How to Decorate with Washi Tape

Eager to add some color to your home but don’t want to commit to a bold look long term? Or, maybe you can’t paint because you’re renting? Washi tape allows you to decorate without worry. You can use it to create wall art and picture frames, bedazzle kitchen cabinets, spruce up a ho-hum lampshade and more. And, when you tire of the look, you can simply peel it off without damaging the wall or any other surface.

What is washi tape?

Washi tape is a Japanese masking tape that comes in a variety of colors, patterns and designs. Since it takes its name from washi, a Japanese paper made from indigenous plants, it is sometimes referred to as Japanese paper tape. Although it’s primarily used in arts and crafts, washi tape also works well for home decorating.

Japanese washi tape is residue free, heat resistant and semi-water resistant. In fact, its waxy coating makes it difficult to write or stamp on. Because it is made out of paper, it is thinner than traditional masking tape and is slightly transparent, especially if you’re working with lighter colors.

Created by masking tape maker Kamoi Kakoshi Co., Ltd. for a group of women who wanted colorful craft tapes, washi tape was released to the public in 2008 under the brand names MT and MT Casa. You can purchase the original brand online, on eBay and at some craft stores.

Will it damage walls and surfaces?

Washi tape was specifically designed to be removable. You can add it to almost any surface, including walls, and remove it without damage. Just peel it slowly off the surface. Do not yank on it. Like any other masking tape, paint may come off if you yank the tape away, especially if the paint is old or chipping.

However, not all washi tape is created equal. Several companies now produce washi tape, and some of these may be more or less adhesive, especially those made in China. Washi tape made in China also can also sometimes leave residue on surfaces. Before using washi tape, test a small, inconspicuous area to ensure it doesn’t damage the wall in any way.

Decorating with washi tape

Washi tape comes in various widths, typically ranging from 7 millimeters (roughly 0.3 inches) to 50 millimeters (roughly 2 inches). Eighteen-inch and 9-inch adhesive sheets are also available. You can decorate using any size tape or sheet, but MT Casa rolls and sheets are specifically designed for home décor. Some MT Casa products even mimic the look of brick, marble and wood.

Here’s how you can use washi tape throughout your home to give it some easily-removable pizzazz.

Walls

If you are living in a rental or want some temporary color, you can spice up your walls with geometric designs, stripes or borders. You can even add washi sheets to a wall to mimic wall paper. (However, at $28 for a pack of three MT Casa 18-inch sheets, you’ll probably want to limit this to a small accent wall or area.) Feeling creative? Use washi tape to outline a cityscape on the wall or to create wall art, like jungle scene in the nursery.

You can also avoid nail holes by creating a photo gallery with washi tape. Instead of putting your photos in frames and hanging the frames on the wall, use washi tape to adhere your photo to the wall, then create a “frame” around the photo. When you’re ready to rearrange your photos, gently pull them and the washi tape around them off the wall and reapply.

Windows, doors and more

Spruce up blinds by adding washi tape to the slats or by decorating the wand so it stands out. You can also add a strip of washi tape across the headrail for some additional color. If you have curtains instead, use washi tape on the fabric to add a little visual bling. Simply apply the tape and for added adhesion lightly iron the it in place. When you want a different look, just pull the current washi tape from your curtains and replace it with a new design.

Washi tape can make your doors stand out, too. Add geometric designs, your child’s name to their room or even sheets to cover the entire face. For a more subtle look, tape along the door’s edge; the color will only be visible when the door is open.

Or, skip the door and highlight your wall plates. One washi sheet can cover several wall plates, or you can use multiple strips from a roll, depending on how wide your wall plate is and the look you are trying to achieve.

Furniture and accent pieces

Washi tape can makeover almost any piece of furniture. Add a strip to the edge of a shelving unit, resurface a table with it or liven a dresser with colorful patterns inside or along the sides of a drawer. You can breathe new life to a boring lampshade with tape embellishments or turn storage boxes into decorative pieces as well.

Your imagination is the only limit. And better yet, you don’t need to make a long-term commitment to your color scheme. Bored with the red tape on a vase? Buy a roll (or two) of green washi tape and replace the red with the green. It will give your furniture and accents a whole new look in no time with little effort.

Kitchens and bathrooms

You can make a bold statement with washi tape in kitchens and bathrooms or use it to add a splash of color on accent pieces. For more colorful approach, you can apply washi tape to the entire surface of cabinets and drawers or add bright patterns to them instead. Washi tape can also frame a mirror or trim a counter top.

Or, you can incorporate color in these rooms with washi tape-decorated accent pieces. Wrap the tape around a utensil jar in the kitchen or around a glass container filled with cotton balls in the bathroom. Washi tape can jazz up a tissue box, add style to your barstools and decorate your recipe box. Just remember that washi tape is only semi-water resistant, so you won’t to use it in areas or on things that will repeatedly get wet.

Kids’ bedrooms and playrooms

Because washi tape is colorful and you can remove it as your child’s interests change, it works well in a kids’ bedroom or playroom. Use it to outline a race track for toy cars or to make a hopscotch on the floor. You could also tape up artwork or decorate totes, bins and shelves. Needless to say, you can apply it to doors and window treatments in a kids’ or your teen’s room, too.

Another fun way to use washi tape in your kids’ room is to create a growth chart. No need to worry about getting all of the marks off the wall when its time to move; just carefully remove the washi tape.

Moving?

One of the biggest advantages of decorating with washi tape is you don’t have to worry about repainting walls when you move. You just gently remove the tape. If you’ve used washi tape to frame photographs on your walls, you don’t even have to worry about filling nail holes.

Want to keep the move just as effortless? Hire a professional moving company. Our network of reliable movers makes it easy to book a reputable company. And since all of the companies in our network are licensed and insured, you rest assured your belongings will arrive safely at your new home.