I meant to ask that earlier.
WALLPAPER NIGHTMARE
- Thread starter PaulBulos
- Start date
I meant to ask that earlier.
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I agree that the makers of TV make-over programmes need to be caught and stopped, before they do any more damage. The thing which sends me into particular (albeit quite irrational) paroxysms of rage is the way the 'decorators' start painting in the middle of a wall and wave the roller around in a star shape, as if that's some kind of neat 'pro' trick they know which will guarantee a perfect result (when actually, it just looks rubbish).
Laurence Llewellyn Dooh-Dah in particular needs a slap.
OP's whole experience here seems to bear out our reservations about gimmicky decorating ideas. Even if OP constructed a wooden frame around the 'feature wallpaper', it would surely still look odd, don't you think? A feature wall draws enough attention to itself by dint of being a whole wall. To put a frame round it would seem to be giving the message : Look at me, I'm a bit boring as I am, so they've put a frame round me to make you think I'm a gigantic masterpiece in the National Gallery, when actually, I'm just a load of wallpaper'. More is not necessarily better!
I've seen smaller lengths of interesting wall paper hung framed on walls - they can look quite striking, but only if the wall paper is seriously beautiful, hand-printed, rare or whatever.
I think OP should have the following conversation with his decorator:
OP : Oh, by the way, Dick*, I needed to let you know that we're really not happy with that feature wall. I know you said that you were going to do it like that, and we'll pay you, of course, but we've decided we can't live with it with the gaps round the edges. People keep asking if we ran out of wallpaper! We're getting a few quotes together to get it stripped and re-done traditionally (ie with the paper over the whole wall and no gaps/borders). Would you be interested in quoting for that, or do you just want to get on with the other jobs and let someone else do the wall?
(Then get other quotes - it's max 1.5-2 days work) and go with the one you are most confident will do it properly).
OP could of course save some money by stripping the wall back to the bare plaster himself, or if lucky, peeling back the top layer of the top paper (soak it patiently for at least 20 means before attempting). That might just leave the liner intact, which means the decorator will only need to hang the new paper, not to crossline it all again as well. (Except perhaps the gaps at sides and top/bottom!).
*Only call him that if it's his name, though
Laurence Llewellyn Dooh-Dah in particular needs a slap.
OP's whole experience here seems to bear out our reservations about gimmicky decorating ideas. Even if OP constructed a wooden frame around the 'feature wallpaper', it would surely still look odd, don't you think? A feature wall draws enough attention to itself by dint of being a whole wall. To put a frame round it would seem to be giving the message : Look at me, I'm a bit boring as I am, so they've put a frame round me to make you think I'm a gigantic masterpiece in the National Gallery, when actually, I'm just a load of wallpaper'. More is not necessarily better!
I've seen smaller lengths of interesting wall paper hung framed on walls - they can look quite striking, but only if the wall paper is seriously beautiful, hand-printed, rare or whatever.
I think OP should have the following conversation with his decorator:
OP : Oh, by the way, Dick*, I needed to let you know that we're really not happy with that feature wall. I know you said that you were going to do it like that, and we'll pay you, of course, but we've decided we can't live with it with the gaps round the edges. People keep asking if we ran out of wallpaper! We're getting a few quotes together to get it stripped and re-done traditionally (ie with the paper over the whole wall and no gaps/borders). Would you be interested in quoting for that, or do you just want to get on with the other jobs and let someone else do the wall?
(Then get other quotes - it's max 1.5-2 days work) and go with the one you are most confident will do it properly).
OP could of course save some money by stripping the wall back to the bare plaster himself, or if lucky, peeling back the top layer of the top paper (soak it patiently for at least 20 means before attempting). That might just leave the liner intact, which means the decorator will only need to hang the new paper, not to crossline it all again as well. (Except perhaps the gaps at sides and top/bottom!).
*Only call him that if it's his name, though
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Totally agree with Emily's comments about the DIY shows. I saw a programme once where the 'plasterer' having just plastered a wall, went on to explain how to take care of the plaster to make it ready for paint. She mixed up a solution of hot water and PVA and rolled it onto the wall!
I couldn't believe it and emailed channel 4 but just got back the standard yadda from some minion.
Check out the home base advert on tv, it shows someone randomly rolling a wall with a mini roller, its no wonder people have so many problems.
The one that really winds me up is 60 minute makeover, its jaw dropping, i'm sure in the long term such shows are actually devaluing homes or at least causing unnecessary problems when it comes to redecorate.
This whole genre of tv stems from the opinion that painting is easy, quick and cheap, this section of the forum wouldn't exist if that was the case. Also many people are encouraged by these programmes to come into a trade where no formal qualifications or membership of a professional body are required, and knowing no better happily go about bodging the nations homes.
I couldn't believe it and emailed channel 4 but just got back the standard yadda from some minion.
Check out the home base advert on tv, it shows someone randomly rolling a wall with a mini roller, its no wonder people have so many problems.
The one that really winds me up is 60 minute makeover, its jaw dropping, i'm sure in the long term such shows are actually devaluing homes or at least causing unnecessary problems when it comes to redecorate.
This whole genre of tv stems from the opinion that painting is easy, quick and cheap, this section of the forum wouldn't exist if that was the case. Also many people are encouraged by these programmes to come into a trade where no formal qualifications or membership of a professional body are required, and knowing no better happily go about bodging the nations homes.
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