Wallpaper Hanging In East Dulwich and South London
Feature walls, statement prints, whole rooms papered in Cole & Son, House of Hackney, or Farrow & Ball. When hung well it transforms a room. When hung badly, every mismatched seam shows.
Services: strip-out, wall prep, lining, hanging. Pricing: strip an average room from £250; hang a feature wall from £180; hang a full room from £600. Paper is extra.
What I do
- Strip existing wallpaper (steam or solvent, depending on layer count)
- Prep walls after strip-out (filling, sealing, sometimes lining)
- Hang lining paper where walls need a level surface under a delicate print
- Hang paste-the-wall papers (most modern non-wovens)
- Hang traditional paste-the-paper prints (Farrow & Ball, Cole & Son, some Little Greene)
- Pattern match big-drop repeats and plan the wall layout before a single drop goes up
Strip-outs — what people don't warn you about
Eight times out of ten, taking wallpaper off reveals something. Old plaster that was lined because it was cracked, paint that came off with the paper, a wall that's had four layers papered over each other since 1978.
I'll strip back carefully with a steamer, not a scraper, because scraping knackers the plaster underneath. Where the strip reveals damage, I'll stop and show you before making good with filler, a sealer and usually a fresh mist coat before anything goes back up. Better to fix the wall properly than paper over it again.
Hanging — the bit that matters
- Measure up every wall, mark plumb lines (walls in Dulwich aren't straight — we're working round a century of settlement).
- Plan the layout for pattern repeats. On a big drop repeat (say 64cm) we want the match to fall in a sensible place rather than cutting a pattern through your eyeline.
- Paste correctly for the paper type. A non-woven gets paste on the wall, not the paper. A traditional paper gets paste on the paper and a proper booking-time. Getting this wrong ruins the paper.
- Hang each drop — match the pattern, smooth out air pockets, trim top and bottom.
- Seams. The difference between amateur and professional is what the seams look like once the paper is fully dry. Mine don't lift.
Brands I hang regularly
Cole & Son, Farrow & Ball, Little Greene, Divine Savages, House of Hackney, Sanderson, William Morris, Designers Guild, Osborne & Little, Paint & Paper Library, Graham & Brown, Galerie. Happy to hang whatever you've picked.
What it costs
- Strip an average room (walls only, lined once) — £250 to £450
- Strip and re-prep (strip + fill + line + mist coat) — £550 to £900
- Hang a feature wall (non-woven) — £180 to £320
- Hang a full room (4 walls, standard pattern) — £600 to £1,200
- Hang a full room with large pattern repeat or traditional paste — £900 to £1,800
Paper is on top. A roll of Cole & Son or F&B is typically £90-£150 and a standard room needs 4-6 rolls.
Areas I cover
East Dulwich · Dulwich Village · West Dulwich · Herne Hill · Peckham · Camberwell · Forest Hill · Honor Oak & Nunhead
Let's plan the paper
Send me photos of the room, the wall measurements, and the paper you've picked (or would like help picking).
Frequently Asked Questions
About Hanging Wallpaper
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Sometimes. If the paper is well-stuck and the seams are tight, I can seal and paint over. If it's bubbling or lifting anywhere, we need to strip. I'll check and tell you honestly.
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Send me the room dimensions and the wallpaper specs (roll width, pattern repeat, roll length) and I'll work it out. Always better to order one extra roll than run out halfway through.
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Yes, and for a lot of wall conditions it's the right call. Well-hung lining paper gives the topcoat a perfectly flat, consistent surface.
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Yes. If it's salvageable I'll cut, inject and roll. If it's not, that section gets stripped and re-hung.
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Yes, with the right paper (vinyl-coated or specifically bathroom-grade) and proper surface prep. I'll recommend if it's a good idea for the specific room.
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Strip + prep + hang for a standard 4-wall room is usually 3-4 days. A feature wall only is 1-2.
How a quote works
1. Send me photos.
WhatsApp (07933 509672) or fill in the form opposite. A shot of each room, anything tricky (mould, peeling, damp, wallpaper, water stains), and the rough size if you know it.
2. I'll send a clear, fixed quote.
Usually within 24 hours. Written down, broken out by room, no surprises at the end.
3. Optional, I'll pop round.
If it's a bigger job or there's anything unusual, I'll come and see it in person before we commit. No charge, no sales pitch.
4. Book in and paint.
Agreed start date, agreed finish date. Tidy site every evening, final walk-through at the end.