Today I am going to talk about miniature wallpaper, I have covered a lot of tutorials already, but there is still a lot to talk about I would think ;-). Oh yes, do not forget about the ‘from trash to miniatures‘ – post on my website as well (as it is separate from the tutorials). I will soon add some more projects!
Table of Contents
There are several ways of doing or crafting something. I will explain my way of working in this new article, but going about it in your own way sure is good as well!
But when the paint jobs are done in your dollhouse (the so-called ‘wet’ work), then you can add your wallpaper.
Let’s dive right into it with my 5 tips.
1. Material.
There are tons of wallpaper available for your dollhouse, with any style and with many shades. You can choose the right kind for your specific needs. Real wallpaper could also be used (on a scale of 1:1 ), but make sure that the pattern is not too large and that the structure of the paper is not too coarse.
Sometimes real wallpaper from a sample book can be used for the ceiling, a slightly coarse structure there doesn’t really matter. And you can also use thin leather or textile as wallpaper.
In the past, even fabric was put against the walls. And of course, you can simply plaster the walls or make a part with wooden panels.
Luxurious wooden panel wallpaper is also available. You can stick those as you would with loose panels on a smooth surface, with pillars between them. This is called the French style.
The possibilities are basically endless! Always select suitable wallpaper, it could even be 2 different types in the same room!
As you probably know by now, I get everything regarding my miniatures on Etsy, but if you look at my ‘FREEBIE’ section in the top menu of my website, I am sure that you can find one of your taste and print those out with a color printer. ( remember though that the ink of a printer costs a lot of money as well, trust me I have found out the hard way 😉 ).
2. How much wallpaper do you need?
The most common “mistake” is starting and buying too soon. You see a nice piece of wallpaper and buy 1 or 2 sheets without knowing whether it fits in your dollhouse or not.
Then, the day you get to that specific room, you are surprised that there is not enough wallpaper. And you notice that it might still be available, but the color is different because it had a different color-bath.
This is why I always would advise buying 3 rolls per room straight away.
The easiest way to measure goes like this: measure per room the depth and the width of the walls. So that would mean that you need 2 times the depth and 1 time the width.
If you also want to do the facade with the same wallpaper ( on the inside), then you need to do the width 2 times.
For example: if a room is 40 cms deep and 50 cms wide, has three walls, then you should count: 2x40cm plus 1×50 cm, so that would be a total of 130 cm that you would need.
Now, bearing in mind that the average sheet of wallpaper is 40cm-43cm deep, you need to realize that 3 sheets of wallpaper are just not going to be enough!
But, of course, there often is a doorway or (several) windows. With a little measuring and puzzling it still could work out well, depending on the print of the wallpaper (it needs to match)
Some Etsy shops have larger sheets of wallpaper. Of course, the height of the room also has to be considered. Most miniature wallpaper is about 28-30 cm high. This is often sufficient.
If your walls are higher, you can solve that problem with a plinth of 1 or 2 cms, a plaster ceiling cover (also 1-2 cms). There are many solutions, for example, you can use different types of wallpaper in one room or even on one wall.
3. Another tip: keep a notebook or scrapbook.
Keep a notebook or a scrapbook etc, in which you can write down the measurements of your house/rooms, plus small color samples of chosen paint, wallpaper, and fabrics. This will make it so much easier when you are looking for matching materials later.
That perfect piece of red cloth can turn out very ugly on your wine-red carpet in your dollhouse. Besides that, it is a nice way to see how the creative process develops in time.
4. Which glues to use?
You could mix some ordinary wallpaper powder with water in a sealable jar or cup (you can still use it for days after it’s mixed).
Another idea is using wallpaper spray in an aerosol can or you can also use bookbinders glue (diluted).
Or why not try Mod Podge? The variation Mod Podge ‘fabric’ or ‘mat’ could probably do it (I haven’t tried it yet though myself)
Enjoy this video where she uses Mod Podge:
5. Doing it My way.
First of all, I cut the miniature wallpaper to size. I keep a margin of 1 cm because sometimes when the paper gets wet, it shrinks. So for example a wall of 40 cms wide and 26cms high, then the paper itself will be 41 to 42 cms wide and 26.5 cms to 27 cms high.
Pre-glue the walls slightly (make sure they are smooth!) and smear the glue on the miniature wallpaper with a regular thick paintbrush or a popsicle- stick, in one direction only to prevent bubbles.
After that, I usually put the wallpaper on the back wall first, with a small overlap on both sides. Make it ‘bump’ against the ceiling and the floor will have some overlap as well. (because the ceiling would be already painted or wallpapered).
Because of the overlap, you will not see a gap between the pieces of wallpaper in the back. You can also see clearly whether the pattern goes smoothly into the sidewall. When you encounter a door or window opening, just overlap it with the wallpaper. The same procedure goes for the opposite wall, which can have a different color.
Always let it dry well, do not touch it as long as it doesn’t stick well enough. When the miniature wallpaper is really dry, use a crafting knife to cut off any excessive pieces along with the doorway.
How to create color patterns for the walls of your dollhouse.
