How To Create an Elegant Faux Finish with PaperIllusion Wallpaper

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Add a Fabulous Faux Finish to Your Walls

Most faux finishing projects involve layers and layers of paint, but with PaperIllusion wallpaper you can achieve beautiful, one-of-a-kind designer looks without the mess, fumes, and endless hours of tedious work. Faux finish wallpaper is also more durable and long-lasting than paint. Are your walls cracked or uneven? Are they covered with outdated, unsightly paneling? No problem. PaperIllusion covers everything right up. It's also completely washable, but if a section becomes stained or torn, just patch over it with another piece. The paper is printed with a variety of faux finish effects, like marbleized stone, florentine marble and terra cotta. PaperIllusion wallpaper is addicting. Once you get a successful project under your belt, you'll want to try more. I've used several different colors and styles in my home, and the leftover pieces work well for small projects, like photo mattes and book covers. My latest PaperIllusion project is a faux marble countertop in bronze.

Step Two: Dip
Step Three: Apply
Script Illusion in Tuscan Red

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Creating Simple Elegance in Your Decor

You're the Designer with PaperIllusion Wallpaper

Creating beautiful faux finishes on your walls has never been easier. The hardest part is picking out the paper as there are so many colors and finishes to choose from. You won't need special tools, and you can work in small increments of time, since there is little clean up or prep time involved. People won't believe you did this yourself, and you won't believe how easy it is!

Travertine Illusion Terra Cotta

Step One: Tear

Start by tearing the paper into random, irregular shapes. I like to tear up a roll while watching television or sitting around with friends. I put torn pieces into two piles: one for those that have a straight edge, and one for those that don't. If you want your walls to have a veined look, let the underside of the paper show once in awhile. I do a little of both, depending on the color I'm using. For example, the Tuscan Red script paper has a gray underside, which looks really pretty with the red colors. Some of the lighter colors have a white underside, which looks like grout when layered. I've done walls with and without the underside showing, but you need to decide before you start tearing. It looks great either way, but you're the designer. Do a few sample pieces before you tear up an entire roll. That way you can decide what looks best for your project.

Step Two: Dip

When you're ready to begin, just dip a piece of the paper into warm water for a few seconds. Some of the PaperIllusion kits include a tray like the one pictured here, but a bowl of water works just as well. I change the water every half hour or so. You can start anywhere, but I typically begin at the top of a wall and work my way down and out. If you start at the top, begin with the pieces that have a straight edge.

Step Three: Apply

Now for the fun part. Apply the torn wet paper in an overlapping manner to any clean, dry surface. You can even use PaperIllusion wallpaper over paneling as long as the grooves are 1/4" or less in width. Once you've overlapped and positioned your piece of wet paper, just use a smoothing tool to press it into place and a damp sponge to remove excess water. That's all there is to it. Just keep applying the paper until your surface is completely covered. I usually work for an hour or so at a time, take a break, then go back to it.

Script Illusion in Tuscan Red

Script Illusion by PaperIllusion

One of my favorite PaperIllusion styles is Script Illusion. Our hallway was covered with dreary, yellowed wallpaper that dated back several decades. My least favorite home improvement project is removing old wallpaper. On top of being messy, it wastes hours that could be spent doing something more creative and constructive. In this case, I was able to simply peel off the wallpaper and leave the liner. Then I papered over the liner with Tuscan Red Script Illusion. Regular wallpaper would have been problematic since I needed to accommodate six doors and a built-in cabinet in the hallway. I used the same paper in a bedroom closet that had decaying, boldly striped wallpaper from the 1920s. I decided not to strip this paper, since I wasn't sure what was underneath, but the PaperIllusion wallpaper adhered beautifully. Also, because Tuscan Red is such a rich color, the striped paper was completely camouflaged. I was sure we'd have to panel the closet in wood, so PaperIllusion definitely saved the day.

Script Illusion Tuscan Red

Purchase Script Illusion

Script Illusion wallpaper is available here in Pearl & Cream, Burnished Gold, and Tuscan Red.

