Paper It Fun!

Good news for anyone wanting the high quality original Village version of Paper Illusions faux finish wallpaper. You can get a really good deal on several versions, including Hearthstone Illusion, Script Illusion and Olympus Stone. There are several colors available and they are only $20 per box! These clearance sale prices will get a Paper Illusions project done on the cheap. The quantities are limited and so is the sale duration. Grab these discontinued patterns up while you can, once they are gone, they are gone for good.

Links to the clearance sale items:

5812298 Script Cobalt Blue-$20 per box!

5812299 Script Harvest Gold-$20 per box!

LW132600 Olympus Stone Charcoal-$20 per box!

5815426 Hearthstone Bubblegum Pink-$20 per box!

5815427 Hearthstone Ocean Blue-$20 per box!

5815431 Hearthstone Aquamarine Blue-$20 per box!

Here is an article that explains what has been going on with the Paper Illusions product line including Village (which has been recently discontinued by the manufacturer). It also provides links to where you can buy Village versions of Paper Illusions. It offers both mini-rolls and full boxes of the hard to find discontinued Paper Illusions by Village.

article excerpt:

“You may be among the many Paper Illusions enthusiasts that are wondering just what in the world is going on lately. This article is written to bring you up to speed on the latest developments in the Paper Illusions product line.”

link to full article:
You Have Found the Original Paper Illusions Wallpaper By Village

As of June 23, 2010 we have reached a new point in the history of the Paper Illusions family of products. As you may be aware, the product has become available in a new line that includes 24 new and retooled patterns and colors. These fly under the banner of Imperial Wallcoverings. The older Village versions, originally available in 85 square feet rolls, are now completely discontinued by the manufacturer. Many of these patterns are still on the market and available at various internet and brick-and-mortar retailers.

The recently discontinued patterns include:
Script Cobalt Blue 5812298
Script Harvest Gold 5812299
Script Green Apple 5815130
Travertine Red and Gold 5813184
Hearthstone Sunset 5815425
Hearthstone Bubble Gum 5815426
Hearthstone Aquamarine 5815427
Hearthstone Sky Blue 5815428
Hearthstone Aquamarine 5815431
Hearthstone Camouflage LW132602
Olympus Stone Charcoal LW132600

If you anticipate needing any of these colors, it may be wise to grab these patterns up while they are still readily available. They will certainly become as scare as the patterns that have been discontinued for a while. We certainly will miss the original Village versions of Paper Illusions faux finish wallpaper. The good news is that there should be good deals to be had on these discontinued Paper Illusions patterns, at least for a little while.

Jeni sent me the following pictures this morning, and I am so amazed at the creativity behind them. Take a look:

“These are of my kitchen done with terra cotta and carmel with border created by tracing a pattern I had and sticking them up. I added little pics in the border from a scrapbooking punch. Came out better than I imagined…

Hand Crafted Wall Border Using Paper Illusions

Lampshade Decorated with PaperIllusion and Punches

More Creative Cut Outs to Embellish Walls

“…Last pic is of kokopelli guys I made and used for “art” in a bathroom [ed. using Tuscan Red and Camoflage]…

Paper Illusion Wall Art

“…I already had left over paper, so the price was right. I did something similar in the adjoining master bedroom over the bed. If you would be interested in more, let me know. I’ve done 4 different rooms, each with different a color combination and a different look. This stuff is really fun and talk about instant gratification!! I did faux painting in my living room and, although it turned out well, it took forever and got pretty messy and expensive. This house had nothing but white walls when I moved in last year. I couldn’t take it any more. When I was growing up my mom painted every walll “eggshell white” because my dad was a professional army man and we moved a lot. Easier to sell a house that others can move into without changing a lot. Now I’m making up for lost time and having a blast.”

This seems like these kind of projects might be for “creative” types only, but I can tell you…it is so easy. If you can tear paper, stick it in water and apply it to a flat surface (that has been cleaned and primed), then you can hang Paper Illusion. Then, in this case if you can cut out pictures (either from a scrapbook punch, a stencil or some other template), dip them in water and apply over the PaperIllusioned surface, then you can create art like this!

Grab a copy of The Paper Illusions Guide and see how easy it is to work with Paper Illusions, browse Paper It Fun! to get some creative ideas and get started on your own decorating project right away.

