Before I met my best friend, Lena, my idea of decorating my walls started and ended with a dancing Terrapin tapestry that I’d picked up at my local mall’s Rainbow Zen. However, she imparted invaluable lessons to me—such as the subtle art of channeling your inner mob boss at estate sales, and that one’s love for the Grateful Dead should never seep into home decor choices. Most importantly, though, she introduced me to peel-and-stick wallpapers that can be just as colorful and trippy—but with none of the cringe and a whole lot more panache.
The best peel-and-stick wallpapers let you feel like you’re giving your apartment an HGTV-worthy makeover—without actually committing to any structural change that would piss off your landlord. Easy on and easy off, they’re a renter-friendly wallpaper option that can dramatically transform your space. It doesn’t matter if your apartment is a real shithole or not: you too deserve beautiful walls, and stick-on wallpaper is God’s invention to help.
Best peel and stick wallpaper for renters
- Your go-to Target removable wallpaper – Panther Peel & Stick Wallpaper Green
- Best removable wallpaper for bathrooms – Grasscloth Sand Vinyl Peel and Stick Wallpaper
- Best customizable removable wallpaper – Love Vs Design Watercolor Lunars
- This ridiculously fun alien abduction print wallpaper – Alien Abduction Toile de Jouy Wallpaper
- Essential leopard print – Tommy Bahama Sunny Spot Leopard Peel & Stick Wallpaper Roll
- Best peel and stick tile wallpaper – Mi Alma Vinyl Peel and Stick Mosaic Tile (Set of 24)
- This linen temporary wallpaper – Hayley Peel & Stick Roll
- Best paintable peel and stick wallpaper – Faux Beadboard Vinyl Paintable Peel and Stick Wallpaper Roll
- This fun mushroom print – Magical Mushroom Forest Removable Wallpaper
Your go-to Target removable wallpaper – Panther Peel & Stick Wallpaper Green
Panther Peel & Stick Wallpaper Green
I’ll never forget the first time I encountered peel-and-stick wallpaper. I was visiting Lena at her apartment in Brooklyn shortly after she and her two roommates had just schlepped their belongings from one too-small apartment to the next.
The space that I’d only seen via group chat screenshots had transformed from your typical we’ll-make-this-work crash pad to an absolute oasis of charm and aesthetic delight thanks to one invention: you guessed it, peel and stick wallpaper.
She’d decked her bathroom out in a rich green that made me question whether or not I’d gotten mixed up and was staying at a hotel. When I demanded she tell me her secret, I was delightfully shocked to hear the source. Target. While Target’s got plenty of picks, I’m partial to this emerald green panther print.
Best removable wallpaper for bathrooms – Grasscloth Sand Vinyl Peel and Stick Wallpaper
Grasscloth Sand Vinyl Peel and Stick Wallpaper
While you don’t have to go out and get bathroom-specific removable wallpaper, going the extra mile can be helpful, especially if you’re planning for a bit more longevity than your one-trip-around-the-sun lease. This vinyl wallpaper from Home Depot is moisture and steam-resistant, so your marathon everything showers won’t bring wear upon your new walls.
This print mimics the look of textured grasscloth and comes in subtle neutrals like sand, blush, and sage green. While it’s not the flashiest temporary wallpaper on the list, it’s neutrality is its own asset. If your bathroom is looking a little dingy, this is the perfect peel-and-stick wallpaper to give it an easy facelift that doesn’t require home decorating to become your new hobby.
Best customizable removable wallpaper – Love Vs Design Watercolor Lunars
Love Vs Design Watercolor Lunars
If you suffer from decision paralysis, shopping for wallpaper make your brain shut down entirely. However, if your idea of pure bliss is getting to exist in a world where you have full control of every last detail in your life, this peel and stick wallpaper brand will knock your socks off.
Meet Love Vs Design, one of the best peel and stick wallpaper brands that lets you customize the colors of your chosen wallpaper print. The whole color wheel is there for your choosing, so we love that you can get a sample of your creation for just $6 before committing .
This ridiculously fun alien abduction print wallpaper – Alien Abduction Toile de Jouy Wallpaper
Alien Abduction Toile de Jouy Wallpaper
These days, my home aesthetic falls somewhere in between pagan garage sale and Joan Didion wannabe. However, stumbling upon this linen-textured alien abduction print has me questioning every decor choice I’ve ever made. I might just throw everything I own out on the stoop and start over with the sole goal of letting the extraterrestrials know that I would love to meet them.
Essential leopard print – Tommy Bahama Sunny Spot Leopard Peel & Stick Wallpaper Roll
Tommy Bahama Sunny Spot Leopard Peel & Stick Wallpaper Roll
If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a million times: Leopard print is the ultimate neutral. That’s why I’m totally obsessed with this Tommy Bahama wallpaper. (Who knew they were in the peel and stick game, too?) It’s detailed without being busy, and the hemp coloring gives off a certain warmth. (Of course, the Horizon blue and Noir black are fun options too.)
Best of all, Wayfair has a square foot calculator on the site to help you calculate just how much you need to order.
Best peel and stick tile wallpaper – Mi Alma Vinyl Peel and Stick Mosaic Tile (Set of 24)
Mi Alma Vinyl Peel and Stick Mosaic Tile (Set of 24)
You don’t always have to do the most to breathe some new life into your space. With this vinyl peel and stick removable tile set, you can add some backsplash to your kitchen, staircase, or other targeted service at a fraction of the cost and effort that real mosaic tiles would require. Thank you, Wayfair.
This linen temporary wallpaper – Hayley Peel & Stick Roll
I love linen. It’s great for lounging. It’s breezy. It’s chic. It’s timeless. It also can shine in so many different places outside of just our wardrobes—and I don’t mean tablecloths or napkins. With this peelable vinyl wallpaper from Joss & Main, you can literally cover your walls from floor to ceiling with the look of linen—without all of the hardship that would inevitably ensue if you tried to apply real linen wallpaper.
Best paintable peel and stick wallpaper – Faux Beadboard Vinyl Paintable Peel and Stick Wallpaper Roll
Faux Beadboard Vinyl Paintable Peel and Stick Wallpaper Roll
If you’re the sort who really gets off on DIY projects, may I present to you this paintable peel and stick wallpaper from Home Depot. As a base, the vinyl wallpaper mimics the look of real beadboard. While you can leave it white for a bright, clean look, you can also paint it any color your heart desires, and the beadboard “grain” will still show through—just like the real thing. Renters, rejoice!
This fun mushroom print – Magical Mushroom Forest Removable Wallpaper
Magical Mushroom Forest Removable Wallpaper
Okay, so maybe you’re one of those holdouts who will not be swayed to take down their Jerry Garcia poster. It’s okay. I respect your commitment. However, you might still want to score a few rolls of this magical mushroom forest removable wallpaper. Stick these babies onto the wall, upgrade Jerry to a lavish gold frame, and you’ve just gone from dirty hippie to haute bohemian for less than $100 bucks.
The post The Best Peel and Stick Wallpapers to Transform Your Apartment Without Losing Your Deposit appeared first on VICE.
The post The Best Peel and Stick Wallpapers to Transform Your Apartment Without Losing Your Deposit appeared first on VICE.
