Very Vintage

Various stages of wallpaper in the stairway.

Doesn't look like this could be on the inside of my house, but it is!

What would you do? Our house is 100 years old. The wallpaper in the stairway is so old....the flowers are worn off around the light switches and along the hand rail. I have tried various things over the years, but mostly just left it alone, unable to tackle the job that it is. I have tried to paper the parts I can reach, just to make it look better when I open the stairway door. I have tried to paper just the top landing and leave the stairway alone. There was a small hole in the plaster, the plaster was bowing away from the lathe, and I thought I could just remove a small piece, put a new piece of sheetrock into that space and paper over it.....that little hole grew and grew and became a whole wall. If I ever do get it sheetrocked, I don't know how in the world to paper all the way to the top.



Here is the upstairs hallway paper I did when Tyler was born (he is 21). I am doing a neat technique I thought I would share with you. I take down the visibly loose pieces of wallpaper, as many layers as are loose, rip then off, then paint right over the paper, no matter if it is rough or pieces are missing.

After I paint a section, while paint is still wet, I press a piece of tissue paper into the paint, then immediately paint over it again. The first layer of paint acts like the adhesive. Sometimes, the rolling over the wet tissue paper causes it to peel off right with the roller. I just put more layers of tissue paper on top of the hole.

Rough patches and holes are hidden by the texture of the paper. I have seen this technique done, painted tan, then after the paint dries, put a second layer of glaze or water mixed with brown paint on top and then wipe some of it off with a damp rag. This leaves the darker color in the folds giving more dimension as it brings out the texture. I left it just one color.

The finished product with a row of vintage paper and some of my treasures.

Much better. I am going to do the same thing to the ceiling when my neck can take it. (Sorry Michele! I will see you soon!) Next project.....the stairway needs sheetrock!