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Original poster

Anyone used Laura Ashley Wallpaper?

22 replies

leeloo1 · 06/04/2011 09:14

I've got some Laura Ashley wallpaper (very neutral, non-matching mottled pattern) which I got in the sale a few years ago. We're finally getting round to decorating and using it, but I've recently heard their paper can be very tricky to hang and give poor results - marking easily etc. :(

It was such a bargain (possibly overpriced in the 1st place) but I'm wondering if it'd be better to ditch it and buy a different brand. :(

Has anyone used it successfully - and if so did you use Laura Ashley's own wallpaper paste?

OP posts:

nethunsreject · 06/04/2011 09:18

I have always used and liked it.

I use good paste, but not la's

howy123 · 06/04/2011 09:23

My husband is a professional decorator and he hates it -says it is flimsy and tears easily. Over priced rubbish

spingspong · 06/04/2011 14:07

The decorator I used rolled his eyes when I said I was going for a Laura Ashley paper, said it was difficult to hang and ripped easily. However, it went up fine but he is very good. Don't know what paste he used but it wasn't Laura Ashley.

May be best to get a professional in to hang it for you?

wfrances · 06/04/2011 16:07

my mum and me hung my la wallpaper,paste from homebase
no probs.

ChupaChups · 06/04/2011 19:04

My decorator XP used to say that Laura Ashley stuff was crap (paint and paper).

oxocube · 06/04/2011 19:17

Used it about 25 years ago and found it difficult to work with. However, I was a novice at wallpapering/decorating then.

Original poster

leeloo1 · 06/04/2011 21:15

Thanks for the opinions. I think I'll give it a try and see how it goes. Luckily my mum is coming down to help me (a la wfrances) so maybe that's the key to it going well? If it doesn't work then I guess I'll just paint the lining paper instead. :)

OP posts:

CarGirl · 06/04/2011 21:42

I hung my first ever wall paper last year and it was LA and it seemed fine?

Original poster

leeloo1 · 06/04/2011 22:32

Lol, Cargirl, I have visions of you running off to check your LA wallpaper to see if its suddenly done something crazy.

I'd just been told (by my dad) that it wasn't great and in googling came across stories of it shrinking after being applied, so it goes gappy. Oh and that it bleeds colour through from whats underneath. Hopefully vicious rumours though and it'll all be fine.

Reassuring that it was your first go at wallpapering - it'll be mine too, I'm midway through stripping the room now and am getting slightly freaked out by all the bare plaster! So if you have any helpful tips then please do share them. :)

OP posts:

CarGirl · 06/04/2011 22:36

MIL did help me and she's had lots of practice

What was annoying is the large pattern repeat on it - 2 rolls for a short wall!

I papered over skyblue diamond paint if that helps, no shrinkage though.

lucyspangle · 08/04/2011 13:40

Have used nothing else for years purely because the designs are usually good.
Have a professional decorator to hang it though.
Agree it's over priced though and buy it in sales
May be wrong but looks like it might be made by Harlequin as very similar designs.
Take your time get all your tools to hand and it should be fine.

Original poster

leeloo1 · 08/04/2011 19:09

Thanks again for the advice. Sadly Cargirl my mum has less experience than I do, but will be good for the moral support/making tea etc. Oh and luckily the paper I got is dull doesn't need matching up as it hasn't got a real pattern so it'll hopefully be idiot proof easier to hang.

Thats interesting lucyspangle, as Harlequin seems to be recommended online whereas LA isn't... . Definitely overpriced - the very neutral one I got was meant to be £10 per roll (3 yrs ago) but I got it for £4 on offer! I bet they still make a profit on that price too...

OP posts:

CarGirl · 08/04/2011 22:34

I simply bought the LA as it was the correct shade blue that I had just decorated my room in - wasn't originally planning any wall paper!

fedupandfifty · 10/04/2011 20:14

I've tried it and felt it was expensive for what it was. It ripped easily and the pattern was too big for the job to be cost-effective. I've bought other LA stuff-rugs, cushions etc, loved the colours and the fact that it's made in the UK but it's crap quality, IMHO.

Woodsmoke · 05/11/2011 14:21

I'm a highly qualified decorator with 25 years experience, in the past Laura Ashley paper was generally poor to hang but over the years got better, This week I have put the worst paper on in my life by far, a Laura Ashley paper. I will not make the mistake of using this trash ever again, this is a decision other professional decorators have come to make.

zandy · 05/11/2011 14:27

We've used it several times in the past and never had a problem. Lovely paper. (by 'we', I mean dh).

Amaris · 05/11/2011 15:57

My dad did mine, with me helpfully hanging around looking interested. No problems before or after, mine still looks good over four years later.

cowboylover · 06/11/2011 18:00

Oh and the LA papers usually are nice to look at on the roll!

Sorry to high jack OP but what would the experts recommend?

DontWantToHaveSex · 07/11/2011 11:29

LA wallpaper is possibly the only product of theirs that I have never used. By ciontrast, I've used their paints loads of times (including very recently), and they've ben great every time. My very experienced decorator dad agrees!

I've never had a problem with any LA product though - sofas, furniture, rug, lamps, light fittings, cushions etc.

Original poster

leeloo1 · 07/11/2011 15:55

Oooh, nice to see my old thread again.

I did use the paper and it was fine... except I had 2 different batch numbers! ARGH! Only realised when some strips looked darker than others. Ooops. Such a rookie error!

Anyway, I went back to Laura Ashley with a barcode (I think) and they managed to source some paper, eve though it was discontinued, so I had enough to finish the job.

I did find it ripped a little easily when I was trying to cut the excess off at the top, but that may well be down to my lack of experience. Overall it looks really nice though. :)

OP posts:

VivaLaSativa · 07/11/2011 16:37

I have Used Laura Ashley wallpaper. I certainly would not recommend it. Has a habit of shrinking and I was left with lovely stripes either side of the strips where it had shrank.

I followed the instructions too. It was a few years ago though, and when I complained the staff at LA said it was to do with the paste (bs). I had spent over £160 on wallcovering that went wrong (not down to me I must add) and they said it was the paste! Twunts.

I love wallpaper but not LA, Harlequin is much better. The patterns from LA are very pretty but its just not worth it. Paper quality is shit and its a total waste of money Imo.

RandomMess · 07/11/2011 20:41

My first ever (and only) wallpaper hanging is LA in our bedroom and a year on it still looks great. Makes you think though that the quality is very very variable!

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