Welcome to our glossary

A…

is for adhesive. Also known as paste. Some wallpaper manufacturers will provide a paste recommendation with their hanging instructions, and Philip Jeffries are an excellent example of this. For every single paper, they show how it should look and they give you the hanging instructions online with a paste recommendation. Click here for the big 5 wallpaper pastes to get familiar with…

B…

is for booking. If you’re at the stage of booking, there are some terms you should familiarise yourself with, including deposit invoice, purchase order (PO), payment notice and cancellation policy. If you need help with better understanding these phrases, click here.

C…

is for chinoiserie. China is often considered the inventor of wallpaper, with evidence of rice paper being used to decorate walls as far back as the Qin dynasty from 221 to 206 BC. Though ‘China’ is indicated in the word ‘Chinoiserie’ the style reflects a European appreciation of Eastern Asian culture spanning China, Japan, Korea, South-East Asia and even India and Persia. Traditionally, and even today, the most luxurious Chinoiserie wallpapers are painted by hand. They are sometimes finished with hand-stitched details and gold leaf gilding. Wallpaper can be created using exquisite block-printing techniques but are now also available in a huge variety of digitally printed forms. Unlike many modern wallpapers, often their patterns don’t repeat which means the result is more like a mural or large-scale painting. This makes them more expensive to produce and, ultimately, more desirable. Here’s how to decorate with chinoiserie wallpaper.

D…

is for Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour. The voice of authority for interiors, it is a Mecca for designers. You will find the majority of our brand partners under its roof, including Phillip Jeffries, Lewis & Wood, Pierre Frey and Schumacher.

E…

is for expectation. Sonething we have to manage. Some projects go to plan, and some don’t, but it helps to manage your client’s expectations from the very beginning. As wallcovering installers in London, we’ve seen it all and trust us, it’s far better to be honest upfront. For example, some rooms may be straightforward and some complicated, but running things by your wallpaper installer can lessen the chance of misinforming your client. When a vision comes together, however, the results are worth it; here is some recent feedback from one of our wonderful clients. “The estimate to do the work was considerably higher than others we received; however, we went with Wells Interiors as their previous work for me had been creatively on the nail and professional. We were pleased we had done this and were pleased with the end result of a job using a paper that was trickier than most,” Graham Viney, of Graham Viney Design. 

f…

is for founded. Wells was co-founded by husband & wife team Mick & Natalie Wells who, having grown up in opposite ends of the world, first met in Panama while crewing large, private super yachts. When launching Wells they set out to replicate the strong work-ethic and focus on delivering service excellence that they’d experienced while yachting; with Mick focused on mastering the paperhanging craft and Natalie, the business infrastructure. In 2014, Dominic Ladd, an old family-friend of Natalie followed in Mick’s footsteps to become a Master Installer himself and is now a co-owner and Project Manager for all Wells projects. The trio continue to expand the team and wider installer network by seeking people who share their passion for premium service delivery and embody the Wells values of continual personal growth, leadership and craftmanship. Meet the rest of the team here.

g…

is for guarantee. Our work is backed by our Wells Quality Guarantee. We take great pride in the quality of our team’s work and integrity is one of our key values. However, whilst our installers are the finest in the industry, they are also human. We maintain high standards by being the harshest critics of our own work and if there is ever a quality issue due to our workmanship, we will own up and rectify the issue at our cost and as a priority.

h…

is for hotels. We are very proud to say we have worked on high-end commercial projects including The Goring, The Beaumont, The Londoner, Soho House’s Babington House and The Dorchester. One five star review said…

“We have worked with Wells Interiors and the quality of craftsmanship is second to none. In addition, the company completed all works at The Goring, whilst the hotel was occupied by guests, on time and without interrupting the operation. Thank you, we will work with you again,” Michael Voigt, General Manager at The Goring.

I…

is for interior designer. Over the years we’ve crafted a service specifically tailored to the needs of discerning Interior Designers and we’re proud to count many of London’s most talented designers and professional studios as repeat clients as a result.

J…

is for jib door. A jib door has one job, and that’s to be invisible. It needs to sit flush (with the same elevation as the wall) and be ‘invisible’. When done right, they look incredible. But you need to get every stage of the process correct to nail the end result. The way we approach jib doors from an installation point of view firstly depends on what wallcovering has been specified. If it is a bespoke wallcovering, say a Fromental or De Gournay, then there is very little room for error.

K…

is for kill point. This is another name for it is a termination point. It’s a place on the wall where the pattern will not match, because there is no natural stop/break in the room. A natural break could be floor to ceiling windows (you could cut into the architrave), joinery, a beam, or anywhere that breaks up the wall. Every area/room that you wallpaper with a repeating pattern wallpaper is different, it’s all about trying to hide that kill point as best as possible. Watch our video and Read more about kill points here.

L…

is for lining paper. Lining the walls is a key part of the preparation process and a step we would never skip. Essentially, it is an extra layer that goes between the substrate and the wallcovering and is used to create an even canvas. It can also help to provide longevity. Some wallpaper can end up with a transparent finish, and the lining paper works to add depth so you can’t see through to the walls. Brilliant for papers such as pulps and silks that can shrink, it helps to reduce any shrinkage.

M…

is for mist coat. A mist coat is made of watered-down emulsion paint. Ideally 40-50% water, with the remaining being emulsion. It’s the key step when dealing with newly-plastered walls that will help secure a fantastic finish.

