Nancy Golden, host of DIY's Decorating and Design, demonstrates an option for a faux-leather look using brown kraft paper. This type of paper is available from most home stores and should cost just a few dollars for a 100-foot roll. Materials:
Brown kraft paper, large roll
Wallpaper adhesive and paste-brush
Wallpaper smoothing tool
Polyurethane
Brown acrylic paint
Paint brush
Rubber gloves
- Tear off pieces of kraft paper, varying the pieces in size and shape.
- Using a paste-brush, apply a base of wallpaper adhesive to an area of the wall about two feet square. (It's best to work on one small area at a time to avoid the adhesive drying as you work.) Wear rubber gloves to protect your skin from the adhesive.
- Lay torn pieces of paper in a random mosaic pattern, piecing them together like a puzzle to cover most of the surface (figure A). Select bigger pieces to form a bottom layer.
- With most of the area covered, add more adhesive over the bottom layer (figure B), then add more pieces of paper.
- Using a plastic smoother, eliminate wrinkles and make sure that the edges and corners are all adhered and flat (figure C). Continue adding layers of paper until the wall surface is completely concealed.
- Once you've covered the entire wall, prepare a glaze by mixing a small amount of brown acrylic paint into a can of polyurethane finish (figure D). Make certain that the ingredients are mixed thoroughly
- Apply a thick coat of the polyurethane glaze over the wallcovering.
The variation in shades resulting from the layering of paper makes for a nice patina effect. This finish is well suited for a room that utilizes warm, rich earth tones.
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