Ever since I moved into my apartment in February, I’ve been moving my desk around every few weeks; the struggle is real to find a cute Zoom background. While we wait for my dream of having a beautiful green bookcase wall with great natural lighting to come to fruition, I needed to get creative and so I ordered some peel and stick wall decals. I wasn’t sure how this apartment DIY project would go but spoiler alert: this was an easy and affordable way to decorate a rental.
How to DIY a Zoom Background for Under $60 | Washington DC Blogger
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How to DIY a Zoom Background for Under $60 | Where To Use Peel and Stick Wall Decals
Peel and stick wall decals are a great solution for those living in rentals or those that don’t want to commit to something as permanent as a wallpapered or painted accent wall. These work best on flat walls. As I mentioned previously, I struggled a bit with where I wanted to place my desk but ultimately landed on this window alcove in my office.
How to create a renter friendly accent wall: Click To TweetRELATED: Everything You Need for a New Apartment
Putting my desk in this corner allows me to have a dedicated workspace in the office while still maintaining room for me to set up an air mattress for guests and keep a garment rack that I use to plan blog outfits. Best of all: using this window alcove as my desk area meant that I could create my DIY accent wall on a smaller area that still works as a Zoom background for work calls.
How to DIY a Zoom Background for Under $60 | Which Peel and Stick Decals I Used
When it comes to renter-friendly decorating, I’ve had really good luck with Target’s peel and stick wallpaper. This time though, I wanted to use peel and stick wall decals instead of a peel and stick wallpaper. Here’s some takeaways:
- Peel and stick wall decals are a more affordable option compared to removable wallpaper
- Peel and stick wallpaper is a time commitment; removable wall decals are a faster process
- You can also make the peel and stick decals your own with placement. Spread the decals out or create a dense accent wall — it’s all your decision.
Peel and stick wall decals vs peel and stick wallpaper Click To Tweet
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I opted for a removable wall decal design from RoomMates. I really liked the idea of a brushstroke accent wall and this set of peel and stick wall decals allowed me to create that. I ordered two packs of the decals; each pack comes with four sheets of the peel and stick wall decals. I used all of one pack and one sheet of the second pack.
Bonus option: this set of brushstroke giant wall decals is an easy way to add apartment friendly decor above your couch if you’d rather not spend a ton of frames and art.
How to DIY a Zoom Background for Under $60 | The Rest of My Office
This room is very much still a work in progress as I haven’t decided if I want to add a sleeper couch versus have an air mattress for guests, and/or add a TV, but I’m a lot happier with how it looks with the addition of the accent wall and my new area rug. It was really important to me that I had a room that was designated as an office so that I wasn’t spending all of my time in the same room. While I do sometimes wander out to my living room to work from the couch, I have found that having an office where I can tuck work away after hours and on the weekend helps me to keep some semblance of work-life balance while working from home.
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I keep my extra large calendar in the office which keeps track of upcoming birthdays, bills, and everything else I need to know for easy reference.
How to DIY a Zoom Background for Under $60 | My Corner Office
Putting my white desk into this corner ensures that I get to see some daylight and enjoy my apartment’s view of the Washington Monument. While the best lighting for work calls would have me facing the window, I’ve found that sitting perpendicular to the window with a ring light produces solid results.
Tips for getting good video call lighting Click To Tweet
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I originally wanted this beach umbrellas print to be behind my head on the accent wall. When I realized I didn’t have enough distance to make it work in this corner, I wasn’t too heartbroken as it meant I could put it in front of my desk and enjoy the print myself. I added in some geometric prints and (for now) my work from home office is ready to go. Let me know in the comments below — What was a must have for you in your office space?
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