Uncomfortable with white walls

April 20, 2009 5:56 PM

NewApartmentFilter: Decorating walls without painting or damaging the current paint job.

My new apartment has been recently renovated and the landlord has a strict 'no holes in the walls, no painting" policy. I'd like to move beyond the obvious choice of 'posters and sticky tack' for wall decor, though.

It's a good thing vinyl wall stickers are so popular right now, since they're usually removable with no residue (I hope). I found a good set of links here, but by all means, post more here that you like.

What I really need are some links to the best non-damaging (to the paint job) wall hooks out there. I want to use them for holding up lightweight lighting. I'm told there are suction hooks that will work on this paint job -- a tenant in another of the landlord's apartments is using one to hold up a paper lantern (with electric cord), but I haven't come across them in stores yet. This post would have been good except the links within are expired. Are there any attractive suction wall hooks out there, btw?

And by all means, give me more options that I haven't thought about yet!

posted by lizbunny to Home & Garden (15 answers total)

3M makes sticky wall hooks which I have found to be excellent to hold things up (up to about 5lb for the large ones) - they sell them at most Staples. They have never damaged the paint if put on and taken off properly; the only paint we have had damaged by them was very poorly put on (there were airbubbles underneath it).

Do you have picture rails in your apartment? They can be excellent for suspending wall hangings. We have decorated apartments with patterned cloth suspended by sticky hooks or from a picture frame.
posted by jb at 6:16 PM on April 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Command Hooks by 3M are pretty neat. They're easily removed and leave no residue. The different hook sizes are rated for different weights, and it's important to follow those recommendations. These might work for your purposes.

Or, what jb said.
posted by heathergirl at 6:21 PM on April 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: this landlord of mine is pushing neurotic though, said specifically we're only allowed to have the suction hook ones... I'm not willing to push the matter, either. But thanks :)
posted by lizbunny at 6:23 PM on April 20, 2009

Response by poster: on review, wow those are neat, heathergirl... maybe if i get some and show him he'll be ok with it. who knows. But just in case, I'd still like some other alternatives.
posted by lizbunny at 6:26 PM on April 20, 2009

Thirding the 3M command hooks. I'm using them for my wall clock, oven mitts, etc., and they work extremely well. The clock has been hanging just fine for 7 months. They're ubiquitous around here. Staples, Wal-Mart, Canadian Tire, etc.
posted by Decimask at 6:42 PM on April 20, 2009

Difficult landlord. Ick.

What about getting some of those folding room divider things, putting them up close to the wall, and then decorating those?

Or, and this might look a bit odd, but it could work, a board which is cut to fit and carefully wedge into place between the floor and ceiling (maybe with something to protect the ceiling paint job), and then you can put actual picture hangers into that?

I guess, my suggestions will all center on not actually attaching anything to the walls at all, but instead creating your own surfaces up against the walls to use.
posted by hippybear at 6:43 PM on April 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Here are some suction cup hooks from the Container Store, but I think they'd work better on something smoother than a wall. Most walls have a little texture that would prevent a really good suction seal. It might work better if you wet the cup slightly before slapping it on.

I've never seen any that aren't clear and boring like those, but maybe they're out there somewhere.
posted by rmless at 6:49 PM on April 20, 2009

Best answer: Get open backed ladder bookcases, and lean pictures on the top shelves. Example; example. I have several of the second kind, and love them. But there are lots out there.
posted by kestrel251 at 7:13 PM on April 20, 2009 [2 favorites]

Here's a better image.
posted by kestrel251 at 7:14 PM on April 20, 2009

I guess, my suggestions will all center on not actually attaching anything to the walls at all, but instead creating your own surfaces up against the walls to use.
posted by hippybear at 6:43 PM on April 20 [1 favorite -] Favorite added! [!]

I agree with hippybear's angle, and thought of these apple ladders I saw in Country Home magazine (March/April '09). I think they're very cute, if a bit pricey for what you get. You could hang printed napkins or fancy patterned paper from it and it would look very sweet.

You can also get posters/prints nicely framed and lean them against the wall. I discovered this when I got a poster framed, brought it home, and neglected to hang it. Now I quite like the way it looks leaning against the wall. A bit eccentric, but unexpected touches are what makes your home yours.

Or, your apartment yours.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 7:36 PM on April 20, 2009

printed napkins

I meant tablecloth napkins, but now that I think of it, printed disposable napkins could work, too. Best thing about having limitations imposed on you is that it forces you to be more creative. Have fun in your new apartment going off-script.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 7:43 PM on April 20, 2009

I was thinking that you could get some large pieces of salvaged wood (or doors! windows!) - Craigslist is a good place for this, or an architectural salvage yard - paint it pretty, and lean it up against empty walls as a big art piece. You could put rubber at the bottom to prevent slippage.
posted by radioamy at 7:45 PM on April 20, 2009

Best answer: The IKEA curtain panels can be mounted with the hooks that you mention (if you don't mind small holes in the panel) and they are very lightweight. They can look fantastic on a white wall.
posted by jeanmari at 8:09 PM on April 20, 2009

Best answer: I've heard you can attach fabric to walls with starch and remove it later, but I haven't tried it.
posted by chiraena at 6:56 PM on April 21, 2009

Response by poster: I'm impressed with the alternatives the mefites have offered, really. Kudos for innovation here. I have such a tiny space tho, I don't want to further encroach upon that space with large objects - the ladder shelving can at least can be dual functioning tho. But terrific ideas nontheless. In my own place in the future, i will have picture rails.
posted by lizbunny at 9:41 PM on April 22, 2009 [1 favorite]