12 Ingenious Cheap Tricks for Covering Walls on a Budget

Looking to give your home a mini makeover but don't want to spend a fortune? With some clever tricks, you can easily cover up boring or flawed walls without breaking the bank. From removable wallpaper to framed fabric, read on for 12 of our favorite ingenious and inexpensive wall covering ideas.

Covering lackluster walls doesn't have to drain your wallet. With a mix of DIY projects, affordable products, and creative hacks, you can upgrade the look of any room on a budget. Read on for thrifty ideas to disguise dull, damaged, or dated walls.

Peel and Stick Wallpaper

Peel and stick wallpaper, also known as self-adhesive wallpaper, offers an easy and affordable way to cover walls with beautiful patterns and textures. This removable wallpaper has an adhesive backing, eliminating the need for messy wallpaper glue. Simply measure the wall, cut the wallpaper to size, peel off the backing, and stick it on straight and smooth.

Peel and stick wallpaper comes in a wide variety of colors, prints, and textures to suit any design aesthetic. From bold graphic prints to delicate floral patterns, faux brick, wood looks, and more, you're sure to find a style you love. Many brands like NuWallpaper, RoomMates, and Tempaper offer peel and stick wallpaper rolls for under $30, making it a budget-friendly option.

Tips for Applying Peel and Stick Wallpaper

Follow these tips for a smooth, seamless application:

• Thoroughly clean the wall surface and remove any gloss or residue
• Measure the wall and cut the wallpaper to size, leaving an extra 1-2 inches for trimming
• Peel back 6-12 inches of backing at a time and use a smoother to adhere the paper to the wall
• Smooth out any bubbles or wrinkles as you go
• Use a sharp utility knife to trim off excess paper along baseboards or corners

The best part? When it's time for a change, peel and stick wallpaper easily removes without damaging the underlying wall.

Fabric Wall Coverings

Fabric offers an easy, inexpensive way to inject color, texture, and creativity into your space. To cover walls with fabric, start by taking measurements and cutting fabric panels a few inches wider and longer than your wall. Then, secure the fabric directly to the wall using liquid starch, a staple gun, furniture tacks, or adhesive velcro strips.

When selecting fabric, consider sturdy cottons, canvas, velvet, or upholstery fabrics that will hold up well on the wall. For extra visual interest, hang overlapping panels or fabrics with different prints and patterns. You can also mix up the fabric installation by hanging loose swathes of fabric, stretching fabric on a canvas frame, or framing it with trim or wooden slats. The options are endless!

Hanging Tapestries

Another way to cover walls with fabric is by hanging tapestries. These ornate wall hangings come in all types of colors and intricate designs. You can easily hang a tapestry on the wall with nails, command hooks, or a hanging rod. Look for tapestries made of thicker woven cotton or polyester blends for durability. Indian-style mandala tapestries are very on-trend and cost under $20 for a medium size.

Cork Board Panels

If you're looking for an earthy, natural look for your walls, cork is a perfect choice. Cork board panels provide warmth and texture while also being an eco-friendly and sustainable option. Made from the recycled bark of cork oak trees, these panels are durable, noise reducing, and add visual interest to any space.

Cork board panels come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, making them great for covering full walls or creating a unique accent wall. They are easy to install with panel adhesive or liquid nails. Prime the wall first for best adhesion. Natural cork provides a neutral backdrop that pairs well with many styles, from modern to bohemian.

You can find affordable cork board panels at stores like Home Depot and Wayfair for around $50-75 on average. They make a great DIY focal point without spending much.

Decorating with Cork

Get creative with your cork board wall using these fun decor ideas:

• Frame out a large corkboard with trim for a rustic gallery
• Alternate horizontal strips of painted wood and cork for contrast
• Stencil over cork board with patterns or inspirational quotes
• Pin up photos, mementos, lists, and other ephemera

Whiteboard Paint

For the ultimate functional wall on a budget, use whiteboard paint to turn any surface into a writeable and erasable chalkboard. Whiteboard paint has magnetic properties, so you can also display photos, lists, calendars, and more with magnets.

To create a whiteboard wall, start by sanding and priming the surface for the paint to properly adhere. Apply two to three coats of whiteboard paint, allowing it to dry thoroughly between coats. Top it off with a coat of whiteboard sealer to create a smooth finish. Kits from Rust-Oleum and other brands cost $30-$50 depending on the size of your wall.

Whiteboard walls are perfect for bedrooms, offices, kids' rooms, kitchens, and more. Let your creativity run wild while having fun decorating and customizing your unique writeable wall.

Photo Ledges

Photo ledges offer an artistic and affordable way to display treasured snapshots gallery-style rather than in frames. You can find ledges made from wood, acrylic, metal, or other materials. Attach them straight to the wall or on an angle.

