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Our living room mantel has been struggling for a while now.  Since I put away the winter decor, to be exact.  It has become a landing spot for DVDs and other things I wanted out of reach from the twins.  It’s one of the few spaces left that is out of reach of my favorite 3.5-year-olds, but that’s a different story.  When I cleared off the mantel, I realized what a large, open, cream (blah!) space I had on my hands.

So today we’re going to talk about a simple way to refresh and brighten any room this summer.  Since we live in Minnesota, where temperatures are subarctic for much of the year, and I don’t have a designated work space for DIY projects, I find myself doing my bigger DIY projects when the weather is nice.  This means I’ve been on a bit of a home decor kick lately.

I really wanted to brighten up our living/dining space, quickly and simply.  I decided to create a shiplap feature to “ban the beige” from above our mantel, and refresh the room for summer.

Mantel Refresh: How to Make a “Shiplap” Mantel Feature Wall

This method is seriously easy!  No power tools required.  And you can use this same idea to add wallpaper just about anywhere without damaging your walls.  It’s a great option for those who rent or don’t want to commit long-term to a certain wallpaper pattern.

Step 1: Tape off a Grid

Using painter’s tape or masking tape, tape off a grid.  I would recommend using no more than 10 inches between grid lines.

Side note if your wallpaper is a light color: Don’t use dark tape on light walls and expect the light wallpaper to cover it.  I learned this the hard way with my first go-round and had blue lines that could be seen through the wallpaper.

Step 2: Add More Tape

Place small pieces of double-sided tape on the masking tape.  Make sure to use plenty of tape!

Step 3: Roll out the Paper and Secure

Just like you would when hanging regular wallpaper, cut a length of paper.  Start at one end, and smooth the paper against the wall as you work your way to the other end.

** Source:  I used this wallpaper**

I went the extra step of securing the ends of the wallpaper with extra masking tape.  This gave me a smoother finish with the wallpaper.

Step 4: Trim

I added this oak trim that you can measure and cut at The Home Depot yourself.  It’s really easy to do, and you get exactly what you need.

Paint the wood to coordinate with your wallpaper.  In this case, I just used white interior latex paint and a dry brush technique.

My Living Room Refresh

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