Two ways to upcycle your Ikea desk with wallpaper *UPDATED!*

When I wrote this blog in 2023, I was only selling "traditional" wallpaper. The method below is still perfectly fine and a year on, I haven't changed anything about it.

HOWEVER, I'm really happy to announce, that I now offer "peel and stick" wallpaper, which will make upcycling a 10 minute job. You only need to make sure that the surface you want to "jazz up" is smooth, then you can apply your chosen design. My peel & stick wallpaper is wipeable, so you won't need to apply a clear laquer. It couldn't be easier than this! Any question, please ask:)

Old method:

Maybe you have some leftover wallpaper from a recent project, or maybe you’ve run out of walls but you’re obsessed with a wallpaper design, or you simply want to add character to a boring piece of furniture? Look no further, I’ll tell you how to upcycle with wallpaper successfully.

I say “successfully” on purpose, because anyone can stick wallpaper on furniture then think that’s that done, but if you want your new piece of furniture to last, a little bit more is needed. 

What exactly will you need? 

Apart from the obvious wallpaper (make sure you have enough for your project!), you will need sanding paper or mouse (if the surface of your furniture isn’t even), wallpaper paste and brush, painters’ brush, crafter’s knife or scissors, and clear lacquer. 

The process 

1. If the surface of your furniture is raised or uneven, you’ll need to sand it first. If it’s all good looking and even, just clean it with a damp cloth. 
2. Apply wallpaper paste (“paste the wall” type) on the furniture and place your wallpaper on top. I recommend cutting an approximate size first, so you don’t have to bother with a large quantity of roll while you find the perfect placement. 
3. Once you’re happy with the placement of the paper, trim the edges with a crafter’s knife or pair of scissors. Make sure that you pressed the wallpaper down on the furniture so that all the air bubbles are gone.
Wait for the wallpaper to dry, this is usually 24 hours or overnight. 
4. The following day, (once you made sure that the wallpaper has dried), apply clear lacquer on top. I like using Polyvine clear lacquer (in/outdoor), it’s washable, scratch resistant, stain resistant and pretty tough altogether, so I’m quite confident that it will last. For indoor use I apply two coats, approximately 2 hours apart from each coat. I got a gloss finish but you can also get matte finish, if you prefer. 

Allow the second coat to dry perfectly before you start using your furniture! PS. I also added some vinyl squares to the edge of the table (“tile style”), which I cut out on my Silhouette cutting machine. The squares are 3.3cm each. 

The result: 

I would love to see if you used my wallpaper for any projects, please don’t forget to tag me on Instagram (@sorbet_dreams_by_reka) or send me some cool shots by email!