You could create large panels of MDF and put the wallpaper on that. Then hang them on the wall. Check out this post http://www.cre8tivedesignsinc.com/2012/02/easy-wallpaper-panel/

I don't really trust temporary wallpaper to not leave sticky stuff so I don't know whether permanent wallpaper would be the same if you used the same adhesive temporary wallpaper would have. And I'm not sure it would work, as the material might be different.

As for convincing the landlords (and in this situation, they are landlords, not parents) to let you put up permanent wallpaper ...well, nothing is permanent. You could promise to remove it and repair/repaint the walls if the next tenant requests for it to be taken down.

HLM, do you have any idea how heavy MDF is?! The foam core or acoustic tile mentioned in your link is a much better idea.

I'm with ADonuts. Please re-think this whole effort.

Pi is wide of the mark. These people are not "just" your landlords, and you'd do well to remember that. These people are your landlords AND your boyfriend's parents. You seem to have wheedled them into reluctantly agreeing to your scheme.

Do you really want to annoy them with this project? Is this actually about control -- over the boyfriend and/or over your relationship with his parents? You're not even married to him, and you seem to need to get your own way. PLEASE stop and think whether this wallpaper is worth the fallout you may face down the road.

When you rent you can't just do what you want with the place. If you want to be able to decorate to your heart's content, buy a house. Until you can, you're stuck with other people's rules.

A 1/2" 4x8 sheet of MDF would weight about 75 lbs. I agree the acoustic tile would be a lot easy to hang. I may try this idea out in my own home.

How long will you be living in this apartment, and how well do you know his parents? I wouldn't jeopardize your relationship with his parents over a roll of wallpaper, as others have said.

You could tack strips of $285/roll wallpaper to bits of foam core or insulation board and put them up in the bedroom. But it's not going to look like what you've seen in magazines.

Then you'll feel disappointed because it doesn't look the way you'd imagined it to look, and the whole project will have been a waste -- annoying your boyfriend and his parents in the process.

Maybe you could spend the money you would have spent on the wallpaper on something else that's beautiful (and less permanent) for the apartment.

@mdorothy - I think you misinterpreted what I was saying. I was encouraging the poster to consider the parents as landlords and not bring emotion into the situation. This is a business situation, and not a matter of asking a parent (not even hers!) for help. If she wants to act like a petulant child, she's going to lose. If she wants to appeal to their logic and approach them from a business standpoint of responsibility (i.e. I agree, in writing, to repair and repaint the walls upon leaving), she may be able to sway their thinking.

The parents aren't refusing for any other reason than they do not want to drastically alter the appearance of their property. If she can remove emotion, power struggles, etc. from the situation and present to them a business agreement of meeting her goals (putting up the wallpaper) and meeting theirs (making sure the walls will be kept free from damage upon her leaving) maybe it will work with both parties.

I love how some of the snottier commenters say you should save your money for a down payment on a place you can own. What about those of us who are perfectly happy renting? What about those of us who don't feel that real estate is the investment that it should be?

Good lord guys, if a roll of $285 wallpaper makes your rental unit a happy one why should you care? And snarktastic comments about saving to own is just nuts.

I agree with ADonuts. As an alternative, you could try stenciling the wall. While you wont get the texture you can get the look and design.

wow, judgiest set of comments ever. i don't understand - it wasn't implied in the question that she's living "with" her boyfriend's parents - just that they're her landlords so she doesn't want to go the "screw you, random landlord" route.

When styling for shoots, often a sticky tape for hanging posters were used for temporary wallpapering, during installs. They leave no residue to the wall but don´t always hold on well to all wallpapers. I too rent and I too heart a very dark wallpaper with Chinoiserie pattern on it. I´ve wallpapered slabs of plywood and have hoisted them up, to lean to the wall like a humongous piece of art. An added bonus is, a French hanging of pictures can be done in a wink of an eye or installment of a scone or few and no damage to the wall shall be done. Unfortunately, when renting one needs to be game with a friendly waltz with the landlord. I too have screwed a wall with poking nailheads at the headboard, but I told my L, I´ll fix it regardless- and any other ef- ups and holes I´ve drilled ( not many ) - by the time we check out. That might be a good few moments apart but I´ve saved the paintcodes to be at the ready when needed.
Nutshell- don´t mess with them. They´ve made their minds up and if you won´t see a change of wind from their side, give them a happy surprise with huge blocks of plywood, veneer, whatnots ( that won´t necessarily even need mounting ) and folding screens. Landlords LOVE folding screens. When mine saw how I decorated our place, he gave me free reigns to design a bathroom to my liking and then acted accordingly. Butter them up, first, then negotiate personal liberations.
May the force wallpaper with you!

