Wallpaper is unforgiving in a way paint is not. Paint will sit on a slightly uneven wall and look acceptable; wallpaper will telegraph every ridge, every unfilled dent and every patch of inconsistent absorbency straight through to the finished surface, and no amount of care during hanging will hide it afterwards. Most of the work on a good wallpapering job happens before the first drop goes up.
We hang everything from plain paper-backed vinyl in rental apartments to hand-printed and grasscloth papers in private villas, and we are equally used to being asked to take an old covering off and make the wall good again.
What a wallpapering job includes
- Removal of existing wallpaper, including stripping back adhesive residue
- Filling, sanding and, where the wall needs it, lining paper to give a uniform surface
- Accurate pattern matching across drops, corners and around openings
- Careful work around sockets, switches, radiators and window reveals
- Feature walls, alcoves, ceilings and stairwells
- Repair and patching of existing papered walls where a full re-hang is not needed
- All offcuts and adhesive removed, and the room left clean
Humidity, patterns and ordering the right quantity
Coastal humidity affects wallpaper more than most people expect. A non-breathable vinyl hung on an external wall in a humid apartment can trap moisture behind it, and the first sign is usually a seam lifting or a faint musty smell rather than anything visible. On external walls and in bathrooms we will advise on whether a breathable paper, or a painted finish instead, is the better answer for that specific wall.
Pattern repeat drives quantity, and it is where orders most often go wrong. A large repeat can add twenty per cent or more to what you need, and papers are batch-dyed — two rolls from different batches will not match on the same wall. We work out the quantity from measured drops rather than from floor area, and we always allow for the repeat and a margin for error. If you are buying the paper yourself, send us the reference before you order and we will tell you how many rolls it actually takes.
Bold or directional patterns need a decision about where the eye lands: which wall the pattern is centred on, and where the inevitable mismatch is put. In a room with a fireplace, a bed wall or a strong window, that decision is worth making deliberately rather than starting in a corner and letting it fall where it falls. We will walk through it with you before we start hanging.
How we work
Four steps, no surprises
- 01Site visitWe come out, measure up and listen to what you want.
- 02QuoteA written fixed price.
- 03The workMasking, preparation and painting — with daily clean-up.
- 04Walk-throughWe inspect every aspect of the together before signing off the project.
Recent work
Common questions
Can you hang wallpaper I have bought myself?
Yes, and many clients do. Send us the product reference before you order so we can check the repeat and confirm the quantity — that one step prevents most of the problems we see.
Can you paint over existing wallpaper instead of removing it?
Sometimes, but it is usually a false economy. If the paper is well bonded, flat and not vinyl, it can be sealed and painted. If it is lifting at the seams, embossed or vinyl-faced, painting it will only make the eventual removal harder and the result will show every seam.
How long does a room take?
A feature wall is normally a single day including preparation. A full room takes two to three days, and more if the existing covering has to come off and the wall needs lining first.
Is wallpaper a bad idea in a coastal apartment?
Not at all, but the wall matters. Internal walls in a well-ventilated room are straightforward. External walls in a humid apartment, or anything in a bathroom, need the right product, and we would rather advise against it in a specific spot than hang something that fails in a year.