On a roll

To most TAA-dwellers, having a roll of fabulous wallpaper in hand seems about as realistic as having a lightsaber in hand. Well, the dream has become reality -- you can get your mitts on a roll of patterned paper, and once you're done swinging it around making saber noises, you can even put it up on your wall! Renters of small apartments face two challenges when it comes to wallpaper: most believe they can't have patterned walls in a small space, and most leases forbid putting up traditional wallpaper. But when you pair a clever renter and a clever paper manufacturer, you can get around both of these obstacles. First thing's first: yes, you can have wallpaper in a small space. But in order for it to work, you have to carefully select your paper's color and pattern, as well as where to place it. If you're papering a larger space, I would recommend a lighter color with a more subtle pattern so that it doesn't overwhelm the room, like the "Palace White" pattern above from Urban Source, as shown on Apartment Therapy: Chicago. If it's a small wall, you can go with darker or bolder colors and busier patterns, like the Julia Rothman paper seen below in the kitchen of Ferm Living's Christiana Coop. (Ferm's another great source for papers!) The sherbert orange is such a cheerful and unexpected color, and I can't help but smile at the whimsical clouds and birds. Check out AT: Chicago for their great article about the different pattern and color schemes you can use to achieve different effects. Speaking of darker colors and busier patterns, Elements of Style's Erin Gates posted a kitchen nook makeover she did using this gray-and-white F. Schumacher paper, as seen above. For my taste, I would have left one of the three walls unpapered, but the subtle color scheme and the clean lines of the furniture make it work. Erin also has a few gorgeous paper suggestions in her post -- I LOVE the one with the birdcages! While wallpaper can make YOU happy, let's not forget to keep your landlord happy! Traditional wallpapering is a messy and time-consuming process, both when you're putting it up and taking it down. Most leases forbid wallpaper and other "permanent" changes to your apartment. But more and more manufacturers have heard renters' anguished cries, and created wallpapers that are a cinch to put up and take off. Sherwin Williams, Graham & Brown, and Lolliprops, Inc. all have lines of paper meant to last only as long as you want them to. Whether you're moving out or just bored of the design, you remove these papers simply by pulling them gently away from the wall, leaving little or no residue behind. (If there is residue, warm soapy water is usually all that's needed to clean it off.) One of Sherwin-Williams' patterns For more great temporary wallpapers, plus how-to tips and before-and-afters, check out these articles:

Shelter Home: Hmmm.... easy change? Oh Happy Day: Temporary Wallpaper Apartment Therapy: San Francisco: EasyChange Removable Wallpaper Apartment Therapy: San Francisco: Wallpaper for Renters? CasaSugar: Casa Beta - Graham & Brown Paste the Wall Wallpaper

Via Urban Source, Apartment Therapy: Chicago, Apartment Therapy: San Francisco, Ferm Living, Elements of Style, Sherwin Williams, Graham & Brown, Tempaper, and of course all those links above!