Create a stylish focal point for your new home
Many new home buyers and first-time buyers are looking for an affordable way to up the style ante in a room without spending a fortune and this is one of Mather Marshall Estate Agents Stevenage favourites. Pick one of the many gorgeous statement wallpapers around and try your hand at wallpapering a chimney breast – it’s easier than you think.
1. Measure up
Measure the width of your chimney breast. Measure half the width of your wallpaper and mark a vertical line this far from the centre, using a chalked plumb line. Next, measure from the ceiling to the mantel shelf, then from the ceiling to the floor, adding an extra 10cm to each measurement to allow for trimming.
2. Start in the middle of the chimney breast
Cut a length to go above the shelf. Place face down and brush on the paste, from the centre out. Loosely fold and leave to ‘soak’, according to paste instructions.
3. Score and trim the excess
Use your chalked line to position the paper in the centre, brushing down and out. With the back of a pair of scissors, mark where you need to trim at the top and bottom, ease the wallpaper away, trim and ease back.
4. Paper the sides of the chimney breast
Start at the edge of the front corner and take the paper back into the recess.
5. Remove any excess paper from the sides
Where the chimney breast joins the wall, mark the line with the back of a pair of scissors, trim and ease back into place, as before.
6. Finish the job
Measure the distance from the edge of the wallpaper in the centre to the front corner of the chimney breast, then add 25mm. Cut a length of paper to this width and hang, taking the extra 25mm round the corner, overlapping the side piece. Repeat on the other side.
It can make an instant difference in a living room, dining room or bedroom, and you should only need one roll of wallpaper. So even if you’ve had your eye on an expensive design, you won’t need to spend a small fortune.
The items you will need are as follows. Most of these are can be obtained from Stevenage High Street. Why not try J Deamer & Sons a very helpful hardware merchant located in Stevenage, Old Town, High Street.
Items
- Dustsheet
- Plumb line (with chalk)
- Stepladder
- Retractable tape measure
- Wallpaper scissors
- Pasting table
- Ready-mixed wallpaper adhesive paste
- Pasting brush
- Paper-hanging brush
- Stanley knife
- Clean dishcloth
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