Best Renter Friendly Wallpaper (we tested the 7 most popular)

Wallpaper is a great way to add personality to your home without spending too much time or money. There are tons of options out there, from classic designs to modern ones. Check out our top picks for removable wallpaper below.

If you just want to know which are best here you go:

Image	Product	Features	Price
Our Top Pick	Indigo Designs How well does it adhere to the wall? 10/10 How good does it look? 10/10 Is it durable? 10/10 Does it remove cleanly? 10/10	10	Go to Website
	Love vs Design How well does it adhere to the wall? 10/10 How good does it look? 10/10 Is it durable? 10/10 Does it remove cleanly? 10/10 The only reason Indigo beats it is because it wasn't quite as thick and easy to work with.	10	Go to Website
	Hygge & West How well does it adhere to the wall? 9.5/10 How good does it look? 10/10 Is it durable? 10/10 Does it remove cleanly? 10/10	9.8	Go to Website
Best Budget Friendly Wallpaper	Roommates How well does it adhere to the wall? 10/10 How good does it look? 9/10 Is it durable? 9/10 Does it remove cleanly? 10/10	9.5	Go to Website

Temporary Wallpaper is Ideal for Renters

If you’re looking for something that can be removed and replaced easily, then removable wallpapers are a perfect choice. They don’t require any special skills or tools to install, so they’re easy enough for renters to do themselves. You won’t have to worry about damaging walls or floors when removing them either, making sure you still get your deposit back.

We tested 7 different peel and stick wallpapers over 6 months and here are the results. 

The Wall Papers We Tested

Peel-and-stick wallpapers are ideal for renters because they’re easy to remove and replace. But what should you look for in a good one? Here’s how we tested seven different brands of peel-and-stick wallcoverings:

1. How well does it adhere to the wall?

2. How good does it look?

3. Is it durable?

4. Does it remove cleanly?

Now let’s talk about the brands we tried (by the way we purchased all our samples independently). After a bit of research we decided to try:

• Tempaper,
• Chasing paper,
• Roommates,
• Love vs Design,
• NuWallpaper (ordered through HomeDepot),
• Indigo Design Co,
• Hygge and West (we had a coupon for 3 free samples)

First Impressions

All of the samples came in a timely manner and the only one that was a bit bent was the NuWallpaper.

Love vs. Design

Came in beautiful packaging and had the largest samples. What is cool about Love & Design is that you can order any of their wall papers in a number of colors so it will be sure to match your home. 

Indigo Designs

The samples arrived in simple packaging, but one of the things I loved most is the canvas finish, it was by far the nicest and thickest wallpaper.

NuWallpaper

The sample was wrinkled by the time it got to me, though I did order it through Home Depot, and it was just a sample. However it felt thin and more like contact paper rather than wallpaper.

Hygge & West

It arrived in great flat lay packaging. I ordered 3 samples, two peel and stick, and one traditional to try a renter-friendly hack for applying traditional wallpaper. One of the samples did arrive with a bit of a wrinkle, but overall the samples were very nice.

Chasing Paper

This sample was the first to arrive (even though they were all ordered the same day). It came in a nice folder that kept the sample flat and wrinkle-free. 

Tempaper

This sample arrived just fine, there were no wrinkles and I was super excited to try it out because the paper is gorgeous, if a bit thin.

(No photo because it fell off the same night I put it up)

Roommates

Didn’t arrive with any fanfare but was in good shape. The overall quality once again felt similar to contact paper.

Applying the Removable Wallpaper

The wallpaper was applied February 2022. Because these we’re peel and stick I started by cleaning the walls.

I used a simple solution of hot water and powdered tide to clean the walls and then let them dry before applying the wallpaper. Keep in mind that the more textured your walls the more difficult it will be to get the wallpaper to stick.

My walls had what I would call a medium texture.

To apply the peel and stick wallpaper I just took off part of the backing and applied the paper to the wall. As I removed more of the backing I used a credit card to help me smooth out any air bubbles and prevent wrinkles. 

How the Wallpaper Holds Up After 6 Months

I kept the wallpaper up for six months, removing it in July 2022. Now I do want to make it clear, this wallpaper was put up inside a closet, that doesn’t see a ton of traffic or wear and tear, but here is how the different wallpapers held up.

Love vs Design 👍 

Held up really well, and is one of the samples that felt like wallpaper rather than contact paper or shelf liner. It’s very high quality and it’s nice that the options you pick for the samples are included on the samples so you aren’t trying to remember when you go to order.

Indigo Designs 👍

This was my favorite wallpaper due to the fact that it has a great texture to it so you didn’t see the texture of the wall come through like you do some of the others. It was also super thick, but even with that it, it held up on the wall great!

NuWallpaper 👌

While it held up well without any peeling at the corners, overall I just didn’t like the quality of the sample. You can see the texture of the wall through it and it seems like it wasn’t any different than regular contact paper.

