Discover expert tips and essential information on upholstering walls, including methods, safety considerations, and removal tips. Transform your home with this comprehensive guide to upholstered walls.

Upholstered walls add a touch of elegance and warmth to any room, but they come with their own set of challenges and considerations.

Whether you’re looking to install new upholstered walls or remove outdated ones, understanding the best methods, potential safety issues, and practical tips is crucial.

In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about upholstered walls, from the benefits and installation techniques to safety precautions and removal advice, helping you make informed decisions for your home decor projects.

This post is Part 1 of our dining room renovation where I’m sharing everything you need to know about having upholstered walls, how to remove them, and a safety tip you need to know.

(Posts on stacyling.com may contain affiliate links. Click HERE for full disclosure.)

A dining room with a wooden table set surrounded by chairs. A chandelier hangs above the table, and a black cabinet filled with dishware stands against the back wall. The modest decor complements the upholstered walls, while a black dog rests on the floor near the entrance to another room.
Before removing the upholstered walls.

Our Dining Room Transformation: A Much-Needed Makeover

We just moved to this incredible 1850 farmhouse that’s really beautiful but needs a little sprucing up. There are lots of textured walls and ceilings, faux finishes, and would you believe…upholstered walls.

I’ve heard that upholstered walls are back in style. Have you heard that too?

Whether they are trending or not, they needed to go. The upholstered walls were a dark beige and look a little dingy. So getting rid of the padded fabric walls is the first thing we are tackled to renovate the dining room.

Aside from removing the upholstered walls, the ceiling has a heavily textured faux finish that is very distracting. So we plan to tone that down too with a few coats of paint. There’s a gorgeous chandelier that I love and want to keep.

So whatever we do, I want to highlight that chandelier and accent my china cabinet hutch. We love the travertine tile floor too, so that’s staying.

Last week, we kicked off the dining room renovation by removing the upholstered walls. While taking it all down, we learned something that you absolutely NEED TO KNOW if you plan to go with the trends and upholster your walls.

Wait until you see how scary this is!

A cozy dining room featuring a wooden table set for six with elegant place settings, blue napkins, and a centerpiece with greenery and candles. A large, ornate crystal chandelier hangs above the table, reflecting beautifully on the recently removed upholstered walls. French doors lead to the outside, and a traditional rug completes the room.
The upholstered walls don’t look terrible but it’s too dark in here with my dining table and china cabinet hutch.

How Do You Upholster a Wall?

There are 2 ways to upholster walls. The first method uses a tacking and batting method to create a padded, upholstered look.

And the second method does a little less damage to the walls because it uses everyday laundry starch to apply the fabric. So it goes up similar to wallpaper. The upholstered walls that we removed here were installed using the tacking and batting method.

What’s the Easiest Way to Upholster Walls?

After removing the tacked method, I recommend going with the starch method if you want to get a textured or patterned look. It is reversible and sounds easier to do without damaging walls. And trust me when I tell you, there is significant damage done to the walls using the tacking and batting method.

A person wearing a beanie and gloves is removing upholstered walls near the ceiling. The decorative tiles on the ceiling boast various intricate designs, while the person uses a tool to help peel away the wallpaper efficiently.

How do You Starch Fabric to the Walls?

While I’ve never done this before, it sounds pretty simple and straightforward to do. CLICK HERE to learn more.

How to Remove Upholstered Walls With Tacking and Batting

It took us an entire weekend to remove these upholstered walls in a 12’x12′ room. It was heavily stapled and the wood strips that helped anchor the batting and fabric to the walls were both hot glued and screwed in each of the corners as well as next to all of the door moldings.

Suffice it to say, the upholstered walls were securely attached and it took a lot of effort to remove them.

A person wearing a beanie, hoodie, and cargo pants is seen removing upholstered walls near a window. The material is being peeled off in large sheets, revealing the bare wall underneath. Sunlight filters through the window, partially illuminating the area.

Essential Supplies for Your Upholstered Wall Project

  • Flathead screwdriver
  • Thick gloves
  • Protective eyewear
  • Hammer
  • Sharp razorblade
  • Scraping tool
  • Drill gun
  • Drop cloth
  • Garbage can
A close-up of a wall corner reveals a beige curtain rod mounted on a wooden bracket. The wall, previously having upholstered walls, now shows peeling paint and exposed drywall, with a strip of fabric or cord hanging loosely near the top, under the edge of the ceiling.