I agree with Pi. Nothing is truly permanent. Think about how long you're planning to stay, and what the financial impact of removing all the wallpaper and returning to the apartment to it's current state is when you leave. If you still want the wallpaper, knowing how much it will cost to get rid of, you should approach it as a business transaction, either by trying to incorporate it into the lease, or signing some type of supplemental contract.

... just to *cough* explain myself. The bedroom wall got messed up by dragging the bed to the center of the room, thus the nailheads at the back of it scraping deep scratches to the wall.

You could put several pieces in frames and hang on the wall as prints. You won't get the full effect of the texture and irregularities but you will have it on your walls in a limited way.

You've asked, the landlords/parents said no and to override their objections or apply pressure puts your BF in an awkward position. Is wallpaper so important in the overall scheme of things? I recommend putting this wallpaper on your dream list and wait until you get another apartment or buy your own place.

Luan plywood would be a much better option than mdf (which is SUPER heavy) or foam core (which WILL warp.) Sheets come as large as 4x8 feet, and often available pre-cut to 2x4 or 4x4 sizes (you can usually get a sheet cut to size too - to perfectly fit the width of the wallpaper, for instance.) You could treat it like a work of art - wallpaper the luan, perhaps even frame it, and hang it on the wall. Several small panels could be hung in a row like a type of architectural detail, or just one large board would emulate the size of a wall.

I second the idea about framing it. A few years ago I found some gorgeous hand-made wrapping paper, I framed it and it's now my favorite art piece in my apartment.

I registered just to say:
a.) Folks, just answer the question
b.) No need to bother with plywood or MDF. Just wallpaper the wall with the lightest, plainest, cheapest temporary wallpaper you can find. Make sure the wall is painted with an eggshell or satin finish, not matte or flat which will make removal more difficult. Then, paper over it with the wallpaper of your dreams. When the time comes to undo the decor, just peel off both layers. The addition of a permanent paper will not affect the removability of the temporary layer underneath it.

Even if your landlords were 'just' landlords, it's not nice to directly defy their preferences ... and I agree that they are not 'just' landlords, unless you are deliberately trying to sabotage the possibility of a long-term family relationship.

Anyway, I fell in love with the guy I've been sharing a household with for the past twenty years :) for many reasons. But one detail clinched it early on: he has very traditional tastes, and he's not a 'maker' or visual designer by training or temperament .... but when we were first dating, he had a gorgeous piece of wallpaper nicely framed and hung on the wall of his otherwise pretty shabby bachelor pad. It was a piece of whimsy - and lovely - and I loved him for it - and it gave me hope that my more adventurous tastes might be fit in with his. So here is a modification of the suggestions about MDF or foam-core or folding screens: if you're allowed to hang pictures, find a large picture frame in a style and color that would complement both the wallpaper and room (or more than one; this might be an occasion for multiple frames of various shapes and sizes); cut wallpaper and foam-core to fit; hang strategically.

Attach it with nailhead trim. Make the border look intentional. Look at Upcycled Home for inspiration. http://upcycledhomeblog.com/2012/01/20/5-easy-ways-to-add-nail-head-trim/

Seems to me like being on good terms with your boyfriends parents (or perhaps, potential future in-laws) is more important than dropping an insane amount of money on wallpaper for a place that you don't own.
Then again, I don't know what your relationship is with them. But, regardless of what that is right now, if they're not thrilled about the idea of wallpaper (like you mentioned) then you would be right to respect their property and let it go.
Just do what everyone else does: create a pinterest board for your dream home and live vicariously through that until you get your own place :)
Or- if you really can indeed afford $285/roll wallpaper (I envy you), then you are certainly financially ready to find a new place with new landlords or as others have said, save up for a down-payment and buy.
Best of luck!

