Leftover wallpaper ideas

Last week I worked on a board and batten and wallpaper project as part of my daughter’s bedroom makeover. (Keep an eye out for the reveal post following soon)

The wallpaper has such a huge pattern repeat that I had lots of offcuts left over once I was finished.

I didn’t want it to just go to waste, but what could I do with this beautiful leftover wallpaper?

And then it hit me! I had eight placemats that I bought years ago. They weren’t particularly pretty, but they come in handy every now and again.

They are made from hardboard with a cork backing and a layer of paper on top. The pieces of leftover wallpaper were perfect to refinish these! I still had lots of adhesive left over as well. The application tools were still nearby. Let’s go!

(If you don’t have placemats like these, you can cut rectangles from hardboard and make them from scratch.)

In just a few simple steps, I created really pretty placemats that I absolutely love. (For your convenience, I have linked everything you will need for this project at the bottom of this post.)

Step 1

Lightly sand the surface with a sanding block to degloss and create more grip for the adhesive.

Step 2

Applying wallpaper adhesive with a foam roller

Apply an even coat of wallpaper adhesive by rolling it on with a small foam roller.

Step 3

Lay a piece of leftover wallpaper on top of the glue-covered placemat. Once in the perfect position, smooth out all air bubbles to create a perfectly flat surface.

Step 4

Trim off excess paper around the edge with an Exacto knife.

Step 5

Enjoy your beautiful new placemats! The wallpaper is washable, so I don’t think sealing them at this stage is necessary. Maybe I’ll feel differently later…