Concept by Kindling Sites
NORTH & SONS NE Interior & Exterior Decorators
Navy shaker panelling with chinoiserie wallpaper feature wall

Wallpaper & feature walls

Feature walls that hold up to close inspection

A feature wall is one of the simplest ways to change how a room feels — and one of the easiest things to get wrong. It's the one wall designed to draw the eye, so every line, seam and edge has to hold up.

5.0★ Google Rating
£10M Public Liability Insurance
12-Month Workmanship Guarantee
45 Years Combined Experience

Why North & Sons

Feature walls, done right

A feature wall is unforgiving of shortcuts — precision is the whole point.

Precision painting

Every colour block cut in cleanly against skirting, coving and adjoining walls, with an even coat from edge to edge — one solid, deliberate colour.

Wallpaper hung properly

Pattern repeats lined up across every drop, seams finished flush, and the wall properly prepared underneath so it doesn't telegraph through the paper.

Panelling painted to a high standard

Tongue and groove, shiplap and wainscoting properly sanded and prepped first, so joints and grooves sit seamlessly under an even coat.

Media walls done right

Crisp lines around alcoves, shelving and TV recesses — the room’s focal point, prepared and finished like a centrepiece.

What's included

Full preparation and protection, as standard

  • Surface preparation and repair
  • Painted feature & accent walls
  • Wallpaper hanging and removal
  • Pattern matching on wallpaper
  • Media wall painting
  • Painted tongue & groove panelling
  • Shiplap painting
  • Wainscoting painting
  • Snagging & tidy handover
Book now
Navy panelled feature wall with patterned wallpaper above

Decorative panelling

Panel painting, style by style

Panelling has become one of the most requested feature styles across Newcastle. We don't install panelling — we paint existing panelling to a premium standard, and each style has its own considerations.

Tongue and groove

Interlocking boards with a distinctive grooved joint — getting even coverage into each groove without pooling takes a careful, methodical approach.

Shiplap

Overlapping horizontal boards, popular for a rustic or coastal look. Paint needs to reach fully into the overlap without building up unevenly.

Wainscoting

Traditional lower-wall panelling with a moulded top rail. Joints filled and sanded so the whole piece reads as one seamless surface.

MDF shaker panelling

Clean, structured feature walls with evenly spaced rails and stiles — joints, fixings and edges filled, sanded and primed so panels look seamless.

Painted tongue-and-groove panelling below crisp white walls

A growing trend

Media wall painting

Media walls have become the most requested living-room feature across Newcastle and Gosforth. As the focal point of the room, every imperfection is more noticeable — so every surface is filled, sanded and inspected, primed where required, and finished with crisp lines around alcoves, shelving and TV recesses.

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Is wallpaper or paint better for a feature wall?
Both work — it depends on the look you want. Wallpaper offers textures, metallics, murals and intricate patterns paint cannot easily replicate; paint gives a cleaner, more understated finish and simpler future colour changes. Panelling adds depth before being professionally painted, and many homeowners combine all three.
Do walls need preparing before wallpaper goes up?
Yes — existing paper removed, cracks and holes filled, surfaces sanded and cleaned before adhesive is applied. In some cases lining paper is recommended to create a uniform surface. Proper preparation improves adhesion and reduces the risk of bubbling or lifting seams.
Can patterned wallpaper be hung without visible joins?
When installed correctly, joins should be barely noticeable. That takes accurate measuring, careful pattern matching and precise trimming around corners, sockets and internal angles — plus the correct hanging method for the paper.
Which wall should be the feature?
Pick the wall your eye lands on first when entering the room. Avoid walls broken up by doors, windows or radiators — the wall behind a bed, sofa or fireplace is a natural focal point, and in open-plan spaces a media or dining wall often works well.

Contact us

Get your free, no-obligation quote

Every project starts with a visit, a conversation and a clear written quotation — never a guess over the phone.

☎ Call 07856 037 721 Get a Free Quote