This.

I like magnolia as it doesn't tend to clash with any pictures. And I find a wall without any pictures on it a very odd thing indeed.

That's possibly the most backhanded comment I've ever had

No, I absolutely detest trying to line things up for DIY, always bodge it or it takes ages

Wallpaper. Hm, we always paint.

So, something constructive. I did see an advert the other day for stuff where you actually paste the walls and then hang the wallpaper. The trickiest part, aside from pasted paper trying to fold on itself, is to get it vertical. Walls are never as straight as you think.

Personnally, I would work from the centre out so that any extra odd sizes are hidden away in the corners where you don't look so often and where there's generally less light relflected so it's less noticeable.

Same here. Patterned walls distract from any pictures on the wall.

Yes Magnolia is a symbol of rebellion refusing to put up wallpaper.

HINT: Get in a professional

And waste your money.
Do it right yourself and have the satisfaction of a good job well done.

Mark

This. And if you're not happy papering, paint it (assuming you're happier doing this).

This.

It may have taken a bit longer but it felt good to change all the radiators in my house and fit an entire new bathroom suite with no previous plumbing knowledge. Not rocket science but it felt worthwhile.

The thing I wish I had got somebody in for was for cuttting the single large piece of cushioned lino-ey type stuff on the bathroom floor. Took me too days to cut it so it fit all the corners and had just the right amount cut out for the sink and toilet so that it would close behind them in one single unit.

Thing about prepping a wall for paint is that it takes forever.
And some walls have been mucked around with so much over the years, that wallpaper with lining paper is really your only option. Unless you fancy re-plastering.

Oh I forgot about. The salt wash type thing? Too much mixed in and your paint ends up cracking as well...

More than that - ensuring you've got a surface smooth enough to be worth painting, without all the inevitable patchwork of polyfiller most walls will acquire over time. Unless you want visitors to think you've had the walls quilted, of course.

Oh yeah, that too.

It's funny, at the time I think it drives me made but I then seem to have a hazy view of DIY and how it's not annoying.

First thing first - Magnolia sucks.......

Brought the house new about 4 years ago and the walls are dry lined and painted with cheap trade magnolia, so it has been my job as I've decorated each room to repair the cracks and the peeling join tape, prep the walls with cheap or watered down main colour paint as the plaster board soaks it up better than a sponge and replace the Magnolia for the chosen substitute colour pick by Her-In-Doors.

In fact I’ve decided when I do the painting I'm going to cover the wall I'm going to paper first so the adhesive does get sucked off the paper and cause a comedy moment of paper rolling it self back up down the wall……..

BTW I [LIFTED] hate decorating