I would paint the wall you are planning to use in a nice base colour (maybe something in the family of the arsenic green of your paper).

Then I'd mount the wallpaper on either sheets of Masonite or MDF. Trim the panels with some nice mouldings, paint them a crisp white, and then mount on the wall.

I agree with framing the wallpaper instead. Especially if it's that expensive and if you know you won't be staying there for a long period of time. That way, you'll be able to take it with you if you move out...

I'd hate to have to move and leave the paper -- and trust me, if you're under 30 - that's going to happen for any number of reasons...breakup w/BF; apartment sold out from under you; job change, life changing event; etc. I'd make the paper into a folding screen and then you can take it with you... at $285 a roll.... PS Landlords [BF parents notwithstanding] are someone you don't want to mess with.... references, etc.

Over on Little Green Notebook, they hung some wallpaper panels using those Command adhesive strips and some plexiglass: http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/02/chinese-wallpaper-in-acrylic-frames.html

This method has the benefit that the wallpaper is removable and can go with you to your next home. You can adjust the spacing between the panels of wallpaper to suit your fancy.

@mdorothy: it's just wallpaper. no need to turn it into a big pseudo-psychological study. I have no BF or potential in-laws and I was thinking about temporary wall paper as well.

This is your challenge: find a way of hanging the wallpaper without breaking the rules. I believe it can be done, although it might be more time consuming and less perfect than you like.
On the other hand, does your boyfriend even like that wallpaper? Because he has to live with your choice and your pouting until you get it hung.

First, ignore the condescending and insulting comments. I don't think you are pouting, nor do I think you are sucking your boyfriend's parents dry like the person above who said you are not self-sufficient. (Really people?)

Second, how about hanging it between two dowels - one at the top and one at the bottom. The bottom one would weight it to keep it somewhat smooth and taut.

Google Chinese silk scroll...

Push Pins or small fashion nails and 2 sided tape

I was nervous about permanently applying wallpaper in our studio because I often change my mind and didn't want to be committed. So instead of gluing it down, I stapled the wallpaper to the wall. The problem is that unless you put the tacks/staples close together (like the nailhead trim wendi_c suggested) you end up with sagging paper in some spots. I eventually took it down and glued it instead. The downside of using nailhead trim is that when you move, you're left with TONS of holes in the wall. I've had to repair walls like this before when we decided to do a full record wall in one of our apartments. It's NOT fun!

I would recommend mounting the wallpaper on wood like others have suggested. You could trim it out to look like an architectural feature or make it wall-to-wall. As renters-by-choice, we've encountered the wallpaper debate before several times. While we only move into apartments where the landlord agrees to let us paint and hang things (I can't do white walls) I myself think wallpaper is a huge commitment and wouldn't even bother asking to hang it in an apartment. Once the perfect vintage wallpaper is chosen, we'll be hanging wallpaper above our bed as well. We'll mount it to the wood first and then hang the wood on the wall. It only takes 4 screws/nails in the wall. We often use wood to make our own art and accents because it's cheap, easy, and can be taken to the next apartment when you're ready to move. You could also use hardboard (like the kind you see on the back of bookcases). It's even cheaper than wood and is super thin and lightweight.

Good luck!

I had a similar dilemma. I own my home but know in a few years I would more than likely be tired of the paper and tastes change. I came across these fabulous damask and moroccan stencils which are much less expensive and just paint over when you are ready for a change.
http://www.cuttingedgestencils.com/damask-moroccan-stencil.html

Ignoring the landlord issue, if you're determined to go through with this project, use strippable wallpaper and make sure the wall is painted with some sort of high quality primer at least two weeks before hanging the paper. This wall preparation will insure that the wallpaper glue will easily remove from the wall if/when the wallpaper is removed. Failure to use strippable wallpaper will burden you, your boyfriend, his parents or the future occupant of that unit with the incredible drudge and expense of having to steam that non-strippable wallpaper off the wall.

