstalling the screws was simple since I had left the drywall anchors in under the wallpaper. I simply had to find the location of the holes and reinstall the screws. The wall shelf and wall hooks are from Homesense. The outdoor chairs from Ikea were very affordable and, when placed side by side, function as a small bench.

For summer, I decided on pink accessories. The floral pillow and scarf are from Chapters and the solid blush pillow is from Ikea. The “It’s So Good to Be Home” sign is from KT Inspired Home and the custom bag is from Apolis.

Other Similar Wallpaper Options

Summary

I’m really happy with how this space turned out. I think the wallpaper makes a statement to anyone entering our home. However, it’s also a neutral colour palette that will work with many colours and décor ideas.

If you enjoyed my front hall refresh with wallpaper, then check out the other spaces I’ve decorated with wallpaper.

Home Office Refresh with Wallpaper

Child’s Room Makeover – Storage and Style

Happy Wallpapering friends!