Removing Upholstered Fabric From Walls: A How-To Guide

  • Wear gloves and protective eyewear before starting.
  • Lay out a drop cloth to protect the floors and help collect the staples.
  • Remove all of the switch plates and outlet covers.
  • Pull open any easy areas or use a sharp razor blade to loosen and open it up.
  • Then pull down the fabric using your weight behind it. At one point my husband was hanging on it to pull it down just to get it started.
  • Once the fabric is down on one wall, remove the batting beneath it.
  • Using a drill gun, hammer and scraping tool to get underneath, remove the screws and wood slats from around the door moldings as carefully as you can to avoid damaging the wall. Some damage is inevitable if it is glued down.
  • Remove ALL of the staples. It was easiest using a flathead screwdriver.
  • Collect debris in the garbage can.
A person in a beanie and hoodie is removing upholstered walls in a room with brown wallpaper. The room features a chandelier, a covered table with tools such as drills and pliers, and drop cloths on the floor. The ceiling has a partially removed pattern.

Installation Warning: What to Avoid with Upholstered Walls

When we removed the switch plates and outlet covers from the walls before removing the upholstery fabric and batting, we noticed that they were tucked into the outlet and switch plate boxes beneath the covers. Thus, raw fabric and batting were directly next to the wiring in our 1850 farmhouse.

Not a good mix, right? But that wasn’t even the worst part! We took pieces of the fabric and batting to test whether they were flame-resistant.

We learned they were not flame resistant at all. Because both the fabric and the batting lit right up.

How dangerous is that?

A wall with a partially installed electrical outlet, white baseboard, and a nearby power drill. The wall shows some damage and dents around the outlet area, likely from removing upholstered walls.
Not the best close-up but you get the point.

So the batting and fabric were not flame resistant AND they were tucked into the switchplate and outlet covers next to the wiring.

Now I know this was not a DIY project that the prior homeowners did themselves, so a “professional” installed this. And we were all very lucky that the house never burned down because that was a fire waiting to happen.

Therefore, if you plan to install padded upholstered walls in your home, make sure you are using flame-resistant fabric and batting. And keep them away from the electrical wiring.

A person's hand wearing a gold ring pulls back the corner of a sheet of white fabric to reveal a white painted surface with tape and staples underneath, suggesting the process of removing upholstered walls. The background includes a beige edge.
A close-up of a window with brown, frayed fabric surrounding it. The fabric, once part of the upholstered walls, is stapled to the wall but torn in several places, revealing the wood underneath. The trim around the window is painted a dark color, and there's a gap in the fabric at the upper part.
A dining room with a wooden table and six matching chairs set on a patterned rug. A crystal chandelier hangs above the table, which is decorated with greenery and candles. In the background, after removing upholstered walls, a dark wooden hutch with plants on top stands against the wall.

My Experience With Removing Upholstered Walls

After removing padded upholstered walls from our dining room, I personally recommend not upholstering walls at all. Trending or not.

The fabric was REALLY dusty and dirty when it came down and while it sounds really cool, I’m not a fan of this technique.

But if you really want to do it, please please please install it safely.

Keep all fabric away from electrical wiring, make sure it is flame resistant and consult with your local fire department about it how to safely install it away from the wiring.

FAQ: Removing Upholstered Walls

Can removing upholstered walls damage the underlying surface?

Yes, especially if tacking strips and strong adhesives were used. Take your time and use the proper tools to minimize damage. I can attest that it causes a lot of damage to the walls.

Are there safety concerns when removing upholstered walls?

Wear protective gear, such as gloves and a mask, to protect from dust, allergens, and potential mold.

What should I do after removing the fabric?

Clean the walls thoroughly and assess any damage. You may need to sand and repaint or apply a new wall covering.

A cozy dining room featuring a wooden table with six matching chairs. A large crystal chandelier hangs overhead. The table is decorated with a basket of greenery and candles. The room has a large rug, pastel-painted walls, and doors leading outside, creating an inviting space after removing upholstered walls.

After Removing Upholstered Walls: Final Thoughts on Part 1 of My Dining Room Renovation

Isn’t it amazing how different it looks already? Without the upholstered fabric, the room feels much lighter and brighter. And the walls have not even been repaired yet!

I’m going with a pretty white in this room. And am leaning towards Benjamin Moore Simply White on the trim and Benjamin Moore White Dove on the walls.

I was kicking around Benjamin Moore Linen White for a while but decided to go with a brighter white. Next up on the project list. Wall Repair and Painting!

And yes, we are painting right over that textured ceiling. I can’t wait! To see Part 2 of this renovation, head over to this post as we paint over the textured ceiling and repair the walls.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear! And feel free to share this post with anyone you think would find it helpful too.

