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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU re wallpaper, or is DH?

93 replies

CoffeeMum · 21/04/2012 08:34

We are planning a feature wall on our bedroom when we redecorate, and unfortunately the wallpaper we like is £95 a roll, and we'd need three, we think, so a not insignificant spend.

The wall in question has the chimney breast and two alcoves either side - where the two freestanding wardrobes would go. DH has suggested we leave 'holes' in the wallpaper behind the wardrobes to save money on wallpaper - as he says nobody would see it anyway.

This whole idea makes my teeth itch frankly. It would surely be more trouble than it was worth to leave these holes? I doubt it would save buying a whole new roll of wallpaper either. I think it's madness.

AIBU?

OP posts:
HolyCalamityJane · 21/04/2012 09:23

We absolutely need to see it now!!!! I need to see what a £95 roll of wallpaper looks likeGrin

happyscouse · 21/04/2012 09:23

Paper behind , you know it will bug you if you don't! I Lurve nice wallpaper and agree with everyone who says you should decorate the way you want not with one eye on what"fashion" dictates. FWIW my IKEA wardrobes are going strong after 10 years!

DaisySteiner · 21/04/2012 09:23

I've never known Ikea wardrobes fall about, the Pax ones at least are usually excellent quality. I would check whether it would definitely save a whole roll and if so I think I would be tempted to leave gaps.

Fireandashes · 21/04/2012 09:24

Do it properly OP, there's nothing worse than knowing the job has been skimped on even if you can't see it.

And don't feel you have to justify your choice from either a style or money perspective. Your room, your cash. So long as the paper isn't made from the skin of Romanian orphans then you can spend however much you want on what you want. Obviously this flies in the face of the current MN "Conspicuous Thrift" fashion, where the biggest source of pride is in being able to paper an entire house in recycled toilet paper, but at least you've given people a chance to give their judgy pants an airing OP.

squeakytoy · 21/04/2012 09:25

The difference between wallpaper and an expensive painting, is that you can take the painting down and sell it when you get bored with it though!! Grin.

toofattorun · 21/04/2012 09:27

Feature Walls are SO 2007....

halcyondays · 21/04/2012 09:27

Ikea furniture is pretty durable imo. I would probably tire of the wallpaper long before the wardrobes fell apart.

overmydeadbody · 21/04/2012 09:34

OP I'd say don't leave holes, it would make me twitch too.

And spend whatever you like, that's no one's buiness but yours, and if you want a feature wall who cares if it isn't 'trendy'? Go for it. You have to love your house.

FrumpyPumpy · 21/04/2012 09:46

Don't leave holes! Do it properly.

But... When you paper run three rolls at once, so you don't waste great swathes of it getting repeat right from the one roll you are working on, use any roll that starts in theright place iyswim.

Then you will have loads left on a roll to hang about in a drawer...

claudedebussy · 21/04/2012 09:47

arghghgg

i want a link because i might want it too!!!!

how can posting a link out you?

TheSockPuppet · 21/04/2012 09:49

Ok coffeemum, you put across a good argument Grin I've changed my mind, yanbu. If you leave holes in the wallpaper it might save you money now, but if your wardrobe breaks then not only will you have to buy a new wardrobe but you'll need to buy the wallpaper again anyway to cover up the holes too incase the new wardrobe leaves a gap.

boringnickname · 21/04/2012 09:49

The idea of £95 a roll for wallpaper makes my teeth itch - YABU your DH is being sightly less so

Original poster
CoffeeMum · 21/04/2012 10:35

Am back, briefly...

Thanks to all the people who agree with me Grin - this will add weight to my argument with DH Wink

Thanks to those who reminded me that my feature wall plan is out of fashion. Interesting to know this, but not really bothered. Just really want this!

Thanks to those who assure me that Ikea wardrobes may last longer than I had suspected!