If you haven't been able to find strippable wallpaper in a style you like, you probably have not visited a wallpaper store with a substantial selection. Although big box stores have wallpaper selections, some fabric, paint, and traditional hardware stores often have extensive selections of wallpaper. Another option is to visit a wallpaper manufacturer or distributor showroom at a design center. If you are unable to find a strippable wallpaper you like, upholster the wall with a similar fabric.

Good Luck!

Wow, agree that there is way to much judgement in this post. We're not familiar with the family dynamic, or reasons for renting in general, nor the reasons for renting specifically with them.

Wanting to hang wallpaper is NOT a good reason to buy a house - I know, wanting to decorate was part of my reason for buying, and I have yet to decorate a single room, because all my free time is spent doing actual work on the house & yard. Renters are allowed to want to live in place that suits their tastes, and asking for solutions to make that happen does not make them inconsiderate or foolish.

For those who don't have whatever issues, but want a temporary solution anyway (something just for the holidays or something for a themed party, maybe?), temporary adhesive spray (also "basting spray" or "repositionable spray") used in sewing will do the trick. A very, very light spraying is sort of like putting "Post-Its" adhesive on the back.

http://www.joann.com/dritz-repositionable-spray-adhesive-6-2-oz-/prd10296/

The adhesive allows you to reposition the paper, even take it off fully in tact. You should test in a corner to make sure the spray doesn't pull the paint from the wall (especially if the walls are plaster). Again: a very, very, very light spraying. A little goes a long way. Works best on smooth, untextured walls.

But, it is a crazy amount of work and a crazy amount of spray you would need.

@Vermontah- That reply was just too darn logical! What are you doing here? (Great solution!)

And thank you, everyone, for the varied and useful suggestions! Farrow and Ball makes a matching paint color (http://us.farrow-ball.com/arsenic/colours//fcp-product/100214), so I might paint the wall that color and then mount wallpaper on strategically depoyed panels (foam insulator boards seem like a good idea)... although I have to say that Vermontah's idea of mounting permanent wallpaper on top of temporary wallpaper seems genius!

Try using spray adhesive to apply the wallpaper to removable contact paper. Viola! Instant temporary wallpaper!

My first question would be how big is the wall. and can you get the same pattern in fabric? If you can get the fabric (or something like it) why not buy yardage. I understand that you can use fabric starch and your choise of fabric, apply the fabric to a wall,with easy removal when you want a change.Sounds messy but,worth a try.

Is there a fabric option you like? Then you can just staple it to the wall.

I'm glad I read down to all the comments because I was going to mention the starch. I can't remember if you have to dip the fabric into the starch first or just spray the starch on the wall?
I think Christopher Lowell did a segment about this years ago. Should be able to Google the info.
I think the decal/stencil idea is great too. There is so much out there to choose from.

Just staple it to the wall and run a piece of wood trim over it kind of like waynescoting. if it is a large wall, put some vertical and maybe another one chair-rail height.

You mention that it's going to go on just one wall. Anyway that you can make a large headboard and cover it in the wall paper? (not much of a DYI-er myself, but I'm sure there are plenty of tutorials online) Not quite as large as a whole wall, but the effect could still be very dramatic and pretty, especially if you have nice bedding that goes well with the arsenic green.

There might be another way. Does the pattern come in fabric? If it does, you can submerge it into a bucket of liquid starch. Ring out the excess, then just smooth it out on the wall while it's still wet.

This was the technique my mother-in-law taught me. She was an army wife for 25 years and often used it when she wanted an accent wall. When you wish to remove it, simply find a corner of the fabric and gently peel it off. There might be some residue from the starch but that is easily cleaned off with a large damp sponge.

My mother-in-law was also a landlord for 20 years with over 6 rental properties. This was one way that she was always comfortable allowing her tenants to employ to personalize there apartments. However, there is one caveat; you must wash the fabric first and make sure that any dyes that will bleed are washed out. Otherwise you will stain the wall when you put the fabric up.

Some of the other comments about posterboard and foamcore are great, too. It's nice to see that you've asked your landlords and are trying to work within their restrictions. Good luck.

Use panels of Gator Foam. It's light as air and is thick so it doesn't warp. Just paste the wallpaper onto the panels and hang. You don't need to do the entire wall. The other option I agree with is finding some large frames (ikea, flee market, etc) and frame some panels and hang them on the wall.