Watch the Video

Wait until you see how tough it was to remove the upholstered walls. Watch it here!

YouTube video
A dining room with a wooden table set for dinner, surrounded by wooden chairs. A crystal chandelier hangs above the table. Behind the table, there is a display cabinet filled with white dishes. The text reads "What You Need to Know About Removing Upholstered Walls.
A dining table set with elegant tableware, blue napkins, and a floral centerpiece under a chandelier. The room has a cozy atmosphere with earth-toned and green accents. Text on the image reads: "What You Need to Know About Removing Upholstered Walls.

Thank you so much for following along.

Enjoy a beautiful day! xo

The image displays the text "Stacy Ling" in a cursive font, complemented by a pink and orange watercolor flower to the left. This soft, elegant design is reminiscent of the charm one might find after removing upholstered walls to reveal timeless beauty beneath.
The bricks \'n Blooms guide to a beautiful and easy-care flower garden book by stacy ling
The Bricks ‘n Blooms Guide to a Beautiful and Easy Care Flower Garden
  • Have you never met a plant you couldn’t kill?
  • Have you dug around in the dirt with nothing to show for it except a sunburn and a sore back?
  • Do you currently enjoy growing flowers, but are looking for more tips and ideas to level up your gardening game?

Then the Bricks ‘n Blooms Guide is for YOU

Buy Now

Related Posts

Stacy Ling

Stacy Ling is author of the best selling book, The Bricks 'n Blooms Guide to a Beautiful and Easy-Care Flower Garden, and writes the blog Bricks ’n Blooms from her 1850 farmhouse located in zone 6b northern New Jersey. She is a master gardener who’s been gardening for over 25 years and enjoys sharing her passion to help beginners find their inner green thumb, as well as discover a love for all things plants and flowers. Stacy loves to bring the outdoors inside her home and decorates with a comfy, casual, and cottagecore style. Come grow stuff and create beautiful spaces with her.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

12 Comments

  1. Stacy
    I’ve never been a fan of upholstery walls even when it was popular back in the day. The idea of dust always turned me off. So glad you getting rid of them. Hope your walls turn out great. I know they will n

    Reply

    1. Me too and if you saw the amount of dust that came off. It was a lot! I cannot wait for this room to be done! xo

      Reply

  2. What an amazing difference. How scary about the fabric with the outlets. The house could have caught on fire. What are people thinking? Obviously, they didn’t.

    I do swoon over the chandelier every time I see it. I can’t wait to see more.

    Reply

    2. Cant wait to see it done
      Never putting upholstery on the walls!!! Dust yuck!!
      I know it will b gorgeous when your done

      Reply

  3. Oh my gosh. I can’t believe they tucked fabric up against the wiring like that! Thank goodness you pulled it all down. It’s going to look so pretty when it’s all finished!

    Reply

    2. There is a lot of preparatory work that must be done before committing to having your walls professionally upholstered. Considerations to add extra depth to each electrical out and light switch, predetermining where artwork will hang or mirrors, extra wood needs to be fastened to the wall to give those pieces places to hang, without the wood there’s a chance the fabric will dimple even if it is stretched tightly. I have had upholstered walls done for numerous reasons besides being visually pleasing. Upholstered walls also absorb sound especially when there are hard surfaces like porcelain or stone floors. They are great too used for theatre rooms especially when used in combination with professional sound systems. Old houses often have terrible cracked plaster and damaged walls, using both batting and fabric stretched tightly gives the appearance of smooth walls, most fabric is also 54 inched wide so unlike wallpaper which is between 20-27″ wide there are less visible seams, even less obvious when I have specified pattern fabric. My installers are professional and know never to let fabric come in contact with electrical outlets or switches. Upholstered walls aren’t for everyone as it is expensive, far more than hanging wallpaper. Plus, welting should be used along bottom, top and casings to give that professional upholstered look. I have also installed shirred fabric over badly damaged walls in bedrooms. All homeowners must realize that fabric needs to be vacuumed to keep it fresh and clean, just as you would vacuum your upholstered sofas, chairs or carpets. Today more than ever before there are (indoor/outdoor) fabrics that can be easily clean and are practically fabulous for little hands too. I must say I haven’t had much success applying fabric directly to walls using laundry starch as wet starch can bleed thru and cause staining to the labor-intensive finished product.

      Reply

  4. This was such a great thing to get rid of Stacy. The whole wiring thing is really scary. I have never even heard of upholstered walls being a thing.

    Reply
  5. Pingback: First Spring in My Vintage Farmhouse House Tour - Stacy Ling