Need a decor upgrade? Don't underestimate wallpaper

The pros and cons of Peel & Stick Wallpaper rolls

Although the flash shows the flaws, my fuse box is smoother looking in person. (Photo credit: Shamontiel L. Vaughn)

When I did an initial walk-through to buy my condo unit, one of the first things the inspector warned me about was windowless bathrooms. My childhood home had a bathroom with a window that we always kept open with a screen, but none of my apartment rentals (or condominium rental) had windows. That meant humidity was always going to be a problem, especially for hot and steamy showers. This was the first bathroom I bought with a ceiling vent, but still, he warned me that the paint could start to crack or stain if I didn’t get in the habit of using the vent. I nodded, assuring him that I would. I lied. Almost three years later, I gawked at a browning spot on the ceiling where clean beige paint should’ve been. I forget to turn that vent on all the time.

I already paint for fun, so buying a bucket of paint and a roller brush seemed like the most obvious solution. I stared at that spot every time I stepped into my shower. But I had a bigger bone to pick with my place. I have always hated the ugly gray fuse box in the hallway and the silvering medicine cabinet in the bathroom. The latter was due to excess moisture before I bought my place, and the manufacturers no longer sold replacement mirrors. The dingy fuse box was also a pre-move-in flaw that I immediately covered with paintings, posters and calendars so no one could see it. Between these three do-it-yourself (DIY) projects—and free time on my hands over the holidays—I knew I could tackle buying supplies for at least one job.

Little did I know that Peel & Stick Wallpaper would do the trick on all three!