A proliferation of pattern

The frieze-filling-dado wallpaper scheme highlights the popularity of wallpaper in Victorian homes. It was first recommended in 1868 as a way of breaking up the monotony of a single pattern on the wall, and by 1880 it was a standard feature in many fashionable interiors. The dado paper covered the lower part of the wall, between the skirting board and chair rail; above this hung the filling, and above this the frieze. And as if three different wallpapers were not enough decoration for any room, the scheme was often combined with ceiling papers to complete the densely-patterned effects. Ideally, the frieze should be light and lively, the filling, a retiring, all-over pattern, and the dado should be darker to withstand dirt and wear and tear. Co-ordinating papers, printed in muted 'art' greens, reds, yellows and golds, could be extremely attractive but the frieze-filling-dado-ceiling combination often led to visual overload. The treatment was best suited to hallways and stairs. But by 1900 ceiling papers had disappeared and, in artistic interiors, wide friezes, like the Peacock pattern produced by Shand Kydd, were hung above plain or simple panelled walls.

Our velvets and cotton-linens boast rub counts of 40,000+, our cut-velvets achieve a count of 25,000+ and our jacquards come in at 10,000+.

All our fabrics are family-friendly and hardwearing whilst remaining luxurious to the touch.

Yes, you can order a bespoke runner with a width of up to 91cm. To give you an idea of how it will look, we will send you a CAD (computer-aided design) image of your chosen runner in the width specified by you. Please note that for bespoke-width runners there is an additional charge of £695.

Can your runners be used on stairways with returns and corners?

Yes – a professional carpet fitter would be best placed to advise on what length and width of runner you should order, as well as how the runner would fit on staircases with corners and returns.

For staircases with a curve or complicated return, would it be best to order a runner or a fitted carpet?

Both would work, so it’s entirely up to you – though we would recommend contacting a professional carpet fitter for an expert opinion. 

On standard staircases, the SABER runner would feature just the one tiger. However, if you’re looking to order a longer runner that will stretch across multiple staircases or different spaces (e.g. onto a landing), then we would be able to create a bespoke runner with a number of tigers prowling on it – we would just need to know your specific requirements to get the runner looking just right. For more details and to place a bespoke order, please contact our Customer Services team.

Can I change the placement of the SABER tiger on my runner?

Yes, just let us know how far away (in centimetres) from the start and end of the runner that you would like the tiger to sit.

At present, we do not offer custom colours. The entire House of Hackney x Axminster Carpets collection is woven on one loom from just nine shades of yarn, the colours ranging from ‘Petrol’ and ‘Vermillion’ to ‘Blush’ and ‘Tobacco’ – all hand-picked to represent our signature palette. We feel that the effect is at once harmonious, unique and timeless. 

Can the scale of the patterns be changed?

Again, this is something we are currently unable to do. We have worked closely with the talented craftspeople at Axminster Carpets to translate our prints into floor coverings that are woven in rich detail with perfect proportions. As such, each print makes a statement (there’s a reason we call it “art for the floor”) while beautifully suiting any space, whether big or small.

Even though it’s guaranteed to last, there are a few things you can to do to keep your floor covering looking as good as new, even 25 years later.

Our top tip would be to take your shoes off (and ask your guests to do so as well): this will not only safeguard against dirty footprints but will also prevent the soles of your shoes from damaging the carpet pile. Rearranging the positions of your furniture pieces from time to time can also help to reduce any wear and tear.

As the natural structure and waxy coating of wool gives it an in-built resilience to dirt, wool floor coverings are tough to get mucky – but when they do, they’re easy to clean: just invest in an upright vacuum and go over your rug, runner or carpet regularly. As for spills and stains? Steer clear of bleach or harsh chemicals – instead, act promptly and blot using mild, dissolved liquid detergent to clean the area, ensuring not to rub or get it too wet.

While still new, your wool floor covering may shed a little fluff – vacuum it regularly and the fluff won’t affect the luxurious look and feel of the pile. And if the pile ever starts to look flat, simply vacuum against the direction of the pile to give it a lift.  

Printed in England by family-run factories in areas where the textile trade goes back generations, our fabrics are made using environmentally friendly methods and materials. And, by recovering the furniture you already own, you too can play a part in protecting the environment – saving timeworn pieces from winding up in landfill, where 627,000 tonnes of discarded designs (the equivalent of 4.2 million sofas) find themselves each year.

Read on to discover more about reupholstering (a task for which we always recommend a skilled professional, unless you’re a dab hand at DIY – our Customer Services team will be able to point you in the right direction).

Spotted another window of opportunity for your favourite House of Hackney fabric? Our online made-to-measure service makes it incredibly easy to create your dream curtains or blinds: simply enter a few details and our expert craftsmen will get to work, whipping up wondrous window coverings especially for you.

We recommend a technique called “wallpaper stitching” to ensure a perfect finish.

Simply follow our step-by-step guide as usual, ensuring the room is cool and well-aired to prevent the wallpaper from shrinking.

Next, reach for some low-tack painter’s masking tape (we recommend FrogTape Yellow for delicate surfaces – just avoid using masking tape as this could damage the protective finish of your wallpaper).

Apply approx. 15cm of the tape across the seams (every 30 – 40cm) to keep them held together. Wait 24 hours for the adhesive paste applied behind your wallpaper to air-dry, then use a hairdryer or a sponge/soft cloth with a little hot water to gently go over the tape – this makes its glue dissolve, so the tape can then peel off more easily. 

By keeping the seams tightly together, this technique prevents them from opening up when the paper dries. As well as old walls with uneven, bumpy surfaces, “wallpaper stitching” works well on dark wallpaper and the designs in our ‘Climbing Walls’ collection – preventing any white edges of the wallpaper from showing between the solid block-colour backdrops.

For internal corners, start by pasting the wall into the corner and a little way around. Match up the left edge of the wallpaper and brush it into the corner and around it. It may be that the corner is not perfectly vertical – you’ll only need to go around the corner with the paper by approx. 2-3cm or until the wall is vertical again.

As per our step-by-step guide, the first sheet of wallpaper should have been hung 40cm out from the corner, so do the same here (or match up to that line) and overlap the paper. It’s perfectly fine for the paper in the corner to overlap and, though it could be left to dry, for a professional finish you should take a very sharp or fresh blade, along with a steel straight-edge, to cut the papers where they overlap. Remove the excess off the top paper, then peel the top paper back and remove the excess of the bottom paper.

Next, push the top paper down: it should match and meet perfectly with the bottom paper and join like two seams of wallpaper. (This is why it’s a good idea to overlap in a corner, so any potential mismatches don’t show!)

As for external corners? When you hang the paper to the wall, wrap it around the corner. Again, the wall may not be “true”, so some overlapping may be required – in which case, follow our instructions above to ensure that the overlap in not in sight, but around the corner instead.

How do I tackle plug sockets and fittings?

Start by unscrewing and removing the outer casing of the socket or switch. Apply the sheet of wallpaper as normal and let it hang over the socket area. Next, use a knife to slice a cross-shaped opening, diagonally from corner to corner across the socket area, then cut away the excess. Smooth the paper down with a brush or sponge before reattaching the front cover of the socket.

Our wallpaper is designed for each and every room in the home: we see it as an opportunity to completely transform any space, imbuing it with beauty and personality. Even if you just wallpaper a small box room or an under-stairs cupboard, you’ll find yourself immersed in a magical world of print and colour.

How do I know which print will work in a certain room?