Thanks for that. Yes, a steamer did help - it still didn't come away in those big, satisfying chunks like wallpaper does, but it certainly softened the paint it and reduced the risk of chipping the plasterwork.
don't know if this is too scientific - more a hunch - a large pattern should make the wall smaller, a smaller pattern make it larger. If you want to make the wall look higher use the frock principle - vertical lines give height, horizontal lines give width. Good luck.
