HI FRANCIS, GORGEOUS WALLPAPER, HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF AN ENGINEERED WOOD OAK FLOOR? SAINSBURYS HOMEBASE HAVE A GORGEOUS LIGHT OAK ENGINEERED PARAWOOD FLOOR CURRENTLY AT HALF PRICE. ITS EXTREMELY HARDWEARING, ITS SO STRONG AND TOUGH, AND YOU CAN SEAL IT WITH EXTRA COASTS OF YACHT VARNSH TO PROTECT IT FOR YEARS TO COME. WE HAVE IT IN OUR HOME, IT LOOKS GREAT AND EVERYONE WHO VISITS COMPLIMENTS IT. I WOULD HAVE THE WALLPAPER AS A FEATURE WALL AND I WOULD PAINT THE OTHER THREE WALLS A STONE COLOUR LIKE THE PAPER. ITS SO STUNNING YOU ONLY REALLY NEED ONE WALL. OR THEY COULD GO ALL WHITE WITH WHITE FURNITURE TO LOOK QUITE MODERN OR COTTAGEY. LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF PATTERN IN THE ROOM TO LET THE WALLPAPER BE THE STAR OF THE ROOM. TICKING STRIPES WOULD ECHO THE LINES OF THE PAPER AND GIVE A FRENCH CONTINENTAL TWIST. YOU COULD KEEP THE ROOM TONAL IN ALL SOFT NEUTRAL PALETTE OR YOU COULD GO WILD WITH TEAL/DUCKEGG/TURQUOISE/PURPLE CURTAINS. IKEA HAS SOME GREAT WINDOW CURTAINS, IF YOU REALLY WANT TO COLOUR POP ORANGE IS A GREAT CHOICE WITH CHOCOLATE BROWN OR BLACK. I GUESS YOU HAVE TO DECIDE HOW YOU WANT THE ROOM TO FEEL OR THE LEVEL OF IMPACT YOU WANT IT TO HAVE. YOU CAN GET THE SAME DEPTH AND INTEREST IN A TONAL ROOM AS YOU CAN IN A CONTRASTING ONE. TRY SITTING IN YOUR ROOM, OR LYING DOWN ON THE FLOOR, CLOSE YOUR EYES AND TRY TO IMAGINE HOW YOU WANT YOUR ROOM TO LOOK AND FEEL. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR PROJECT, HOPE YOU GET LOTS OF GREAT IDEAS.

Hi Gerty, I would definitely recommend a neutral textured wallpaper if you didn't want to just paint the walls either side. Harlequin do some really nice ones that would work against the busy fireplace. Or you could use on another wall and paint either side of the fireplace, hard to say for sure without seeing the whole room. This has a slight plaster affect which slightly emulates the pattern in the fireplace... This one is a metallic texture which could look really nice... This shows how the textured wallpaper will look but I would stick to a neutral colour...

Dulux Egyptian cotton

The classic way is to wallpaper up to the picture rail and then paint above the picture rail the same as the ceiling, so white or whatever colour will suit. The picture rail height looks just right. If this is a period house it would be a shame to remove it. This is a picture of my living room - green up to the picture rail then white above.