Luxury wallpaper and paint manufacturers Farrow & Ball got in contact with me to see if I wanted to start upcycling a wardrobe with wallpaper from their new wallpaper collection. It just so happened that I actually had a disaster of a wardrobe in one of my rooms, so this was the perfect chance to give it a makeover. The wallpaper I chose was a grey and white paisley pattern at £95 per roll. Can you put wallpaper on wardrobe doors? Read on to see my upcycled wardrobe with wallpaper.

We’ve also updated this for 2025 to cover frequently asked questions on how to upcycle a wardrobe with wallpaper, as well as a look at the best patterned wallpapers out there for doing this with. If you’re ready to get started with your project, read on…

Upcycling a Wardrobe With Wallpaper FAQs

What type of paper should I use to upcycle a wardrobe?

I’d recommend you use either a thick, quality wallpaper that’s not going to crease, or thinner wrapping paper that you can decoupage and layer pieces of top of each other. These are the two options that are the easiest time and effort-wise to upcycle a wardrobe with wallpaper or wrapping paper. I’d also recommend a busy pattern, where it’s not easy to see whether joined up pieces match / continue the print in the right place or not.

Where to find a wardrobe to upcycle?

By far the cheapest option is to got to a charity shop that has furniture. Here you’ll be able to pick up a wardrobe for next to nothing. The only consideration with this is that you’ll need to get it home yourself, so factor-in potential van hire costs. Another option is to buy a wardrobe from somewhere cheap like Ikea or Wayfair. However, you might need to build it yourself first. This does defeat the purpose of breathing life into a extinct piece of old furniture, but if you’re just wanting to create an original piece, this could be the option for you. Either way, avoid those shiny coated MDF ones – choose instead one that you can sand for better paper adhesion.

How much will it costs to upcycle a wardrobe with wallpaper?

This all depends on where you source your wardrobe from, and where you source your paper from. There are lots of low-cost options (discussed above) and there are also spendier options, should you choose a luxury wallpaper, for example.Think about why you are doing this project and how much you can genuinely afford to spend. There are options for every budget.

How To Upcycle a Wardrobe With Wallpaper Step-by-Step

Step 1 – Start by removing what is left of the existing wardrobe’s handles and locks. If you can’t fix a broken lock like this one and the wardrobe doesn’t stay shut on its own, get thinking of an alternative way to close it. I opted for winding some ribbon round two new handles.

Step 2 – Can you put wallpaper on wardrobe doors? Yes! Farrow & Ball sent their own wallpaper paste; but I opted to use PVA glue to apply the paper, which I bought from B&Q for £4.98. I did this as I didn’t want to have to sand the gloss off of the wardrobe surface (I hate sanding and find it akin to nails on a blackboard).

Step 3 – I also wanted to be able to apply a layer of PVA over my newly applied Farrow & Ball wallpaper to dust-proof, water-proof and generally just protect my new upcycled wardrobe with wallpaper. Be careful though – using PVA instead of wallpaper paste means you can’t fix mistakes. You can’t move the wallpaper about as much once you’ve applied it, to correct the position or smooth out creases. This left me with some creases!

Upcycling Wardrobe With Wallpaper Tricks

Trick – I used the PVA glue neat (straight out of the tin) to apply the paper. This gave it a really strong bond. Papering the wardrobe this way used up three quarters of my 250ml can of glue. I then diluted the remaining quarter (four parts glue, 1 part water). This was to use as a shiny protectant wash over the wallpaper. I just used a regular large paint brush to do all of this.

Step 4 – Finally, once it had all dried, I used a little bit of neat PVA glue that was left in the tin’s lid to stick on two handles that I had also bought at B&Q for £1.98 each. I then got some ribbon from my stationery box to wrap round the handles. To create an upcycled wardrobe with wallpaper, you need the correct tools and glue. Then you need more patience than I did to apply the wallpaper without the creases that I got.

Trick – Choose a wallpaper that’s of a thick, high-quality like Farrow & Ball. This will ensure your creation lasts longer and also creases less.

I’m really happy with how it turned out, despite the creases. I was able to breathe a new lease of life into what was once an eye-sore. I hope you took some inspiration from this upcycling a wardrobe with wallpaper post.

Best Wallpapers in 2025 to Upcycle a Wardrobe with Wallpaper

Vintage Peacock Multi Wallpaper, £14.99 per roll, Nobletts

Laura Ashley Gosford Cranberry Wallpaper, £45.02 per roll, Decor Warehouse

Albany Distinctive Marble Emerald Green Wallpaper, £9.79 per roll, Wallpaper Direct

Dunelm Arts and Crafts Floral Wallpaper, £11.20 per roll, Dunelm

Envy oopsy Daisy Blue/Lilac/Tangerine Floral Wallpaper, £45.99 per roll, Frasers

Crown Woodland Wallpaper Duck Egg, £13.99 per roll, Bedding & Beyond

Joules Twilight Ditsy Green Floral Wallpaper, £48 per roll, Joules

Debona Liquid Spill Marble Pink & Gold Wallpaper, £11.99 per roll, Livora

Daydreamer Wallpaper in Vintage Pink & Olive, £50 per roll, Lust Home

For more inspiration, checkout upcycled wardrobes with wallpaper on Pinterest.