Paper Illusion Wallpaper

Amazon Price: $37.95 (as of 02/09/2010)

Paper Illusion Wallpaper

Amazon Price: $39.95 (as of 02/09/2010)

Paper Illusion Wallpaper

Amazon Price: $37.95 (as of 02/09/2010)

Hearthstone Illusion Cream and Bone

Purchase PaperIllusion Wallpaper

Paper Illusion Wallpaper

Amazon Price: $37.95 (as of 02/09/2010)

Paper Illusion Wallpaper

Amazon Price: $37.95 (as of 02/09/2010)

Script Illusion Cobalt Blue

Purchase PaperIllusion Wallpaper

Paper Illusion Wallpaper

Amazon Price: $37.95 (as of 02/09/2010)

Paper Illusion Wallpaper

Amazon Price: $37.95 (as of 02/09/2010)

Script Illusion Burnished Gold

PaperIllusion Wallpaper on eBay

Choose From Several Faux Finish PaperIllusion Styles

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Travertine Illusion Terra Cotta

Travertine Illusion by PaperIllusion

Later this year we'll be doing a major remodel of our kitchen (circa 1926). In the meantime, a quick, inexpensive fix was needed to update the walls, which were covered with tacky, pink-flowered wallpaper. To prepare the walls, I tore down the paper and left the liner. I've been applying PaperIllusion over the liner with no problems.

The cracked ceiling was an eyesore, and also included a badly beat up vent. The ceiling is now covered in PaperIllusion, and looks like new. I'll almost be sad to see the walls and ceiling torn down! The paper I chose is Travertine Illusion Terra Cotta.

My Latest PaperIllusion Project

How to Create a Faux Marble Countertop with PaperIllusion Wallpaper

Would you believe the countertop shown here was an ugly eyesore just hours before this photo was taken? The surface may look like expensive marble, but it's wallpaper! I've been using PaperIllusion Wallpaper for several years and have successfully c...

What's the Buzz on PaperIlusion?

Here's What Bloggers are Saying About PaperIllusion Wallpaper

InteriorDecorate.com » New PaperIllusion Wallpaper: PaperIllusion color Multi. The long awaited PaperIllusion delay is coming to an end. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Leland's Wallpaper and Interiors received our first shipment today! Some of the patterns have changed, ...
Wallpaper Paper Illusion Travertine Marble Red and Gold, BLOG: Product DescriptionThis is for unopened rolls of PaperIllusion®. Each double roll contains approximately 84 square feet, which is about 1 double roll.
How To Put Wallpaper On Counter Tops Painting Or Paper Illusion ...: Painting Or Paper Illusion For Counter Tops? - how to put wallpaper on counter tops I try something on the laminate countertop in the kitchen of the house they just bought are terrible to do. We are not trying to replace, but we want to ...
What are your favorite home decorations on the market today? of ...: I love the paper illusion wallpaper. You just tear it, dip it in water, and stick it on the wall. You can"t mess it up. It also comes in different colors. concerned wrote on January 20, 2010 - 1:57 am | Visit Link ...

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JaguarJulie JaguarJulie Jan 27, 2010 @ 3:50 pm

I'm wondering really how tough this would be to remove -- at least you could go step by step or piece by piece! The Script Illusion Cobalt Blue is beautiful -- I'd like that in my master bathroom.

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KimGiancaterino KimGiancaterino Jan 27, 2010 @ 6:15 pm

It's very easy to remove in large sections. I took a bunch down when I was remodeling my condo to sell it. I don't have any cobalt blue in my stash, or I'd send you some. (Now if you wanted red Script Illusion, I've got a ton of that one!)

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kiwisoutback kiwisoutback Jul 17, 2009 @ 6:10 pm

These look really cool. Much better than wallpaper, too, because they won't peel off. Someone wanted me to do one on their walls for free in a faux paint style. As you could guess, I declined. I'll come back here if they ever decide to pay for it. :) Squid Angel blessed!

Reply

Stopmansnoring Stopmansnoring Mar 30, 2009 @ 9:29 am

Great Lens, I am a bit of a DIY Man, the tips you shared here gives me great Ideas

Thanks

JAckS

Reply

RyanRE RyanRE Feb 21, 2009 @ 1:52 pm

It is amazing how nice that wall paper looks. It reminds me of a Venetian plaster that some of my client do.
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Lensmaster KimGiancaterino has been a member since October 30 2006, has rated 8,646 lenses, favorited 4,236, and has created 295 lenses from scratch. Kim Giancaterino donates their royalties to Asante Africa Foundation. This member's top-ranked page is "Yearbook Yourself: See How You'd Look in 1950s-1990s Yearbooks". See all my lenses