Temporary Wall Treatment: Adding Color Without Breaking Your Lease

Tired of white walls? Are you depressed by the serious white out conditions in your rental? Your rental agreement probably has a clause that prohibits painting the walls and fixtures.

There are solutions found in the fabrics of your life. Cover your walls in cotton! Not fluffy white cotton out of the bag but cotton fabric from the bolt. This project will work best with 100% cotton. The most impressive array of designs and colors can be found in the quilting department of any fabric store. A wider array exists at stores offering quilting fabrics and supplies.

It all works with starch! The fabric is held to the wall by liquid starch. Saturate the fabric in starch, place against the wall and smooth out the wrinkles and bubbles. Its much easier and more forgiving than hanging wallpaper! If it is crooked, pull it off, wet it again and press back in place. When the edges begin to peel away, as they sometimes will, take a bit of liquid starch on your finger and press along the edge. When it is time to move, peel all the fabric off the walls and run it through a wash and rinse cycle a few times. Dry, fold and stash it away for another project someday.

To create wainscot effect you will wrap the lower half of your wall in fabric. Standard widths of fabric are 42", 54", and 72". The width of your fabric becomes the height of your wainscot. You may want to use grow grain ribbon as trim along the top edge to mimic a mock chair rail and to hide a rough edge.

Measure the wall(s) that you want to work with and convert the figure to yards. With the wainscot project you will purchase that number of yards. When making your purchase make sure that each wall can be covered with one continuous piece of fabric. If you've chosen a stripe or a plaid pattern, it will be very difficult to match seam edges in the middle of a wall. Do not purchase fabric from two different bolts unless the design of your project is to mix and not match.

If you are unfamiliar with the fabric offerings at your local fabric store, stop by and browse. In the bargain section you can find lengths priced as low as $1.00/yard. Sellers on eBay will often offer bolts of cotton.

Liquid starch can be difficult to find in local stores but it does exist. Faultless Liquid Starch in 64 oz bottles can be purchased online for as little as $5.95. You could need two bottles but you might start with one for a room less than 120 square feet.

Process:

· Wash the walls. Yes, this is an important step. The starch will not adhere well to a greasy, waxy or shiny surface.

· Protect the floor with plastic sheets or drop cloths. Starch will be squeezed out and onto these cloths. Do not eliminate this step even when working with a tile or linoleum floor.

· Remove any switch plates and outlet covers.

· Cut the fabric accordingly. If fabric has a design, be sure to match the design before cutting the next panel as when using wallpaper.

· Pour starch into a clean pan or bucket large enough to submerge the entire length of fabric for one wall. Place and press the fabric into the bucket, swishing and squeezing until fully saturated. This is a sticky process, be prepared to wash or rinse your arms and hands often.

· Smooth the fabric onto the wall beginning by overlapping one inch at the bottom and working upwards. Excess fabric will be trimmed later. This allows for shrinkage. Use pushpins along the upper edge to hold the weight of the panel until it is dry.

· Use your hands, a brush, a squeegee or other flat edged tool to smooth out wrinkles and bubbles. If a bubble is extremely tough to remove, pull the fabric back beginning at the top and smooth from the bubble upwards again. Apply additional starch with a brush if needed.

· Position the second panel, matching the design along the edge. Repeat steps.

· Around windows and doors, overlap one inch of fabric as with the floor. You will cut away any remaining overlap when the fabric is completely dry.

· When the fabric is completely dry, trim the edges as mentioned using a utility blade, box cutter, razor or small scissors. When trimming away for switch plates and outlets you will want to cut away as much fabric as possible to avoid contact with any electrical wires.

· If trimming with grow grain ribbon, you would want to wait until the fabric is completely dry. Saturate the appropriate lengths of ribbon while allowing an overlap in the corners.

Maintaining your fabric covered walls is as easy as brushing or stroking on starch if the fabric pulls away from the wall. This will usually occur at corners or along edges during the dry months of January through March. Keep a baby food jar or such with liquid starch nearby for touch ups. Simply wet your finger with the starch and rub it into the affected fabric until it sticks again.

Next time your rental property feels clinically cold, warm your walls under a bright blanket of cotton.