In a simple rectangular or square room with a small-patterned paper, always look to begin close to a corner, whilst never using the corner itself as a true vertical guideline. Hang the first piece of wallpaper close to the corner, leaving perhaps half a width to hang to the left depending on if you are right or left handed (see below).

• If your wallpaper has a big pattern or bold features, start at the centre of the wall. • For less detailed wallpapers, start from the corner or behind a door. • Make sure you match up the design on the wallpaper with the following strips. • Keep any wallpaper cuttings for above the doors and windows.

Once the wallpaper is prepared, you can move on to hanging it: Begin at one of the top corners of the wall, closest to a window where possible, so the edges of the wallpaper don’t cast a shadow if they overlap. If your wall is opposite the window, look at the angle of the sun to help you find out which side to start from.

Always start hanging wallpaper in the middle of a wall or chimney breast and work outwards so that the paper lengths meet in an inconspicuous place in the room.

For wallpaper with a dominant element center it on the “focal wall”— the wall people first notice. Measure the width and height of this wall and mark its midpoint. Cut a short strip of wallpaper. Place the dominant element over the midpoint. Mark the wall at the paper’s leading edge, the edge against which the next strip will hang.