The Melissa Dayton Art Wallpaper Guide
Hand-painted wallpaper for homes meant to be passed down.
melissadayton.com
BEFORE YOU ORDER: WHY MEASURING MATTERS
Get Your Measurement Right the First Time
My wallpaper is custom-printed specifically for your order. This means every panel is made to order, which is what makes it special. But it also means something important:
If you need to reorder panels later, the color may be slightly different from your original order — even in the same colorway. This is a natural characteristic of custom printing, and it is one of the most important things I can tell you before you begin.
The best way to protect your project is to measure carefully, add overage, and order everything you need in one order.
This guide will walk you through exactly how to do that.
HOW TO MEASURE YOUR WALLS
How to Measure Your Space
STEP 1 — Measure wall width
Measure the total width of each wall you plan to wallpaper in inches. Include the full width even if a window or door breaks it up — you will account for those separately.
STEP 2 — Measure wall height
Measure from floor to ceiling. If you have crown molding or wainscoting, measure only the area you plan to cover.
STEP 3 — Account for windows and doors
Subtract the square footage of any windows or doors — but only if they are larger than 15 square feet. For smaller openings, keep them in your calculations. You will use those extra panels above and below.
STEP 4 — Add your pattern repeat
My straight match panels have a 19-inch repeat. Add one full repeat per panel to your height measurement to allow for pattern matching.
STEP 5 — Add overage
Straight match patterns: add at least 10% to your total.
Half drop patterns: see Page 4 for specific overage guidelines.
THE GOLDEN RULE:
When in doubt, order one panel more than you think you need. A leftover panel stores beautifully in a flat, dry space for future repairs. A mismatched reorder from a new print run does not.
HALF DROP PATTERNS: HOW TO ORDER
Is Your Pattern a Half Drop?
Some of my patterns are half-drop repeats. You will find this noted on each product listing. A half drop means every other panel shifts down by half the vertical repeat — creating the flowing, organic feel of a real garden rather than a flat repeating print.
I have two half-drop repeat sizes. Check your product listing to confirm which applies to your pattern before you calculate your order.
HALF DROP SIZE 1 — 19 INCHES WIDE BY 24 INCHES TALL
Every other panel shifts down 12 inches.
This requires approximately 15 to 20 percent more material than a straight match pattern.
Simple rule: Add one full extra panel to your total order.
Example for a standard 9-foot wall:
Straight match: 108 inches plus 10% overage = approximately 119 inches per panel
24-inch half drop: 108 inches plus 24 inches plus 10% overage = approximately 145 inches per panel
HALF DROP SIZE 2 — 19 INCHES WIDE BY 38 INCHES TALL
Every other panel shifts down 19 inches.
This requires approximately 25 to 30 percent more material than a straight match pattern.
Simple rule: Add two full extra panels to your total order.
Example for a standard 9-foot wall:
Straight match: 108 inches plus 10% overage = approximately 119 inches per panel
38-inch half drop: 108 inches plus 38 inches plus 10% overage = approximately 161 inches per panel
QUICK REFERENCE CHART:
Straight match pattern — add 10% overage
24-inch half drop — add 15 to 20% overage, or one extra panel
38-inch half drop — add 25 to 30% overage, or two extra panels
The golden rule applies to all patterns:
When in doubt, order the extra panel. A leftover panel stores beautifully in a flat dry space. A mismatched reorder from a new print run does not.