Forget Wallpaper And Paint - Try This Clever Design Trick To Transform Your Walls

Want to give some areas in your house a refresh but don't know where to start? A great way to breathe new life into any room is by updating the walls with new designs or colors. However, wallpaper and paint can be both time-consuming and costly, depending on how much you need for the space. So, what if there was a way to add fresh interest to your walls with one simple hack? Well, according to @sohltrain on TikTok, there is!

This content creator recently garnered praise for her simple and eye-catching hack, which only requires three items in total and can be done in minutes. Typically, people use stencils on furniture or walls to paint unique designs. In this hack, though, we see that they can alternatively be used with spackle to create a brilliant 3-dimensional design. By placing a stencil against the wall and spreading the spackle over it, she then peels the stencil off and is left with a unique, attractive design that adds visual interest to her space. But how can you try this hack out for yourself?

You will want to begin this hack by selecting a stencil design. The original video shows a few different floral patterns that can be used to create a whimsical, boho-style wall decor. However, with the range of stencils available, the possibilities are endless as to which motif you might want to add to your walls, from geometric patterns to animal shapes. Next, plan out where you'd like the designs to be. You may even want to do a quick sketch on the wall with a pencil to help you visualize the layout and make sure you are happy with the positioning before moving on.

Then, choose your spackle. This product can be found at a variety of home renovation stores and is relatively inexpensive, such as this spackle from The Paint Store which is $3.68 for ½ pint. The creator of the video uses a spackle that matches her wall color, but if you'd like your stencil designs to stand out even more, you could always opt for an off-white version or even add in a little acrylic paint to turn it into any color you want. Just remember that adding in paint will make the spackle more watery, so it is a good idea to let it air dry to its original thickness so that it doesn't run when applied to the wall. Finally, hold the stencil against your wall and spread the spackle over it using a palette scraper or flat-edged object. Then simply peel the stencil away and allow the spackle to dry completely.

This creative DIY can be used in a variety of ways throughout your home. By using a unique geometric stencil, you can add a level of interest to a small bathroom or help make your maximalist living room larger than life. Alternatively, you can add in an array of bright shades to add a pop of color to a child's bedroom walls or even on the ceiling to draw the eye upward and increase the feeling of space in a room. Or, if you're keen to go for a softer, more low-contrast look, why not use a nature-inspired repeating pattern like this stencil from Stencil Lab to add a subtle, 3-dimensional element to your space.

This hack is also incredibly versatile as it can be used on a variety of wall, as long as they are relatively flat with no popcorn effect or excessive unevenness. In addition, spackle is relatively easy to remove from walls by either wetting it down and scraping it off or adding a skim coat over top. This means that if you change your mind on the design or want to switch it up, the process is much easier than if you had wallpapered the entire surface. Just keep in mind that scraping spackle may affect the wall's surface and any paint underneath, so this should be done carefully.