Hanging wallpaper into a recess  

Hanging wallpaper up to a recess

Hang the length the length of wallpaper overlapping the recess, lining the edge with the previously hung length. Brush it down the full length.

Use the paper hanging scissors to cut a horizontal line just above the head of the recess to the top corner of the recess.

At the bottom of the recess, cut another line just below the top of the sill to the bottom corner of the recess.

Cut a piece of wallpaper, with matching pattern if necessary, which will fit the top of the recess - this needs to be about 12mm (½ in) wider than the depth of the recess, and about 25mm (1 inch) longer than from the edge of the wallpaper above the recess to the top corner.

Paste this piece of wallpaper and position it:

• Align one end with the wallpaper above the recess,
• Turn the other end onto the side of the recess,
  and
• Fold the front edge above and to the side and tuck under the wallpaper on the front of the recess.

If the depth of the recess is more than the width of paper to turn the corner, cut a piece of wallpaper, with matching pattern if necessary, which will fit down the back of the recess - this needs to be about 12mm (½ in) wider than the extra depth. Paste this piece of wallpaper and position it so that it is overlapped by the turning piece.

Smooth the wallpaper around the front corner of the recess and back onto the side using a hanging brush. Mark the finish of the wallpaper at the back of the recess by drawing closed scissors back along the corner and trim off.

Above a recess

Just use short lengths of wallpaper (this give the opportunity to use some offcuts) and hang them aligning with the previously hung strips, then brush them around the top edge of the recess and trim to the required depth.

Going away from a recess

A problem with working away from a recess is getting the length vertical, there is generally very little of the previous strip to use above the recess as a guide - the only option is to use a plumb line to establish a guide line for the full drop edge.

Measure the width of wallpaper and, at the top of the wall, measure from the previous piece of wallpaper the width plus 5mm, mark this as high as possible on the wall above the recess.

From this mark, suspend a plumb bob and use a pencil to mark the wall behind the line at several points, then use a straight edge to join the marks together with a pencil.

Line up the length of wallpaper with the previous strip at the top and allow it to overlap over the recess - adjust the position parallel with the recess using the marked plumb line on the other side as a guide.

Complete this side of the recess in the same manner as for the first side described above.