Luxury Wallpaper Installation in London: de Gournay, Zuber & Cole & Son

Luxury Wallpaper Installation in London: A Technical Guide

The world's finest wallpapers represent a level of craftsmanship and artistry that places them closer to fine art than to standard decorating materials. When a single roll of hand-painted de Gournay silk costs several thousand pounds, or a complete set of Zuber scenic panels represents a five-figure investment, the installation must be absolutely flawless. There is no margin for error, and the skills required go well beyond those of standard wallpaper hanging.

As professional painters and decorators serving London's most prestigious residential areas, including Belgravia, Chelsea, Kensington, and Knightsbridge, we regularly install luxury wallpapers in collaboration with interior designers and their clients. This guide explains the technical requirements and specialist techniques involved.

Understanding Luxury Wallpapers

de Gournay

de Gournay is the pre-eminent name in hand-painted wallpaper. Founded in 1986, the company produces its papers in its own studios, with each panel painted by hand on silk, paper, or gilded grounds. The designs are typically inspired by historical sources: chinoiserie, botanical studies, scenic landscapes, and Japanese motifs.

Installation considerations for de Gournay:

• Each installation is bespoke. Panels are painted to fit specific wall dimensions and are numbered in sequence. Getting the panels in the wrong order or position is a catastrophic error.
• The material is extraordinarily delicate. Silk grounds can snag, crease, and watermark. Paper grounds can tear. Adhesive must never touch the front surface.
• Seams must be invisible. The hand-painted design flows continuously across panel joins. Aligning the painted elements precisely at each seam requires patience, steady hands, and good eyesight.
• Environmental conditions matter. Silk wallpaper is sensitive to humidity and temperature changes. The room must be at a stable temperature with controlled humidity during installation and for at least forty-eight hours afterwards.

Zuber

Zuber et Cie, founded in 1797 in Rixheim, Alsace, produces some of the world's most celebrated scenic wallpapers. Their panoramic papers, including the famous "Vues du Bresil," "Eldorado," and "Paysage a Chasses," are printed from original woodblocks, some dating back to the early nineteenth century. Each panoramic set uses dozens of colours, printed in sequence from thousands of individual blocks.

Installation considerations for Zuber:

• Scenic papers tell a story. The panels must be hung in the correct sequence to maintain the narrative flow of the landscape. The starting point on the wall must be carefully planned to ensure key elements fall in the right positions.
• Colour alignment is critical. The block-printed colours must line up precisely between panels. Any misalignment is immediately visible.
• The paper is heavy. Zuber papers, particularly the scenic sets, are significantly heavier than standard wallpaper. The wall must be properly prepared and the adhesive must be strong enough to hold the weight permanently.
• Trimming requires precision. Zuber papers are typically untrimmed, and the hanging must trim the selvedge perfectly to achieve invisible seams.

Cole & Son

Cole & Son has been producing wallpaper in London since 1875 and holds an archive of over 1,800 original block print designs. Their current collection includes both block-printed heritage designs and contemporary patterns, ranging from the geometric boldness of Fornasetti collaborations to delicate florals and damasks.

Installation considerations for Cole & Son:

• Pattern matching varies enormously. Some Cole & Son designs have large pattern repeats (up to a metre or more), which affects both the quantity of paper needed and the precision of matching at seams.
• Metallic and foil papers in the collection require careful handling to avoid finger marks and creasing, and specific adhesives to prevent the metallic elements from tarnishing.
• Flock papers need protection from adhesive spills, which cannot be removed from the flocked surface.
• Digital and traditional prints may require different adhesive types and hanging methods.

Other Premium Manufacturers

Our experience extends to the full range of luxury wallpaper manufacturers, including:

• Fromental: Embroidered silks and hand-painted papers with textile textures
• Gracie: American hand-painted chinoiserie, often specified by US-based interior designers for London projects
• Phillip Jeffries: Natural fibre wallcoverings including grasscloth, cork, and hemp
• Elitis: Contemporary textured wallcoverings from France
• Arte: Belgian manufacturer of high-specification vinyl and textile wallcoverings

Wall Preparation for Luxury Wallpaper

The wall behind a luxury wallpaper is as important as the paper itself. Any imperfection in the substrate will telegraph through to the finished surface, and on a hand-painted silk that costs several thousand pounds per panel, this is unacceptable.

Plaster Condition

The wall must be perfectly smooth, flat, and dry. In London's period properties, achieving this standard often requires significant preparation:

Lime plaster walls in Georgian and Victorian properties frequently have undulations, hairline cracks, and areas of roughness. These may be acceptable under paint, where lighting is typically more forgiving, but they will show through wallpaper, particularly papers with a sheen or metallic finish.

Our plaster repair team can skim existing walls to achieve a smooth, flat surface suitable for luxury wallpaper. In some cases, particularly in older properties with very uneven walls, a lining of plasterboard may be the most practical solution.

Damp. Any trace of dampness in the wall will cause problems with wallpaper: adhesive failure, mould growth, staining, and paper degradation. Before installing premium wallpaper, the wall must be tested for moisture, and any damp problems must be resolved completely. This is a common issue in basement and lower-ground rooms of London townhouses in Belgravia, Chelsea, and Kensington.

Surface imperfections. Nail holes, cracks, rough patches, and any raised areas must be filled and sanded perfectly smooth. We use fine-grade fillers and sand to a glass-smooth finish, checking with a raking light to reveal any remaining imperfections.