DJ wrote: “I finished my faux fireplace using paper illusions ( french vanilla ) for the trim and mantel. It brought this 1970’s fireplace back to life ! It was in the basement collecting dust, now it’s looking stylish in my bedroom.”

Before PaperIllusion & Paint:

After PaperIllusion & Paint:

Wow! Absolutely stunning. Here’s how it was done in DJ’s own words…

I used the same applications as you would doing a counter or sink. After cleaning, I first primed with the wallpaper primer, then I used French Vanilla Paper Illusions to cover the plastic mantel, the metal trim and metal screen on the bottom. Then after drying a few days I put a couple coats of minwax water based polycrylic on. I then painted the faux brick fireplace an off white color to bring the 1970’s fireplace into modern times. It looks elegant and brand new and I’m very pleased with the results!

You can do it, too! Grab a copy of The Paper Illusions Guide, see how easy it is to work with Paper Illusions and get started on a decorating project right away.

Q. “I would love to cover above the sink in a brick pattern. Does PI offer this? or is there a way to use it to make it look that way?”

We get this question from time to time, but I don’t have many examples of it being done. One way you can accomplish this look is by painting a wall whatever “grout” color you would like. In the case below, Laura used black. Then tear or cut the PaperIllusion into brick/stone shapes and apply to the wall with some space between each piece, allowing the grout color to show through.

You can do it haphazardly as demonstrated above, or you can be more precise, laying it out in rows like a true brick wall.

What do you think?

If you’ve tried something like this, please tell us about it!

Q. Can you do the inside of the sink also with the Paper Illusion?

When I first received this question in November 2006, I was stumped…I never really considered this. I recommended more research before diving into that project, but I didn’t expect to see this done.

Then, with all the countertop projects folks have submitted here, I found that question kept popping up again and again. Well, Judy decided to give it a go and here’s her end result:

Wow! She will have to tell you how she did it. While this looks fantastic, I have to give a huge disclaimer here before everyone starts paperillusioning their sinks…

NOTE OF CAUTION: This project was just recently done (January 2009). It has not withstood the test of time. I do not know how it will weather being saturated with water on a regular basis. I’d love to hear future updates as to how this project fairs over the long haul. Remember, while this stuff is amazing, it is still paper…it is not marble. Proceed with this project at your own risk.

With that aside, Congratulations, Judy on a beautiful transformation and thank you so much for sending us your pictures! Please share how you specifically did this and give the pros and cons. I know many folks are interested in how to do something like this.

See more counter top projects using Paper Illusions and get inspired!

The following pictures were submitted by Judy Moore this afternoon (Thanks, Judy - Absolutely stunning)…

COUNTERTOP BEFORE PAPER ILLUSIONS

COUNTERTOP AFTER PAPER ILLUSIONS

Hard to believe it’s wallpaper, huh. Paper Illusions is amazing stuff and yes, you can do it, too! Grab a copy of The Paper Illusions Guide and see how quickly and easily you can transform your bathroom counter (and other surfaces, too)…without spending a fortune.

“Hi Carrie ! I just wanted to share the fantastic results with everyone. Feel free to use them on the site…”

“…I will be doing more projects with paperillusions in the near future. The PI Guide was very helpful. Thanks ! DJ

You can do it, too! Check out The Paper Illusions Guide and get started on your counter top right away.

“I just recently received my order of Hearthstone Sky Blue, it is just as beautiful as I pictured it. I had a blast doing my living room. As you can see in the pictures I went from living in the 1940s to 2008 in just a couple of days. I had to peel off the top layer of wallpaper and the underlying layer was huge avocado and gold flowers. That wallpaper was glued directly to the plasterboard, no way to remove…”

BEFORE PAPER ILLUSIONS: WALLPAPER GLUED TO PLASTERBOARD

“…I primed it and got busy with paper illusions, it went up flawlessly, beautiful…”

DURING PAPER ILLUSIONS

AFTER PAPER ILLUSIONS

“…I intend to do the entire house, bathroom, kitchen (including the painted cabinets and counter). I am very excited about this product, I am recommending it to everyone I know! Thank You, Kathy Venn”

Learn how easy it is to transform your walls with PaperIllusion™. Grab The Paper Illusions Guide and start taking your Before pictures today.