You Must Use Contact Paper at Home
While contact paper has long been associated with drawer and shelf lining, it has so much more to offer. And if your only experience with it was limited to clear (to cover workbooks at school), white, and a set of pastels available in the 90s, you’re in for a surprise.
Basically, think about the material or finish and there is a type of contact paper that looks like this. And now there are countless colors, patterns and types to suit just about any job. Sure, contact paper isn’t meant to be a permanent solution and anything you cover up will still have the same issues, but it can do a lot to brighten up a sad looking space on a tight budget. Here are some suggestions.
What is contact paper?
If you’re not familiar with the product, which is smooth and usually has a pattern on one side and sticky on the other, then it’s been around since the late 1970s. Developed by the Kittrich Corporation and marketed under their brand name Con-Tact , it has evolved into the Kleenex or Xerox situation, where “contact paper” was used to describe products made not only by the original brand, but by similar adhesive liners that came to market.
And now also self-adhesive wallpaper. Particularly popular with renters, although there are slight differences (it’s thicker and has a better pattern), it’s essentially a new branded contact paper. Today we will refer to the products in this category. Here are a few ways to use contact paper (in its various forms) in your home (other than lining shelves and drawers).
Cover kitchen appliances
Not everyone has the funds for a complete kitchen makeover, so if you’re moving to a place where the fridge or dishwasher doesn’t match the rest of your aesthetic, cover it with removable contact paper. Now there are so many varieties that look like wood, marble, granite and stainless steel that will harmonize with each other.
Cover the countertop or countertop
Yes, it’s the same concept as the previous one, but it deserves its own place on the list. Ugly tables are everywhere (including on the curb and in relatives’ basements), but instead of turning up your nose at an outdated style, cover the countertop with a faux finish of your choice. It’s the same with the table top.
Align the back of the bookshelf
Traditionally, contact paper has been used to line shelves. You can certainly do this, but also consider lining the back of the bookshelf (not the part that faces the wall, but the part that is visible) with an interesting pattern to make high quality custom furniture.
Put an apron or tiles in the bathroom
There is contact paper and temporary wallpaper that looks like the ever popular white subway tile (and other varieties/colors). Attach some of these in the kitchen to serve as a backsplash, or on part of your bathroom wall to add texture to the walls.
Get some privacy
Frosted or patterned glass is often found in bathrooms because it provides some privacy while still allowing natural light into the room. But if your bathroom (or bedroom, or front door) windows are plain glass, you can cover them – or parts of them – with contact paper made specifically for this purpose.