When arranging your photo ledges, think outside the box. Overlap ledges at varying heights, stack them to create shelves for decor items, or alternate between ledges and framed art. You can find basic ledges for less than $10 each, making them a budget DIY statement.

Creating a Photo Ledge Gallery

Follow these tips for creating a flawless photo ledge wall:

• Map out the ledge placement on the wall with removable putty or tape
• Measure and mark where to install each ledge
• Use a level to keep ledges straight and evenly spaced
• Use the appropriate fasteners for your wall type when mounting
• Style the ledges with favorite snapshots, postcards, small prints, and trinkets

Temporary Wallpaper

Another budget-friendly option for covering walls is temporary, removable wallpaper. The three main types of temporary wallpaper include:

• Peel-and-stick: Backed with a light adhesive that peels off easily
• Removable: Uses paste but can be gently removed without damage
• Re-stickable: Reusable and repositionable with non-permanent adhesive

Many companies like Chasing Paper, NuWallpaper, and Spoonflower make peel-and-stick and removable wallpaper versions of their designs. The paper peels off without leaving residue behind. Use it to refresh the look of a rental, dorm room, or other temporary space on a budget.

Fabric Headboards

One way to make a basic bed feel luxe is by making a custom upholstered headboard. While professional upholstery can be pricey, you can easily make a fabric headboard affordably with simple DIY supplies.

Start by building a plywood frame sized to your mattress width and desired headboard height. Staple or glue batting to the frame, then stretch your favorite fabric over top, securing it with a staple gun. For a tufted look, use foam, buttons, and upholstery thread to create deep folds across the headboard.

Choose fabrics like canvas, cotton, velvet, or embroidered tapestries to make a dramatic headboard on a budget. Coordinate with your bedding or room colors for a pulled-together look.

Headboard Fabric Ideas

Consider using these budget-friendly fabric options:

• Drop cloths from a hardware store
• Curtains or sheets from a thrift store
• Scrap fabric from old clothing or upholstery
• Affordable tapestries

Painted Shapes and Patterns

Unleash your inner artist to create custom wall designs with simple painted shapes and patterns. All you need is painter's tape, acrylic craft paints, a paintbrush, and creativity. Use painter's tape to mask off geometric shapes like triangles, rectangles, diamonds, stripes, or interconnected lines for an abstract look.

Choose bold colors like navy, crimson, teal, or yellow to make the shapes pop. Paint the wall's base color first, then let it fully dry before taping up shapes. Use a small brush and acrylic craft paint to neatly fill in the shapes. Peel off the tape immediately after painting. Add metal art, wall shelves, or photos to complement your unique painted pattern.

DIY Paint Pattern Tips

• Plan out the pattern with pencil first if desired
• Apply painter's tape cleanly and firmly at edges
• Use acrylic paint with high adhesion for the best grip
• Start with the lightest colors first for easier layering
• Seal with polyurethane for added durability

Framed Fabric

For fun pops of color and texture, frame swaths of bold fabric in thrifted frames. This thrifty DIY idea allows you to switch up the wall decor easily whenever you tire of a fabric. Try framing fabric scraps, scarves, napkins, or swatches of other colorful materials.

Look for interesting fabrics like florals, geometrics, or abstract prints to make a graphic statement. Mix and match the fabric patterns and frame sizes and styles for lots of contrast. Group the framed fabric pieces together in a gallery wall or scatter them in groupings around the room.

Tips for Framing Fabric

• Use fabric glue or spray adhesive to secure fabric to cardboard
• Place cardboard-backed fabric inside frame and secure
• Opt for wide, lightweight frames that won't warp under fabric tension
• Hang fabric frames at eye level for optimal visibility

Painted Murals

If you want a full wall covering but don't love the idea of wallpaper, consider painting a mural. With some acrylic paint, brushes, and creativity, you can paint a landscape, geometric pattern, nature scene, or abstract design directly on the wall.

Look up mural ideas that fit your skill level. Trace basic outlines first with pencil and start painting the background colors first. Slowly work your way up to the most detailed elements. Use small brushes for precision. This artistic wall project can be done for the cost of some paint and supplies.

DIY Mural Tips

• Prime the wall first for better paint adhesion
• Plan the mural with sketches, inspiration pics, or projected outlines
• Outline the design lightly in pencil first
• Paint background colors using broad brushstrokes
• Fill in details with acrylic paint using small brushes

With a wide range of thrifty ideas, you can easily give drab walls a stylish facelift. Get creative with paint, fabric, wall decals, panels and more. In just a weekend, you can reinvent the look of a room.