Hygge & West 👍

Overall it held up really well, as you can see in the photos, one corner did start to peel up a bit, but to be fair it was on an angled/ceiling wall so gravity was against it. As for the paper it is good quality though I liked the quality of Indigo Design better.

Chasing Paper 👎

Sadly, this started to peel shortly after applying it to the wall. However, it never completely came off, it held on for the entire time.

Tempaper 👎

This was by far the most disappointing because I loved the design! Unfortunately, it didn’t even manage to stay up for a week, it fell down less than 12 hours after it got put on the wall.

Roommates 👌

It help up well even though it was on the angled wall, none of the corners started peeling, and it looked nicer than I thought it would when I got it out the package.

Does it Remove Cleanly?

While looking good and lasting on your walls is important. As a renter, it doesn’t matter if you can’t remove it without losing your security deposit. So now for the moment of truth, after six months, do they peel off clean?

I just peeled them off, no heating them or anything else. 

Love vs Design

Yes! Both samples came off cleanly and were super easy to take down. 10/10.

Indigo Designs

Yes!, While it took a little more pull to get it off, I think it was because of how thick and sturdy the paper was, it still came off completely clean leaving no damage behind. 10/10.

NuWallpaper

Yes, it came of easy peasy, no residue left behind. 10/10

Hygge & West

Yes, both samples came off the walls with no issues and left behind a clean surface. 10/10

Chasing Paper

Yes, but given that it had already started peeling, there wasn’t much left to detach from the walls. 

Tempaper

It fell off clean the first day, so technically yes?

Roommates

Yes, it comes off clean, no problems. 10/10

Is the Liquid Starch Hack for Wallpaper Actually Renter Friendly?

When researching wallpaper for renters, I came across a hack to apply non-pasted traditional wallpaper to the wall using liquid starch. 

Fortunately, I had a non-pasted sample from Hygge & West (it’s gorgeous and not available as a peel and stick). So could this hack get around the fact that not all designs come in a removable form?

Yes and no.

I also had some non-pasted paintable wallpaper that I also applied using cornstarch. 

The Hygge & West sample I was able to remove pretty easily, it pulled off but ripped a bit leaving a few pieces behind. Those pieces were easy to remove on their own.

However, the paintable wallpaper was not so fortunate. While most of the Hygge & West sample came off in one piece, the paintable wallpaper did not. It left behind a lot more bits and pieces, which are tedious to peel off. Though it hasn’t caused any damage to the wall.

So while this method will work for some wallpapers, if you can afford the kind that is designed to be removable, I’d go with that it’s a lot easier and less time-consuming.

Final Results

Indigo Designs get my pick for best overall, the quality of the paper was the best and in my opinion, looked the nicest, it was just as easy to apply as the others and it came off cleanly.

Then I would say it’s a tie between Hygee & West and Love vs Design, both went on great, looked fantastic, and lasted well.

Roommates and NuWallpaper would be next, they work but there wasn’t anything wow about them, they are however a more budget-friendly option.

Sadly, I can’t recommend either Chasing Paper or Tempaper, as much as I wanted to because they have some incredible designs. Sadly the wallpaper just wouldn’t stay put.

Frequently Asked Questions about Temporary Wallpaper

If you’ve still got some questions about using peel and stick wallpaper, we’ve answered the most common questions below!

How do you use removable wallpaper?

Once you decide on your wallpaper, you’ll want to be sure to clean the surface before attempting to apply it to the wall.

The trickiest part is getting the paper to hang straight and line up along the wall. But the thicker the wall paper (like Indigo Designs) the easier it will be to apply.

The thinner the more difficult because it will act like contact paper. And if you’ve ever tried to apply contact paper, you know what a pain it can be.

Start at the top and work your way down, smoothing out as you peel the backing off, at the bottom use a razor or box cutter along with a strait edge to cut it. 

Then align with the piece already on the wall and use the same method to cut any excess off the top and bottom.

Continue until the wall is covered.

Can you use peel and stick wallpaper in the bathroom?

Yes! Peel & Stick Wallpaper is a great way to add some fun and whimsy to any room. It’s easy to apply and remove, so it’s perfect for bathrooms, kids’ rooms, bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and anywhere else you want to inject some personality into the space.

But it’s important to note that it will hold up best so long as there is a fan or window to keep excessive humidity at bay. 

Is Removable Wallpaper Really Removable?

Of all the brands we tried, yes, they all came off cleanly and we had the samples up for about 6 months just to make sure. Each sample came off clean, leaving zero damage.

Can You Put Wallpaper in a Rented Apartment?

Yes, so long as you get wallpaper that is designed to be removable. It’s perfect to create an accent wall (or do an entire room) in a rented apartment.

Especially since it can come in so many different designs from floral patterns and geometric prints and many more. So don’t let being a renter stop you from a wallpaper project, you can find a temporary wallpaper design that you’ll love with lots of affordable options available.