Your Favorite Food Brands Become Fabulous Wallpaper and Other Kitchen Decor

How many dozens of boxes and cans with labels do you have in your kitchen cabinets? Many, I suspect. Have you been throwing them away when they're empty? Why? Didn't you know that you can decorate, accessorize and further improve the look of your kitchen by using the labels from boxes and cans to add color and flair to the entire room.

Labels from cans are flat but boxes can have some bulk to them. Not a problem! Gently peel the cardboard backing away and preserve the paper label itself. If you're afraid you'll tear the label peel away a layer at a time. When you're finished the paper could be slightly curled. If so, simply stack dry labels on top of each other and place a book, or something heavy, on top of the stack until the next day.

Decoupage and other adhesives can be used to attach the various labels to walls, cabinets and other surfaces. You can lacquer the labels when the glue is dry which will help protect them. Purchase this type of product at any home improvement store. It's usually available in a spray or brush-on type. The labels are then washable.

Decorate a wall in your kitchen with cereal labels or use smaller labels to just make a border. You don't have to cover the entire wall with the labels. Start with a fresh coat of paint then just stick the cereal box - or other labels - in a checkerboard pattern on the wall. If you do this while the paint is wet no glue will be necessary. You can even use the fronts off of old picture frames to frame the labels. Paint the frames, if necessary, then attach them to the wall over the top of each cereal box front.

Individual-size cereal boxes are small enough to work great with molding, baseboards or as a border. The tiny cereal box fronts also look great as curtains! Make or purchase the curtains, then use fabric glue to attach squares of clear plastic pieces - randomly or in a particular pattern - on the curtains. Slide the cereal box fronts into the plastic sections. Remove them temporarily when you launder the curtains.