Cross-Lining

For most luxury wallpaper installations, we cross-line the walls first. This involves hanging a plain lining paper horizontally across the wall before the decorative paper is hung vertically on top. Cross-lining provides:

• A smooth, uniform surface for the decorative paper
• Additional protection against cracks telegraphing through
• A consistent level of porosity across the wall surface, ensuring uniform adhesive absorption
• A buffer between the wall and the decorative paper, making future removal easier

We use a medium-weight lining paper (typically 1000 to 1200 grade) for most luxury installations. On very uneven walls, a heavier lining paper or double lining may be necessary.

Priming

After cross-lining, the surface is primed with a wallpaper primer or size. This controls the absorption of the wall, provides slip for positioning the paper, and improves the bond between adhesive and substrate. The choice of primer depends on the wallpaper type:

• Heavy papers and silks: A PVA-based primer or specialist wallpaper primer
• Metallic and foil papers: An alkali-resistant primer to prevent tarnishing
• Grasscloth and natural fibre papers: A clear or neutral primer that will not show through the open weave

Adhesive Selection

The adhesive is critical to a successful installation and must be matched to the specific wallpaper:

• Hand-painted silks and delicate papers: A ready-mixed, clear, non-staining adhesive such as Roman Pro-880 Ultra Clear or equivalent. The adhesive must not bleed through or stain the face of the paper.
• Heavy scenic papers (Zuber, Fromental): A heavy-duty adhesive with strong initial tack and permanent hold. Some installations require the adhesive to be applied to both the wall and the paper.
• Vinyl and coated wallcoverings: An adhesive containing fungicide to prevent mould growth behind the impermeable surface.
• Grasscloth and natural fibres: A clear adhesive that will not show through the open weave of the material.

The Hanging Process

Planning the Layout

Before any adhesive is opened, the layout must be planned meticulously:

1. Measure the room precisely, including every wall, alcove, window reveal, chimney breast, and obstacle.
2. Review the wallpaper manufacturer's layout plan. For bespoke hand-painted papers, this shows where each panel should be positioned.
3. Establish the starting point. For scenic papers, this determines where the narrative begins. For pattern-repeat papers, the starting point affects where pattern joins fall in relation to focal points.
4. Plan for obstacles. Fireplaces, windows, doorways, and built-in furniture all require careful cutting. On a hand-painted panel worth thousands of pounds, the cuts must be planned in advance, not improvised on the wall.
5. Mark vertical plumb lines on the wall at key points. We use a laser level for absolute accuracy.

Temperature and Humidity Control

The room must be at a stable temperature between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius, with relative humidity between 40 and 60 percent. Extremes of either temperature or humidity can cause:

• Adhesive failure (too cold or too humid)
• Paper shrinkage (too hot or too dry)
• Silk distortion (rapid humidity changes)
• Slow drying and mould risk (too cold and too humid)

In London's older properties, particularly during winter, achieving stable conditions may require temporary heating and dehumidification. We monitor temperature and humidity throughout the installation using digital hygrometers.

Handling and Hanging

Each type of luxury wallpaper demands specific handling:

Hand-painted silks (de Gournay, Fromental):

• Panels are unrolled on a clean, padded surface (we use felt-covered trestle tables)
• Adhesive is applied to the wall only, never to the silk
• The panel is lifted by two people, positioned at the top, and smoothed downward using a soft wallpaper brush
• Seams are butted precisely, with the painted design aligned by eye
• Any adhesive that contacts the front surface must be immediately removed with a clean, damp cloth (though prevention is always better than cure)

Scenic panoramics (Zuber):

• Panels are pasted on the back and allowed to soak for the manufacturer's specified time
• The paper is folded (booked) and carried to the wall, where it is unfolded and positioned
• Alignment is checked constantly against the plumb line and adjacent panels
• Seams are rolled with a seam roller, using light pressure only

Contemporary luxury papers (Cole & Son, Arte, Elitis):

• Hanging method depends on the specific product; some are paste-the-wall, others paste-the-paper
• Pattern matching is checked continuously
• Metallic papers are handled with cotton gloves to prevent fingermarks

Finishing

After hanging, the paper is trimmed at ceiling, skirting, and all edges using a sharp blade. We use fresh blades constantly, as even slightly dulled edges can tear delicate papers. The room is left undisturbed for a minimum of twenty-four hours to allow the adhesive to dry and the paper to stabilise.

Working with Interior Designers

Many of our luxury wallpaper installations are commissioned through interior designers, and we understand the particular requirements of this working relationship:

• We attend site meetings to assess conditions and advise on preparation requirements before the designer specifies the paper
• We review manufacturer technical data sheets and raise any installation concerns in advance
• We coordinate with other trades to ensure the wallpaper is installed at the correct stage of the project
• We protect installed wallpaper from subsequent trades using non-adhesive protection systems

Our interior painting and decorative finishes teams work alongside the wallpaper installation to ensure seamless coordination of all decorating elements.

Common Problems and How We Prevent Them

Bubbling: Caused by air trapped behind the paper, insufficient adhesive, or damp walls. We prevent this through thorough wall preparation, correct adhesive application, and careful smoothing during hanging.

Seam failure: Caused by inadequate adhesive at edges or paper shrinkage during drying. We use specialist seam adhesive where necessary and ensure the room conditions are stable.

Staining: Caused by adhesive bleeding through, damp walls, or alkali in new plaster. We prevent this through appropriate priming, moisture testing, and use of non-staining adhesives.

Misalignment: Caused by inaccurate measuring, failure to establish plumb lines, or rushing. We prevent this through meticulous planning, constant checking, and never compromising on time.

Contact Us About Your Wallpaper Project

Whether your interior designer has specified de Gournay chinoiserie for your Belgravia drawing room, Zuber panoramics for your Holland Park dining room, or Cole & Son geometrics for your Chelsea bedroom, we have the skills, the experience, and the care to install them perfectly.

Contact us to discuss your luxury wallpaper project.