26 best removable wallpapers to jazz up your tired rental walls

The nature of renting means that pretty much all flats you find will be decked out as neutrally as possible, so chances are you’re in a pad with plain white (or dreaded magnolia) walls.

If you’re into minimalism, all that white might not bother you, but what if you’re more of a Christine Quinn type and you want your rental to show off the ~real you~? Then we have a solution: wall decals or removable wallpaper.

With peel and stick wallpaper, the clue is in the name: you literally peel the backing off the paper and stick it on the wall. If you get it wrong, you can just pull it off and try again. It’s MAGIC. Sure, you’ll be making a bit of an investment into a place that isn’t technically yours, but even just adding a couple of rolls to make one feature wall should help your place feel more homely, so we think it’s worth it.

Scared to go all in? “Consider papering the ceiling for a clever way to add interest without overpowering the room,” says Wayfair’s resident Style Adviser, Nadia McCowan Hill.

“You can also build your confidence by using a bold design in a smaller area, such as the downstairs loo or a narrow hallway,” Nadia continues. “Wallpaper can also make a statement behind your bed if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to a designer headboard.”

Removable wallpaper is also useful for updating any tired old furniture like wardrobe doors, the backs of any shelving units (level up your #shelfie), kitchen cupboards (yup, hide those dodgy noughties units for good) and table tops as well. When your tenancy ends, just take the paper off and you’re good to go with your deposit intact. Nice.

How do you use removable wallpaper?

Before you get started, order any samples in as large a size as possible and pin them up where you’d like the paper to check that you are happy with the colour and scale of the pattern.

“Removable wallpaper is ideal for a no-mess, straightforward application, so it's perfect for DIY newbies,” says Calum Henderson, owner of I Love Wallpaper. He’s shared some tips on getting the application right, although it shouldn’t be too much of a problem as the joy of removable wallpaper is that it’s literally just that: removable. If you position it wrongly, just peel it off and try again.

1 . Ensure that you have enough paper (usually more than you think) to cover the area you're decorating, accommodating difficult areas around windows and doors. Not sure how many rolls to buy? Try the handy calculator on Wallpaper Direct.

2. Wash the walls with sugar soap to make sure that you're working with a clean, smooth surface. This will reduce the risk of bubbles forming beneath the paper.

3. Make a guide for your first piece by using a spirit level and pencil so that you know the rest of the sheets will hang straight.

4. Partially peel the back off the self-adhesive wallpaper and line it up onto the wall. Use a smoothing tool to follow it downwards, slowly peeling off the rest of the backing as you go.

5. Trim any excess at the bottom using a utility knife and smooth down. If you do get any pesky bubbles appearing, simply use a pin to release the trapped air and smooth the paper back down for a seamless finish.

Can you use peel and stick wallpaper in the bathroom?

We’d check that the specific paper you’re buying is suitable, but in general, yes. Just make sure that you put the extractor fan on and keep the window open when you’re in the shower or bath (but we’re sure you do that anyway, soooo). You could also give it a going over with a clear latex coating to make it a bit more waterproof, too.

You will need

• A Stanley knife
• A wallpaper scraper
• Sugar soap
• Your chosen wallpaper

Then you’re good to go! Here are 26 beautiful removable wallpaper designs available to shop now. Be creative and don’t let your maximalist home dreams be dreams.