How to Wallpaper a Chimney Breast

While you can wallpaper around a functional fireplace, we suggest focusing on the alcoves rather than the chimney breast itself. This not only helps preserve the longevity of the wallpaper but also allows the fireplace to remain the focal point of the room. Wallpapering the alcoves adds color, pattern, and texture to the space, creating contrast, symmetry, and a layered visual effect without compromising on heat safety.

Wallpapering just the chimney breast can create a striking, statement look that anchors the space. By isolating the design to the central section of the wall, you naturally draw the eye to the fireplace without visually crowding the room. This approach also pairs well with strong paint colors or contrasting tones in the alcoves.

If your chimney breast is narrow, extending the wallpaper into the alcoves can bring a sense of flow and balance. It helps the wall feel more unified and often creates a softer, more immersive look, ideal for tonal or textural papers that don’t dominate but add quiet depth like our Coat mural.

Alternatively, wallpapering only the alcoves can be a clever way to bring in pattern without overwhelming the main feature wall. This design choice works beautifully in rooms where the chimney breast already has a mantel or visual weight, letting the wallpaper highlight the architecture rather than compete with it.

Or if you’re ready to embrace something bolder, why not wrap the entire room in a panoramic mural like our Hackfall Green mural? It’s a dramatic, gallery-style finish that blurs the lines between wallpaper and art, transforming the chimney breast, alcoves and beyond into one cohesive masterpiece

Wallpapering a chimney breast can feel daunting, but with a little preparation, it’s surprisingly simple and incredibly rewarding. Whether you’re using a by the roll wallpaper or a mural with multiple panels, following the right steps will help you achieve a flawless finish and turn your fireplace wall into a standout feature.

Start by measuring the full width and height of the chimney breast. If you’re planning to include alcoves, be sure to measure those areas separately. Then, calculate how many rolls you’ll need based on your wallpaper’s width and pattern repeat. Not sure where to start? We’ve got a helpful wallpaper calculator on each product page to make the process easy and have a detailed guide on how to measure your wall.

If you’ve chosen a mural, Hovia’s wall tool allows you to position the design exactly where you want it on your wall. That means key elements of the artwork can be centered perfectly within the chimney breast or aligned with your room’s features for the best visual impact.

Before you start hanging, take time to prepare your wall as it makes all the difference. Begin by cleaning the surface to remove any dust, debris or previous wallpaper glue. Fill in any cracks or holes, and sand back any rough patches so the wall is as smooth as possible. A primed and even surface gives the wallpaper a better bond and avoids any imperfections showing through once it’s applied.

For by the roll wallpaper, we recommend beginning your install in the center of the chimney breast. This keeps the design symmetrical and ensures your focal point stays aligned with the center of the room. Mark a centerline on the wall and use that to guide your first strip. Paste the wall or paper, hang your first roll and carefully smooth away any bubbles or ripples. To align your wallpaper, hang the next panel edge to edge so there is no overlap in a butt join. Visually match the pattern on the wall then firmly press together so that the seams are not visible. Again, smooth out any bubbles with a wallpaper tool or a soft cloth and repeat until you’re done.

For murals, the process is similar, but it’s even more important to lay out the full design before you begin. Each panel is numbered in hanging order, so be sure to check everything is aligned before you reach for the paste. Use a plumb line to mark where your first panel will go, then apply your paste directly to the wall using a roller or brush. Start at the top of the wall and gently smooth down, working panel by panel.

Our wallpaper installation guide and mural installation guide includes further detailed steps, and troubleshooting tips, while our guide on how to wallpaper around corners is perfect for the learning how to tackle the tricky corners of your chimney breast!

HOVIA TIP:

We don’t recommend wallpapering any surface that gets warm or sits directly behind a working fireplace, log burner, or stove. Prolonged heat exposure can weaken wallpaper adhesive and, depending on the materials used and the condition of the surface, may pose a fire risk.
While Hovia meets rigorous fire safety standards, it's still important to follow heat safety best practices and assess the conditions of your individual space before wallpapering near any heat source.

If your fireplace is functional and in regular use, we recommend the following precautions:

• Maintain a minimum distance of at least 30cm from the fireplace opening when wallpapering. HETAS, the UK’s leading authority on solid fuel safety, advises: “Check the stove appliance manual for distance to combustible material and as long as it is outside of the minimum distance then this is acceptable.”

• Avoid wallpapering inside the recess of a working fireplace, instead, opt for heat-safe paint or tiling

• Use heat-resistant wallpaper, such as vinyl or contract-grade materials such as our Pro paper type

• Check the condition of the brick and plaster above the fireplace to ensure it can support wallpaper adhesive over time