Wallpapering Tips

Follow these clever techniques for getting to those tricky wallpaper spaces.

Interior designer Sharon Hanby-Robie points out clever techniques for getting to those tricky spaces when wallpapering.

An open-pattern wallpaper (in which the design is spread apart with large spaces of background color) will expand a space while filling it in.
When adding a border, which helps lower high ceilings, set a level line by measuring up from the baseboard to the bottom of the border all around the room. Connect the measured points with a snap from a chalk line.
Know what your height dimension is, and add about three inches to each strip of wallpaper. Cut the required number of strips.
Apply wallpaper paste liberally to the back of one strip of paper. When you have covered about half the strip, fold it over on itself--a process called booking. The two ends of the pasted paper are folded in on themselves like a book, pasted sides touching, printed side on the outside. Allow the strip to sit for a few minutes before hanging.
Before the paste dries, use a straight edge to cut excess paper off at the baseboard.