Thanks for posting this because I've been considering putting some wallpaper behind my desk to distinguish the creative/office space from the rest of the room but didn't want to put it up on my wall (it's too textured for wallpaper).

By the way, I also wanted to mention, being a renter (even from a related party) doesn't mean one is not a self-sufficient adult! People rent for many reasons. Erin didn't really elaborate on her situation (and she shouldn't have to). I've been on both sides, renting my property to a family member and renting from a family member (at the same time mind you) and it wasn't because I wasn't "self-sufficient". Many people also still enjoy making their place a home while renting and AT has many posts on how you can make a rental space your own, particularly because they are based in NYC.

Agree! You should always be happy in your home--no matter where it is. The wallapaper money won't make amount to a hill o'beans at some point; but you will have lived with joy in your surroundings.

Seconded on the luan over MDF (ridiculous) or foamcore (confirmed warp). If one were to go the luan route for a project like this though, make sure to use 1/4" luan instead of the 1/8" stock. The 1/8" will warp even more than 1/4" foamcore.

Some of the comments here really read way more into things that they need to. Frankly it's none of anyone's business to tell them they should saving for a home or not.

I do agree that I would consider the parents'/owners' feelings on the matter to be the final word, since they own the house.

Another alternative to foam would be large canvases or even a custom canvas the size of the wall, but unless you have a cheap place to do this or know someone who can sell you canvas cheap, that will be at least as much as the wallpaper.

I would definitely go with mounting it on foamcore with spray adhesive and a roller. Easy to assemble, easy to hang, easy to remove, and you can even take it with you when you move. Find a source for large panels in your area, go really slow with it, and practice first with paper that isn't $200+ bucks a roll to perfect your technique. You could even try temporary adhesive to make sure you don't accidentally blow it.

And in the same vein that others have said, I dunno if it was a little joke or not but if you were serious: I probably wouldn't even consider trying to convince them to let you paste it, even as a last resort. It definitely will make you seem like a whiney, stubborn child who doesn't respect their wishes. It is the most dangerous aspect of mixing business with friends/family: in a business transaction, you're almost always about trying to get what you want the best way you can, so your landlord can't really be that hurt that someone would try to scheme as hard as possible to get the paper they want. Doing everything you can to try and get friends and family to do what you want, though, just makes you seem selfish, manipulative, and disrespectful (even if you are a great person who just really wants wallpaper). Definitely wisest to work out something that won't effect the apartment in any way and drop the subject with them forever. A decent family relationship is more than worth postponing your wallpaper dreams until you are in a more independent living situation.

Also wallpaper is an absolute bitch to get off

Subtract that last line, it was an obvious statement I was gonna use to say something else but changed my mind.

@mdorothy and @ADonuts have to be some of the rudest, most judgemental commenters I've ever seen. It is completely unacceptable to dismiss somebody because of the financial position they might find themselves in or to make comments like "You're not even married to him, and you seem to need to get your own way."

Erin simply asked how she could hang wallpaper in a rental - the kind of question frequently asked on AT and usually answered with "just do what like and fix it before leaving." There's no need for your nasty, psuedo psychological comments.

ERIN: If you're in love with the pattern and color, what about finding some DRAPES in that motif? You could hang drapes across the width of the wall for that look.

OR what about getting large, lightweight poster frames and framing sections of the wallpaper of your dreams and putting those across the wall?

Or if that's too busy or expensive or just plain undesirable, I vote for the STENCIL idea that at least one other commenter suggested. There are some really beautiful ones out now, and of course, they have the advantage of being easily painted over later. You might love the DAMASK stencils from this vendor: http://www.royaldesignstudio.com/collections/allover-damask-stencils

If it was 'simply' about the wallpaper, then why did Erin mention the fact that the landlords are her boyfriend's parents? Why did she also ask how to get them to allow her to have her own way, against their stated wishes? This reminds me of the recent 'rent control' - it seems mention of certain topics on AT is guaranteed to generate comments.
I agree with @Holler's observation: "Doing everything you can to try and get friends and family to do what you want, though, just makes you seem selfish, manipulative, and disrespectful" Unfortunately, I have known people like this.

