The ceilings in my Midtown apartment are high – and while it's a very welcome challenge to take on, it definitely presented a challenge in making the space feel personalized. I knew I needed a large statement to define the living room area and fill the large wall above the sofa, but I wanted to find a renter-friendly solution to soften the space and avoid the tedious effort of compiling a massive gallery wall. I've always loved paneled wallpaper, and I realized that the wall height could accomodate a hollow-core door, and so my solution presented itself with the use of flat doors and the prettiest floral striped linen from Decorator's Best...

the PROJECT SUPPLIES

Flat Hollow-Core Doors

Using flat, hollow-core doors gives you a large surface for the biggest impact while remaining fairly lightweight to maneuver and cost-effective. I chose 28x80 inch doors for my project.

Lee Jofa "Indiennes Stripe" Fabric

I chose Lee Jofa's Indiennes Stripe in Ivy from Decorator's Best because it combined two elements I was looking for: a fresh, but classic floral and a vertical element to emphasize the height of the panels.

Electric Staple Gun

You'll need the power of an electric stapler to secure your fabric, and even then I had a hammer handy to bang in any staples that weren't flush. You'll also need more staples than you think, so stock up on extras here.

French Cleat Hangers

To ensure your panels hang as flush to the wall as possible, use slim cleats to hang them. This also makes it a bit easier to ensure the panels hang level! Pro tip: attach your cleats after upholstering the panels, not before, or else you'll have to cut away the fabric covering them.

How to Hang DIY Fabric Panels

• 1. First, I laid the hollow-core door on top of the fabric flat on the floor and cut around the door, giving myself a healthy border on each side to wrap around the frame.
• 2. Next I took the stapler and, starting on the middle of each side, stretched the fabric taut (but not too tight or the pattern may warp), to staple my way around the back of the panel. 
• 3. After stapling was complete, I trimmed the excess fabric on the back to allow the door to sit as close to the wall as possible when hung. I screwed in the "male" French cleat – you can align it with the edge of the door to ensure it's as level as possible.
• 4. I marked down from the ceiling where I wanted the top of the doors to hit on my wall, then used a level to screw in the "female" cleats on the wall. I hung the panels, and later added a picture hanger to the middle panel to hang a framed photograph with a picture light attached to the frame for a layered look!

I absolutely love what these fabric panels have added to my apartment – they really feel like they're part of the architecture of the room. They're also the most complimented aspect of the space because they have such a large-scale impact! While the project isn't not tedious, it is definitely easy, and I love how accessible it is for any skill level. Try making these fabric wall panels with your favorite wallpaper and see what it adds to your space.