Interior
Stripping Away Twenty Years
A room that served us well for more than twenty years begins its next chapter.
Over the last couple years we've noticed that the wallpaper in the living room was starting to show a little wear, mostly at the seams. It still looked pretty good if you weren't paying attention, but not noticing was getting harder. Time to do something about it! Let's get into it.
Saying Goodbye to Tuscany
The wallpaper went up back in 2004, when we feel in love with everything Tuscan, and decided we wanted a kind of Tuscan feel for the living room. It didn't take long to find just the right wallpaper for the job... so we went with Wallquest's Sunny Tuscany
Which gave us a beautiful, if not sometimes dark, cozy living room for a quarter of a century!
Awww, and there's ol' Linus, we sure miss him still!
Anyway, looking back, I don't regret that choice for a second. Like so many people in the early 2000s, we were captivated by warm Tuscan colors, rich earth tones, and cozy interiors. It suited both the era and our tastes at the time. Houses evolve because the people living in them evolve, and this room has simply reached the point where it's ready for its next chapter. That's one of the things I enjoy most about an old house, it never really stands still.
Emptying the Room
The first order of business was to take as much as we could out of the living room. Some went out on the front porch, and some into the dining room.
I kinda missed not having a big indoor project, so this was fun! Anyway, once almost everything was out, for only the second time since we've been at 173, a bit of echo could be heard in this space!
Queue Burlesque Music
And just like that - it was time to strip! I went in thinking wallpaper removal would be pretty straightforward: score it, soak it, scrape it off.
Painting your home isn’t just about changing the color of the walls... it’s about reshaping the way you feel when you walk into a room. - Anonymous
Armed with a scoring tool and a bottle of wallpaper stripper, we tackled the first wall with cautious optimism. We started out by scoring the wallpaper...
Then spraying wallpaper stripper and waited for it to do its magic.
At that point, I fully expected the paper to come off easily and the process to move along at a steady pace. BUT...as is always the case with stripping wallpaper, the process is tedious: soak, wait, struggle with removal, soak some more, wait... Frustrating!
And by the end of the first day, we almost had one wall finished.
However! Working Smarter
What started as a slow, frustrating project quickly turned into a lesson in working smarter, not harder. That first wall alone felt like it took forever, and by the end of it I was already dreading the rest of the living room. It was messy, tedious, and honestly a little discouraging.
However, in a moment of desperation (and procrastination), I watched a YouTube video that completely changed my approach. Instead of relying on scoring tools and chemical strippers, the video showed how to use a simple razor blade scraper to peel off the outer layer of the wallpaper first.
The difference was incredible. What had taken hours on the first wall took less than half the time for the remaining three. The process felt manageable, even satisfying, and definitely not something to dread anymore.
From there, a bucket of water and a damp sponge - wiping down the walls and letting that soak for just a few minutes, the glue scrubbed right off. No must no fuss!
Oh, and here's Charlie, looking out the window for an excuse to bark. Make good decisions Charlie!
Looking Ahead
Now that we’ve cracked the code, we’re no longer intimidated by wallpaper removal, which is perfect, because we have two more rooms lined up for updates. Instead of dreading the work, we’re actually looking forward to it.
In the next post - wall prep and painting. Here's a sneak peak:
Hey, thanks for stopping by - see ya' next time!
I started reading this post expecting another wallpaper-removal horror story, and for a few paragraphs I thought, "Yep... here we go."
Then something happened that almost never happens on DIY television.
You admitted the original plan wasn't working. That's what I appreciated most.
So many tutorials pretend the first method always succeeds, when anyone who's actually stripped wallpaper knows the first hour usually consists of questioning every life decision that led to holding a spray bottle and scraper. The fact that you found a better technique, admitted it, and explained how much time it saved makes this post genuinely useful.
I also liked that you didn't criticize the old room. Too many makeover posts treat previous decorating choices as embarrassing mistakes. Yours acknowledged that the Tuscan look served your family well for more than twenty years before simply saying, "It's time."
That feels honest.
Homes aren't museums. They're snapshots of who we were at different moments in our lives. This post isn't about tearing out the past—it's about making room for the future, while still appreciating everything that came before. And somehow, that makes scraping wallpaper feel surprisingly meaningful. - A Recovering Wallpaper Veteran
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you remove wallpaper without damaging drywall?
The key is patience. Removing the decorative outer layer first allows water to penetrate the backing and soften the adhesive. Gentle scraping combined with repeated soaking minimizes the risk of gouging the drywall beneath.
Is wallpaper remover necessary?
Not always. While commercial wallpaper removers can help, many homeowners find that warm water, a sponge, and enough soaking time work just as well once the wallpaper's outer layer has been removed.
Should wallpaper always be scored first?
Not necessarily. Some wallpapers separate more easily if the decorative layer is peeled away first. Scoring can still be useful in certain situations, but it's worth testing a small area before committing to one method.
How long does it take to remove wallpaper?
It depends on the wallpaper, adhesive, and wall condition. The first room often takes the longest because you're learning the process. Once you find the right technique, subsequent walls usually go much faster.
Is wallpaper coming back in style?
Yes. Wallpaper has made a significant comeback, with modern patterns ranging from traditional florals to bold contemporary designs. Many homeowners are also choosing removable wallpapers, although traditional papers remain popular for long-term installations.
Keywords
living room remodel, wallpaper removal, removing wallpaper, DIY wallpaper removal, House 173, living room update, Wallquest Sunny Tuscany, interior renovation, old house makeover, wallpaper stripping