This reminds me of the recent 'rent control' * thread *

If you have a closet with sliding doors you could wallpaper those. Those would be easy to replace in the event that you needed to move out.

"@mdorothy and @ADonuts have to be some of the rudest, most judgemental commenters I've ever seen...no need for your nasty, psuedo psychological comments"

And making a statement like that _isn't_ rude and judgmental? Seriously?

I'm sorry if I derailed the conversation in any way by making an assumption about the temporary status of the rental -- demographically speaking, most women living with a boyfriend in his parents' property would be quite young and starting out in life -- but if the landlord says no wallpaper, that should mean no wallpaper.

If you're in a rental by choice, you'll have to make some trade-offs. No wallpaper for example. If those trade-offs are a deal-breaker, if you can't live without your arsenic green wallpaper, then you should look at owning your own home.

And of course there are also trade-offs associated with home-ownership.

From the original question:

"Or, failing that, any good ideas for convincing apartment owners that permanent wallpaper really isn't such a terrible idea?"

Evidently not. I haven't seen one good suggestion in this whole thread.

Find fabric that you love and do the starch trick.....you put the fabric in basic laundry starch and it goes up like wallpaper and leaves no mess for the take down. You can google search for you tube how-tos. Plus there are a lot more fabric options than wallpaper and do a test in the closet to prove to the parents that it looks ok and does no damage.

Really disappointed to see the judgmental comments on here. I personally was super pumped when I saw the question, because it's something I've been researching for a long time, too. These posts (and their answers) come up high in Google search results, and have the potential to be really fantastic resources for seekers far into the future, so thank you to everyone who actually answered the question, and withheld their armchair analyses of the question-asker's personal life choices.

Make some flour paste to put the wallpaper it will stay up well,but when time comes..it can be removed.in tack. Also paint a bar of staples the lighter shade ,then staple at the top more than the sides and bottom.you will not see the staples.

I would like to know what you end up doing. Good luck.

I think it's fine to put up wallpaper in a rental . . . as long as the place is 100% restored to original condition on the day you move out. Normally, worst-case, if a landlord wasn't satisfied with your efforts, they could keep the deposit. It sounds like that really isn't going to work out here.

So if I were absolutely dying to put up this wallpaper, if none of the other suggestions scratched that itch, I would call a local painter/wallpaperer and ask about removing wallpaper and repainting. Ask how much he would quote to do an A+ job on a wall of that size. Pause to rethink -- would that really be worth it to you? If your heart's still set on it, and your boyfriend agrees, go to his parents (together) and tell them that you will set aside that money (plus some extra!) for restoration when you move out.

If you go that route, it's something you have to do. Even if you're moving out because of an awful breakup, even if his parents were mean to you, that wall has to be back to normal absolutely no matter what. But as long as they could never guess you had wallpaper there, everyone should be happy.

Oh, and I would hope they'd be way more okay with that than with all the suggestions of starch. Starch might work to hang wallpaper, but it's also roaches' favorite food -- and you want to spread a whole wall with it. Sounds like a landlords' (and tenants'!) nightmare.

Hi, Erin

Love that your so eager to hang wallpaper in your house! Wallpaper is back in a very big UNtraditional way. Which means there are many creative non-permanent way's to hang it in your home.

I would suggest either customizing wallpaper panels, or using over sized frames. Both are removable and add instant drama and impact to any room. A great place to source idea's is houzz.com or you can check out my blog! http://blog.blmtn.com

Hope this helps!

Wallpap'ress

So totally doing this in my apartment. My walls are vast expanses of beige, and it is getting depressing to look at. My landlord is definitely picky and would not be cool with wallpaper or multiple holes to hang all the art I want. Thanks for sharing!! Can't wait to try it out on a rainy day!

So totally doing this in my apartment. My walls are vast expanses of beige, and it is getting depressing to look at. My landlord is definitely picky and would not be cool with wallpaper or multiple holes to hang all the art I want. Thanks for sharing!! Can't wait to try it out on a rainy day!

I had heard that if you roll on fabric starch onto your walls it can create a temporary adhesive for wall paper. I have yet to try it, but I would love to know if anyone else has!

try http://njoybox.com/ its great !