Contact paper to the rescue! These days you can get contact paper in tons of designs and colors, allowing you to experiment on a budget. Even better, if you're limited by a rental agreement, these changes are easily removed. No need to repaint your whole apartment white before you move out.
1. Add a chalkboard to your fridge.
Chalkboard fridges are a fun and useful addition to the kitchen, but may be a bit of a drastic change if you go with chalkboard paint. Instead of jumping in with both feet and a lot of grunt work, apply chalkboard contact paper to a portion of your fridge door. When you're bored with it, just take it off!
2. Match old appliances to a new kitchen.
Redoing your kitchen costs a lot, and what if your appliances don't match the look you're going for? Do you replace them too, or do you compromise your final vision? Neither! Pick up some contact paper in the style you need to match your new kitchen. One application later and you've updated your appliances without the expense.
3. Change up your plain vases.
Rather than keeping a closet full of vases to match various events and seasons, use contact paper to change the look of plain white ones that you can use all year. I particularly like these copper options.
4. Make waterproof drawer liners with any paper you want.
Contact paper also comes in clear or frosted styles, allowing you to branch out from the stock options while retaining durability. In this tutorial, floral paper is covered with clear contact paper, which protects the liner from moisture damage.
5. Don't be limited by your wire shelves.
While inexpensive, you may be bored by your wire shelves, and smaller items may fall through. With some foam board and contact paper, you can fix both issues for fewer than $10.
6. Bling out an old dresser.
Contact paper even comes in a mirrored finish. Used in just the right way, it can add a ton of drama to a bedroom for a very small investment.
7. Embrace the polka dots!
Get out your paper punches and add some popto a wall in your home. Or, you know, to everything. Is it weird that my brain immediately went to my boring front door?
8. Modernize your old tile.
How chic is this bathroom update? The black walls don't shrink the space. Rather, the room feels brighter than before, with the old tile brought up-to-date by black contact paper triangles. I'm also in love with the red mirror.
9. Don't risk an uneven painted stripe.
I love the look of stripes on a wall, but my inability to hang a photo straight makes me terrified of the results I would get if I attempted to paint stripes myself. Once again, contact paper is the savior here. Not only is it less work to put up, but if you feel that a stripe is crooked, you can just peel it down and try again.
10. Cover up an old painting.
Have a frame that you love, but the art is old-fashioned? Update it by covering the whole surface in contact paper. I particularly like the faux, reclaimed wood look of this one, but you could choose pretty much any paper that matches the look of your space. A chalkboard would be nice too.
11. Seasonal lamp shades.
Another great use for your scrapbook punches is to cut out seasonal shapes in contact paper and stick them to your lamp shades. These gold leaves on navy are a lovely autumn touch.
12. Add marble to an accent table.
Use marble-print contact paper to add some pizzazz to a hall table, like the old gold one in this tutorial.
13. Or do a whole countertop!
Shown here as an update to a single cabinet, don't be afraid to use the marble contact paper to completely revamp all of your countertops on a budget. Kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, etc.! Don't let anything stop you!
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