Kathy Covered Her Rental Cabinets With Wallpaper & This Is How It Went

Written by

Dabney Frake
Dabney Frake
Dabney is a Southern-born, New England-raised, current Midwesterner. Her dog Grim is part terrier, part basset hound, part dust mop.
published Oct 9, 2016
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(Image credit: Kathryn Baugher)

Being a part of a military family means two things for Kathryn Bauer: renting and moving often. So she has a lot of experience creating comfortable, welcoming homes out of standard government-issue housing. When she and her family moved into their most recent rental in Japan, she countered the blank white space with personality-packed floral wallpaper on her cabinets. One year later she’s packing to move to a new home, and is back to tell us about her whole experience.

Which Product Did You Use?

Walls Need Love removable wallpaper in Clara pattern.

How Much Did You Pay?

The wallpaper costs $38 for one 20″ x 5′ panel, so for this project: $120.

How Long Did It Take To Install?

2 hours tops!

Did You Have Any Problems Putting It On Your Surface?

It went smoothly and the wallpaper was easy to reposition.

How Did it Look/Feel Right After You Applied It?

Gorgeous! The wallpaper material is vinyl and durable.

How Long Have You Had It Up?

I was planning on having it up for 3 yrs but we are moving unexpectedly.

How Has It Held Up?

It still looks new. I wiped it down many times and even successfully removed coffee and tomato stains without damaging the wallpaper.

Would You Use This Again?

Absolutely and I will.

What Happened When You Removed Them?

Yes, removing the wallpaper was easy but it did leave some sticky residue. I was able to clean the cabinets with rubbing alcohol and a little elbow grease. It took two of us approximately 2 hrs to completely remove and clean. Totally worth it! I should note, that our kitchen cabinets are a smooth, almost plastic surface. I haven’t tried this product on walls or wood but plan to in the future.

Curious about other temporary adhesive products for renters? Check these out:

(Image credit: Style By Emily Henderson)
(Image credit: Boulevard House)

Many thanks to Kathy for sharing all their feedback! For more of Kathy’s home, check out her full house tour or stop by Up To Date Interiors for more of her work.