For fresh new looks, follow the wallpaper trail

If you’re a wall-covering commitment-phobe (or a renter), breathe easy. A wave of stylish removable prints makes it a snap to add personality to any room — and to switch things up on a whim.

Pick a room ...

Single out a surface — a small bathroom, for example — order some panels and get ready to unroll.

Wonder walls

Whatever decorating vibe you’re going for — soft and elegant or bright and graphic — get it with one of these artful peel-and-play papers, which deliver style by the square foot. (Clockwise in photo, from top left)

1. Hot spots: Dappled gold dots are as cheerful as confetti. Devine Color Speckled Dot wallpaper, in Karat, $30 for a 20-inch-by-16.5-foot roll, target.com.

2. Luxe leaves: The striking palette makes this retro botanical print modern. Frond Silhouette wallpaper, in Carbon, $78 for a 27-inch-by-27-foot roll, anthropologie.com.

3. Different strokes: Sun-washed stripes feel laid-back and beachy. Chasing Paper by Rebecca Atwood Stripes wallpaper, in Tangerine, $40 for a 2-by-4-foot panel, chasingpaper.com

4. Shifting shapes: Kaleidoscopic patterns create a pop-art effect. Timothy Sue Coconino wallpaper, in Sand, from $120 for a 2-by-9-foot panel, timothysue.com.

5. Boho blues: Indigo ikat wakes up any room. Boheme Indigo wallpaper, $38 for a 20-inch-by-5-foot panel, wallsneedlove.com.

6. Chic scales: This lustrous scalloped paper looks practically hand-painted. Genevieve Gorder for Tempaper Collection wallpaper, in Brass Belly Old World Brass Metallic, $125 for a 20.5-inch-by-11-yard roll, tempaper.com.

How-to instructions

▪ Clean cloth

▪ Measuring tape

▪ Rolls of peel-off wallpaper

▪ Scissors

▪ Squeegee or straight edge

▪ Utility knife

1. Using a clean, damp cloth, wipe down the surface you want to cover; let dry completely.

2. Measure the surface, adding 2 inches of excess to the length. Unroll the wallpaper and measure, mark and cut it to size. Lay out the next piece and carefully align its pattern with the first, then measure and cut it. Repeat with the remaining pieces.

3. Peel off 8 to 12 inches of backing at the top of the first piece. Align the edge at the top of the surface and press to adhere. Using your hand, a squeegee or a straight edge, smooth out any air pockets, starting at the center and working outward. Peel off more backing and continue pressing and smoothing the paper. Align the next piece so the pattern looks continuous; smooth onto wall. Repeat until finished.

4. Use a utility knife to trim and remove excess wallpaper at edges and baseboards.

To remove: Starting at a corner, firmly and slowly peel the paper up or down, keeping it parallel to the covered surface.

This story was originally published March 15, 2017 at 11:33 AM with the headline "For fresh new looks, follow the wallpaper trail."