All About Wainscoting
Wainscoting is a classic architectural feature that has been seen in residences and buildings since the English Renaissance, which began in the late 1400s. Wainscoting refers to the addition of wood paneling on the interior of a wall. It originally began to serve as an added layer of insulation. Art and armor were hung on top, and as time went on, the panelling got decorative, especially depending upon the decor style and time period.
The original wainscoting went high up the wall - 8’-10’. These days, we do see it stopping higher up on the wall on occasion, but we more frequently think of wainscoting as stopping around the 1/3 to 1/2 point on a wall. It includes a traditional raised panel layout, but recessed panelling, beadboard, board and batten, and shiplap are all types of wainscoting.
Wainscoting can make a space feel more formal - just how formal is dependent upon which style you go with. Raised panel will feel more formal than a beadboard or board and batten, for example. A benefit to wainscoting is that it will add durability to the walls, as wood can take more wear than drywall, making it a good choice for high traffic hallways or stairways, mudrooms or even kid’s playrooms and family rooms.
If you’re considering adding wainscoting to a space, the first two steps are considering which style fits the architecture of your home and your decorating style the best, and what height and layout works best with the area you’re looking to add the wainscoting to. In terms of height, you likely have in mind if you want to do something on the higher side or lower. When you’re determining the exact height, its best to study your space and see if there is something existing that you can base the height on - whether thats window trim, an existing chair rail or where a stair railing meets the wall. If not, you want to aim for about 1/3 of the way up the wall to make your ceilings look higher. If that proportion seems off, or you have higher ceilings, you may want to go a little higher, but avoid cutting the room at the halfway point or too close to that.
If you’re looking for more interior design tips check out our Home Design Guide, a FREE downloadable e-book filled with design tips and info!
We also offer virtual residential interior design services and would love to help you with your next home project - whether it’s a kitchen or bath renovation, a living room or anything in between! Please reach out via comment below, DM on social or via email (hello@abodevirtual.com). More information can be found on our website, abodevirtual.com