Try This Easy DIY To Elevate The Look Of Your Pantry Shelves In Minutes

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Your pantry shelves mostly stay hidden behind the door, so do they really have to look cute? Of course they don't, but why not make life a little interesting? If you have to cook meals night after night, you can at least have a little fun with it. One way to do that is to cover solid shelves with contact paper or peel-and-stick wallpaper (just one of many clever ways to use peel-and-stick wallpaper throughout your house). It's a fun and easy way to add color and patterning to the inside of your pantry. And, when you use contact paper, it's a renter-friendly way to improve the look of your food storage area.

Covering your shelves offers some extra benefits, beyond the cheerful look. If the shelves are in rough shape, the contact paper can hide those scuffs or stains. Just keep in mind that it will still show any uneven areas, as the paper will follow the lines of the shelf. Smooth vinyl paper is also easy to wipe clean and can protect the shelves from spills and stains, so you can keep your pantry a little more sanitary without lots of scrubbing. 

This simple pantry update is your chance to show off your personality or create a themed design. Go with a food theme with this Redamancy Citrus and Floral Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper, for example. Florals are also a popular choice, or go more subtle with a solid color or simple pattern, like the practicalWs Glossy Marble Contact Paper. If you want to go all-out with the look, apply the wallpaper to the shelves and the walls behind them.

Always start with clean, dry surfaces when applying contact paper or peel-and-stick wallpaper. Those crumbs in the corner of the pantry shelf will leave bumps in the paper and might keep it from sticking well. Then, measure each shelf, so you can cut the material to the correct size. You'll want it to be a little larger than the shelf. That way, you can smooth the excess over the front edge of the shelf to cover that edge, and wrap the paper underneath to the bottom. 

Start at one end of the shelf, and peel the backing a little at a time as you apply and smooth the paper. Just be careful not to stretch it. Watch for bubbles as you go, and lift the paper back up gently and reapply it if you notice them.

While you might come across several stylish DIY ways to cover up ugly wire shelves, this one focuses on solid shelves. Placing paper over a wire shelf won't work well — it'll be bumpy and will likely stretch or tear. If you love the idea of contact paper but have wire shelves, consider first building wood or foam board covers for the shelves and putting the paper on them. And while we've focused on using this hack on pantry shelves, it's also a decorative option when you're looking for open shelving kitchen ideas. Add paper to all of the shelves in your kitchen to sprinkle in patterns that fit the theme.