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To wallpaper around windows, begin by measuring the wall and cutting your wallpaper to size, leaving extra material for trimming. Clean and prime the wall, then mark a vertical guideline using a plumb line. Apply the wallpaper, smoothing it outward from the centre, and allow it to overlap the window's edges. Make diagonal relief cuts at the corners, fold and adhere the flaps to the window's sides, and trim any excess cleanly with a sharp knife. Work with a high-quality adhesive and take care with alignment to achieve a seamless finish. Wipe away any residual paste immediately before it dries.
Wallpaper is a decorative material sold in rolls and adhered with wallpaper paste, used to add character and warmth to the interior walls of homes and commercial buildings. It may be used as plain lining paper — to prime walls before painting or to conceal surface imperfections — or as a decorative finish in its own right. Wallpaper comes in textured varieties such as Anaglypta, in designs built around repeating geometric or illustrated patterns, or, less commonly, as a continuous mural spanning multiple sheets. The smallest repeating unit of a pattern is known as the pattern repeat. Hanging wallpaper becomes considerably more demanding around windows, where sills, overhangs, and reveals introduce angles and interruptions that require patience, precision, and methodical technique.
What is a Window Sill?
A window sill is the horizontal ledge forming the base of a window frame. Integral to the window's structure, it projects outward from the wall beneath the glazing and serves a dual purpose: it provides a useful surface for objects and, more importantly, acts as a barrier against water ingress, directing rainwater away from the wall below. This makes it a key component in both the structural integrity and weatherproofing of a building.
What is a Window Overhang?
A window overhang is an architectural projection found either inside or outside a window opening. On the exterior, it acts as a canopy, deflecting rain away from the window frame and the wall beneath. On the interior, it serves both practical and aesthetic functions — concealing fittings, housing lighting, or simply adding architectural depth and visual interest to an otherwise plain opening.
What is a Window Reveal?
A window reveal is the internal face of the wall visible between the outer wall surface and the window frame itself. Its depth reflects the thickness of the wall and is a prominent feature in older or solid-walled buildings. Beyond its structural role, the reveal contributes significantly to the visual character of a window, creating depth, casting shadow, and interacting with natural light in ways that shift throughout the day. It is also one of the most technically demanding areas to wallpaper neatly.
How to Hang Wallpaper Around Windows
Recessed Window
1. Position the first length of wallpaper above the window, allowing it to hang down and overhang into the window recess. Affix and smooth it securely to the wall, working down to several inches above the top of the recess.
2. Make a horizontal relief cut just above the edge of the window reveal, allowing the paper above the cut to lie flat against the wall.
3. Make a corresponding cut below the window sill, then fold the remaining flap of paper inward to wrap the side of the reveal cleanly.
4. Using a smoothing brush or plastic smoother, press and adhere the paper firmly onto the reveal surface, working out any bubbles or creases from the centre outward.
5. Using a straightedge and a sharp utility knife, carefully trim away the excess paper for a clean, precise edge against the window frame.
6. Measure, paste, and hang the next length of wallpaper to cover the wall above the window and any overhang. Follow with a separate strip for the wall below the sill, ensuring the pattern is matched correctly at both joins.
7. Move to the opposite side of the window and repeat steps 1 through 5 to paper the other reveal, maintaining consistency in technique and pattern alignment throughout.
8. For the small unpapered sections at the upper corners of the window overhang, cut an off-cut piece to size with an additional 20 mm at each end. Ensure the pattern aligns correctly with the adjacent strips before applying.
9. Paste the strip into position above the window recess, overlapping the existing paper slightly. Execute a double cut through both layers, remove the underlying strip, press the new edge firmly down, then fold the paper onto the overhang and trim any excess flush with the frame.
10. Repeat this process for any remaining sections of overhang, always checking pattern continuity and trimming with care to maintain a tidy, professional result throughout.
Wallpapering Around a Flush Window
Wallpapering around a flush window is a considerably more straightforward process than working with a recessed one, as there are no reveals or overhangs to negotiate. The following steps will guide you through a clean, methodical wallpaper installation:
1. Hang your first length of wallpaper above the window, smoothing and securing it to the wall down to just above the window frame.
2. Trim away the bulk of the excess paper covering the window, leaving approximately 1–2 inches of wallpaper overlapping the frame at the top, bottom, and sides.
3. Press the overlapping paper gently against the frame and run your finger firmly along the outer edge of the frame to crease the paper and locate the exact corner.
4. At each corner, make a 45° angled relief cut to allow the paper to sit flat around the external corners of the frame without bunching or tearing.
5. Using a smoothing brush or plastic smoother, press the paper firmly into the junction between the wall and the frame, ensuring full adhesion with no lifting edges.
6. Trim the remaining excess paper around the perimeter of the frame using a wallpaper edge trimmer guided by a straight edge, or score the paper carefully into the frame-wall junction with scissors and peel away the excess strip.
7. Reposition any edges that have shifted during trimming, pressing them firmly back into place with a seam roller or smoothing tool.
8. Continue working around all sides of the window in the same manner until the wallpaper installation is complete and the frame is neatly bordered on all sides.
Types of Wallpaper
Choosing the right type of wallpaper is just as important as the hanging technique itself. Vinyl wallpapers are among the most widely used, prized for their durability and moisture resistance — solid vinyl and vinyl-coated variants are particularly well-suited to kitchens and bathrooms. Non-woven wallpapers are a strong choice for living rooms and bedrooms; breathable, mould-resistant, and straightforward to remove, they are increasingly popular for their eco-friendly credentials. Textile wallpapers bring a sense of tactile luxury to low-traffic, dry spaces, while traditional paper wallpapers remain a versatile and affordable option for rooms with minimal moisture exposure.
Beyond these core categories, flocked wallpapers offer a rich, velvety texture with a classic elegance; foil wallpapers deliver a reflective, contemporary metallic finish; and bamboo wallpapers introduce a naturally sustainable, organic quality to a room. Grasscloth wallpapers provide a similarly earthy, textured appeal, while mural wallpapers transform an entire wall into a visual centrepiece. Each type brings its own balance of aesthetic character and functional properties, making the selection as much a practical decision as an aesthetic one. Explore the full range of wallpaper types to find the finish that suits your space.
Whether your windows are recessed or flush, and whatever the style of your room, there is a unique wallpaper to suit it. Which type are you considering for your next project? We would love to hear about the choices and techniques that have worked for you.
