De Gournay is one of the world's most prestigious wallpaper houses, producing hand-painted and hand-embroidered wallpapers that are works of art in their own right. A single room of de Gournay paper can cost £10,000–£50,000 or more. Installing these extraordinary papers requires specialist skills, absolute precision, and the confidence that comes from experience.
Pre-Installation
Wall Preparation Walls must be perfectly flat, smooth, and stable. Any imperfections in the wall will telegraph through the paper and be visible in the finished installation. We typically: - Strip all existing wallpaper and adhesive residue - Repair any plaster defects to a smooth finish - Apply a cross-lining paper (800-grade minimum) horizontally - Size the lined walls with appropriate wallpaper size
Panel Planning De Gournay papers are supplied as numbered panels that create a continuous scene. Before installation, we lay out all panels in sequence to verify the design continuity, check for any damage, and plan the starting point.
Installation
Handling De Gournay papers are fragile and valuable. We handle them with cotton gloves, on clean surfaces, using clean tools throughout. Paste is applied to the wall (never the paper for silk-backed and hand-painted papers, unless the manufacturer specifies otherwise).
Hanging Each panel is carefully positioned, ensuring the design aligns precisely with adjacent panels. The joins between panels must be invisible. This requires patience, a steady hand, and the confidence to reposition panels if the alignment isn't perfect.
Trimming Excess paper at ceiling, floor, and around features is trimmed with fresh, sharp blades. A dull blade will tear rather than cut the delicate paper.
Post-Installation
Protection Newly installed de Gournay paper should be treated with care. We advise against touching the surface for 48 hours while the adhesive cures. Some de Gournay finishes can be treated with a protective coating — we advise on a case-by-case basis.
Maintenance Dusting with a soft brush is the only recommended cleaning method for most de Gournay papers. Wet cleaning is generally not possible without damaging the finish.
We have installed de Gournay, Fromental, Gracie, and Zuber wallpapers in Chelsea homes. Contact us to discuss your project.