To those who would be reluctant to spend £300 on wallpaper - completely fair enough. My teeth itch when people spend money on certain things, but that's just their affair isn't it? I wouldn't ever think to tell someone else how to spend their money. If they aren't in trouble with debt or starving their family to fund their heroin habit and it makes them happy to buy that thing, what's the problem? Smile

Anyway, thanks for your replies, have had a good spectrum of views here, but I shall sign off now as I don't want my nice exciting plans [well, exciting for me! Blush] soured too much. Bye all Grin

OP posts:
Kayano · 21/04/2012 10:38

Feature walls are getting too common turns up nose

I actually have one but it looks shit

trixymalixy · 21/04/2012 10:54

Do it properly!! And link to the wallpaper FGS!!

Littlefish · 21/04/2012 10:58

Your dh is being ridiculous. Either paper the whole wall, or have a much cheaper paper. Don't for god's sake leave holes in the wallpaper. I wouldn't be able to sleep in a room where I know that had been done. It would really bug me.

We've just paid lots for wallpaper for our room. I absolutely don't regret it. It looks fabulous.

Stick to your guns.

KatyMac · 21/04/2012 11:01

Why not put a piece of the the wall paper in a frame on the chimney breast

That way you see it, & it costs less Wink

madonnawhore · 21/04/2012 11:04

Why are you making a feature out of a wall that is mainly going to be obscured by big wardrobes?

Pick a different wall and find some cheaper wallpaper. Or don't do it at all.

But definitely don't paper a whole wall with expensive paper and then cover it up with wardrobes. That would be totally mad.

StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes · 21/04/2012 11:09

I would be tempted to just do the chimney and splash out on fitted wardrobes that were big enough to fill the gap completely or pick out a paint that exactly matches a colour in the wallpaper and paint behind them in that. alternately you could do a knind of fancy panel in an arch shape or something with an edging and put the wallpaper inside and paint around (not explaining that well) Or (full of ideas me) do a very large canvas of the wallpaper and hang it as art on the painted wall then cover your headboard with the leftovers and cover a vase or something.

BarbaraWoodlouse · 21/04/2012 12:05

For those of you who will not rest happy until you have seen £95 wallpaper Google is your friend Grin

Original poster
CoffeeMum · 21/04/2012 12:16

Arggh, wasn't going to come back Hmm have been well and truly pulled into this thread! Just to respond to the further replies:

Thanks for the suggestions re framing sections of wallpaper etc, but we are quite clear now that we want to do the whole wall [whether than includes the area behind the wardrobes or not Hmm]

Again, we really don't want to do just the chimney breast. I'm sure it looks great in other rooms, but it honestly wouldn't work in this room. We've given it some thought, because that's what's there. But it's just not what we want.

And we wouldn't be 'covering a whole wall with expensive wallpaper and covering it up'. I completely agree - that would be insanity. However, that is not what is happening here. The wall we have CHOSEN to paper happens to be the one that is very partially obscured by some furniture. As it happens, I much prefer the look of of wallpaper in conjunction with nice furniture than a vast expanse of wallpaper, as would be the case if we had it above the bedhead.

Hope that answers everyones queries! And thanks for the input on the 'behind the wardrobe' issue which is actually the issue I was asking for advice about! Grin

OP posts:
higgle · 21/04/2012 12:23

OP pleased you are going ahead! If you had posted that you wanted to increase your budget for the bedroom by £190 without saying why it would have sounded very reasonable indeed. If you wantedto buy a nice picture to hang up on the chimney breast you wouldn't get much for £190 eithrt so pleased you are going to "indulge" yourself. I'm doing one wall like this in our spare room as everywhere else is painted, but fortunately the wallpapaer I've fallen for is much cheaper - and I think my wall is smaller too.

Floggingmolly · 21/04/2012 12:24

That link looks like wrapping paper to me - I imagine an entire wall would have a claustrophobic effect, it's far too fussy. Then again, the op's might be nicer?

BarbaraWoodlouse · 21/04/2012 12:30

Totally agree Floggingmolly. That was just the first one I found at the right price.

I probably should have put a disclaimer on my link Picture for demonstration purposes only, OP's paper will differ from this picture. Any resemblance to OPs wallpaper (present or past) is purely coincidental Grin

BarbaraWoodlouse · 21/04/2012 12:31

(I would obviously have put an apostrophe in my disclaimer though! Grr)

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