Something I Adore - Paneling

Oh my goodness people. I cannot even explain to you how much I love wood detail in a house. The character brought in by trim and paneling is beyond fabulous. It brings warmth and richness to a space regardless of the color it is painted. 

I could pontificate on trim and moldings for hours…seriously. But today I will focus on just the paneling or wainscoting. Now I understand that paneling had some bad years, the 60’s and 70’s in particular were pretty brutal. The stain choices were awful and faux paneling came into play…rough years indeed. But genuine wood (or even MDF if it’s done properly) paneling with a white wash or a nice paint choice can really just make a room sing.

V-groove or Tongue and Groove is probably the most common paneling around and it makes my heart beat fast. I just love it!!! No one does it as good as Sarah Richardson so here are a few of her really awesome examples of classic v-groove

Horizontal white washed pine

 

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Painted and floor-to-ceiling

 

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Whitewashed perfection

 

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Mixed: Stained ceiling and painted walls.

I just love the mix here. You really just need a hint of the wood tone for it to make a space warm. This feels warm and cozy without feeling claustrophobic. 

 

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Board and Batten is another personal favorite for me and one that I am about to take on for my own home. I love that it can look refined and elegant yet casual all at once. This is a super versatile paneling in my opinion. It’s easy to recreate and looks pretty phenomenal in almost any space. Here are a few examples of this fantastic wall treatment.

 Standard Chair Rail height

 

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Floor-to-ceiling

 

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Squares

 

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 Embellished Square Design

  

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Isn't this red just fabulous??? I love it when people are daring with their color choices! I'm so not that person so I really like seeing it.

Stacked Molding

 

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Trellis Design

 

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Beadboard

This is a very common wainscoting material and even used for a kitchen backsplash and as panel inserts in other types of paneling.

 

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Panel Molding or Picture Frame molding

There are two major types for this molding and then variations on the concept as well. I'll be sharing the two main versions. 

First up is raised panel molding. It has a built up look in the center and is a very traditional look.

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The final type I want to share is recessed panel molding. It obviously has a slight "step down" look to the center of the panel. This is also a very traditional style of paneling.

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I've been working on my house a little bit lately. I have already completed my horizontal plank wall and there are a few more areas that will have other types of paneling treatments as well. I've also painted quite a bit of my family room and breakfast nook paneling. I am looking forward to sharing more pictures of these spaces soon.

What's your favorite paneling?