CASE STUDY

Chimney breast wallpaper, Milton

The short answer

I wallpapered the chimney breast in a living room in Milton, above an exposed brick fireplace with a wood burner and oak mantel beam. The old wallpaper had been stripped, leaving a patchy, uneven wall that needed filling and sanding first. After proper preparation, I hung a leaf-trail wallpaper across the front and both returns, giving the room a soft, finished feature wall.

Chimney breast in Milton before wallpapering, with patchy walls above a brick fireplace

BEFORE

Chimney breast in Milton after wallpapering, with feature paper above the wood burner and alcove shelving

AFTER

LOCATION
Milton
Property
1800's End of Terrace House
Service
Wallpapering (chimney breast feature wall)
Level of work
Full redecoration
Duration
3 Hours
Products
Filler, Primer & ClIent Supplied Wallpaper

What did the customer need?

The customer wanted their chimney breast wallpapered as a feature wall. It's the focal point of the living room, with an exposed brick fireplace, a wood burner and a chunky oak mantel beam. The rest of the room was already finished by me in soft sage and off-white, with painted alcove shelving and deep cornice. They chose a pattern that would tie it all together without overpowering the brickwork. The paper needed to run across the front and wrap neatly around both sides of the breast, right up to the cornice. 

What condition was it in?

The wall was patchy and uneven, and not ready to paper as it was. I stripped the old wallpaper, leaving a painted surface with bare patches, old filler marks and dents across the front. The edges and returns had areas where the surface had lifted, showing plaster underneath. Wallpaper shows every bump and dip on the wall behind it, especially a lighter paper like this one. Hanging straight onto that surface would have left visible ridges and shadows once the light hit it. 

What preparation was needed?

The wall needed filling, sanding and sealing before any paper went up. I'd class this as a Full redecoration, because the surface was taken back and repaired rather than just papered over.

1

Protected the fireplace, hearth, mantel, shelving and carpet with dust sheets.

2

Removed any remaining old paper and loose material from the front and returns.

3

Filled dents, holes and lifted edges with filler.

4

Sanded the filled areas flush so the wall was smooth to the touch.

5

Sealed the wall with primer, so the paste grips evenly and the paper can slide into position.

Preparing the wall around the mantel before wallpapering a chimney breast in Milton
Hanging wallpaper on a chimney breast above a brick fireplace in Milton
Measuring and trimming wallpaper at the coving on a chimney breast in Milton

Which paints and materials were used?

I used the wallpaper that was supplied by the client, a leaf-trail pattern in soft greens and neutrals on a textured cream background. It was hung with paste. The wall was prepared with filler and sealed with primer. The sage and cream tones in the paper pick up the existing wall colour and the painted shelving. The texture of the paper also softens the look against the rough brick and the oak beam.

What was the result?

The chimney breast is now a proper feature wall that ties the whole room together. The leaf pattern runs straight and matched across the front, wraps cleanly around both returns, and is trimmed tight to the cornice and the mantel beam. The wall underneath is smooth, so there are no ridges showing through the paper. It softens the exposed brick and makes the wood burner feel like the centre of the room. The customer was left with a finished, cosy living room, with no mess left behind.

Finished feature wallpaper on a chimney breast with alcove shelving in Milton

"

The room feels so much brighter. Thank you so much for the work you have done for us.

Questions about this job

  • How long did the job take?

    The job took 3 hours, including preparation and hanging. A single chimney breast is usually one of the quicker wallpapering jobs. Most of the time goes on getting the wall smooth and the pattern matched around the returns.

  • Can you wallpaper a chimney breast above a wood burner?

    Yes, as long as the wall is properly prepared and the paper is kept a sensible distance from the stove itself. The chimney breast can get warm, so good preparation and the right paste help the paper stay put. Check your stove's manual or installer for any clearance guidance around the fireplace.

  • Do you need to strip old wallpaper before hanging new paper?

    Yes, in most cases it's best to strip it. Papering over old wallpaper risks bubbles, lifting seams and old joins showing through. Stripping, filling and sealing the wall gives the new paper the best chance of lasting.

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