A beginner’s guide to shiplap
Designer Alana Broadhead of homeware store, Sunday, talks about the trend.
One of the biggest trends to come out of this year’s global interior design awards has been the reinvention of shiplap. Board and batten walls were always the domain of classic, countrystyle homes, but shiplap has been reimagined for contemporary spaces, and I’m loving it.
The new generation shiplap is vertical, rather than the traditional horizontal, and is narrower than its predecessor. Think clean, modern lines – literally. Vertical lines give the illusion of more height, and narrow battens appear more refined and sophisticated than their broader brothers.
Vertical shiplap allows you to add visual interest and dimension to a space, without the need for bright colour or fussy paint effects – creating a design feature that’s understated in the best way.
Vertical shiplap cladding looks cleanest and sharpest when painted white, but it’s also bold and beautiful in black. Left unpainted, timber panels (whether light or deep) add a lovely, subtle texture and warmth to a space.
Where conventional shiplap panels are positioned right up against each other, the modern take on shiplap tends to have a larger proportion of negative detail. Increasing the width and even the depth - of the channel between each batten emphasises the vertical lines.
It also offers a myriad creative applications. Beyond just creating a feature wall with it, you can use shiplap to accentuate a special architectural element – custom cabinetry, internal doors, or a staircase, for example.