N…

is for no nonsense. We want to make the whole installation process – from start to finish – seamless. Fro quantifying to the actual installation process to managing client’s expectations, the entire team make it their number one priority. We have a dedicated Office Manager, Sales Manager, Project Manager and Marketing Manager to help provide attentive support for all of our projects, however big or small. Which is why over 65% of new enquiries received are from repeat clients or are directly referred to us by our brand partners.

O…

is for online training. As the leading expert in specialist wallpaper installations, we want to help educate on the subject to help people understand why we charge what we do. And why it’s important to get the professionals in. As we often say, if you owned a Porsche, you wouldn’t take it down the road to a local garage, you would take it to a Porsche garage where it would receive the appropriate care. It was with this in mind that inspired our Co-Founder, Natalie to launch our very own CPD on ‘Designing with Wallpaper’. Accredited by the BIID, we offer ‘lunch and learn’ online webinar’s throughout the year and have been into the offices of Rebecca Hughes, KKS Savills and Chapman Architects, helping their teams get to grips with this specialist craft. Find out more about our CPD here.

P…

is for pricing guide. Have you read Marcus Sheridan’s They Ask You Answer? In the book Marcus shares his business philosophy with lots of tips, tricks and practical advice for boosting sales and growth. There is a whole chapter on why we should talk about money freely, with costs and prices clearly and easily found on your website – to make it easy for the customer. So, what did we do? We added a pricing guide to our website. We understand that investing in luxury wallcoverings is a huge decision. We wanted to create a helpful guide to break down the barriers and cut out the confusion. Why? To give you the best understanding of exactly what you’re buying into. We can give the customer a very accurate cost if we have the type of wallpaper being used, plans or elevations, and photos and/or videos of the room/space. This allows us to give square meterage rates subject to a site visit.

Q…

is for quantifying. You might have thought choosing your wallcovering from a plethora of beautiful options was the hard part! But correctly calculating wallpaper quantity is equally important. No one wants to spend more than they need to, but failing to buy enough meterage can negatively impact precise pattern matching or even cause major delays to your refurbishment if you order short.

r…

is for residential. We take immense pride in installing wallpapers in family homes and private residences of all sizes. Our installers offer a fantastic level of personalised service and if clients are in residence during the project, we do our upmost to reduce disruption and to be an understated and respectful presence in the home. We love working directly for homeowners as well as interior designers and contractors working on their behalf. Wallpapers are often a big investment and will set the scene in a home for years to come, so you can rest assured that our team are experts at pattern layout and balancing the wallpaper around a room to give the most naturally and intuitively pleasing result possible with your chosen paper.

S…

is for sustainability. At Wells Interiors, we do as much as we can to make our installations more sustainable. We use good quality tools that we can use again and again and are currently investigating ways to increase the recycling of plastic paste tubs across our sites. In order to reduce travel miles, we invested in a central London storage facility that is close to the majority of our projects and we mostly use bikes or public transport to get around. At our office, we recycle and use renewable electricity, but we know there is always room for improvement. If you want to ensure you go for a sustainable wallcovering, read this for some great tips and information.

t…

is for The List. We are delighted to be part of House & Garden’s The List. You can find us here. We’ve admired Condè Nast’s titles (Vogue, Tatler, CN Traveller, Glamour) for many years, and are delighted to feature in this prestigious publication.

U…

is for unique. Got a ceiling however unique, experimental or simply tricky; there’s no need to let concerns about installation hold you back. From the first call our sales team can advise on the practicalities of your plans from an installer perspective and suggest a plan of attack based on more than a decade of experience working with the most challenging wallcoverings. If need be we can arrange a test install to check the viability of the wallcovering and substrate before you commence with large orders and we will work hand in hand with any other craftsman involved to ensure the project is completed to the highest quality.

V…

is for vinyl. Vinyl wallcoverings are commonly used in commercial properties and restaurants as they fuse luxury design with durability and affordability. They are safe for high traffic areas, which is why they are often used in commercial projects, hotels and restaurants. The advantages of opting a vinyl include being cleanable, easier to install and maintain, resistant to scratches, scuffs and impact, flame resistant and a long lifespan. Plus, they come in a myriad of colours, textures and prints.

w…

is for wallpapered ceilings. Counting your ceiling as a fifth wall can turn something fairly unexciting into a really statement ‘wow’ feature. The most iconic ceiling we have done to date was at The Audley Public House in Mayfair. Masterminded by the late Dame Phyllida Barlow, it is a feast for the eyes. Find out more on this project here.

x…

is for Generation X, which refers to the generations born between the mid-1960s and mid-1980s. This time-frame includes the year our Co-Founder, Mick Wells, was born. Tenuous, yes. But we really struggled with this one. And without this prestigious birthday, Wells Interiors wouldn’t have been born. So there you have it!

y…

is for yachts. Our talented installers work across a range of projects with different design and construction professionals, including interior designers, project managers and building contractors. We also work directly with hospitality firms on hotel projects.  We also work on projects such as wrapping joinery and headboards, and creating screens and superyacht panels – both on and off-site. We have already been booked for a job on a super-yacht in 2024, which the team are buzzing about.

z…

is for zebras, of course! And what a note to end on. This is the iconic Zebra print wallpaper by The House of Scalamandré, which we recently installed at a private residence in London.