The big wall coverup
Bring your rooms to life with the latest design trend: colourful wainscotting
Looking for a way to add depth and interest to your walls? Consider wainscotting for the win. Typically seen as a combination of panels and mouldings that cover the lower part of a wall, wainscotting both protects vulnerable surfaces and brings some traditional-style swagger to the most basic of rooms.
The Dutch first used it in the 1300s to shield plaster walls from dents and scuffs brought on by chairs, shoes and other objects. But wainscotting (pronounced “Wayne’s coating ” or “Wayne’s cotting,” according to Merriam-webster) is also finding fans today. And, they’re giving the treatment a new twist.
While traditional wainscotting is made of wood, painted white and applied to the lower third of a wall, modern-day wainscotting can incorporate various colours and materials and extend as high as the homeowner sees fit.
“Dark wainscotting is a trend that has blown up in the design world in 2021 and will continue to rule 2022,” Alessandra Wood, vice-president of style for online design service Modsy, told Insider. “Wainscotting in a deep, saturated colour is popular because it leans into the moody colour trend, adding an elevated look to any room with features that make the space look much more expensive.”
Here are some other ways to make wainscotting your own:
1. Cover the entire wall. Bold, and with an ultra-custom look, a full wall of wainscotting feels expensive and regal. “Design rules are meant to be broken — and, yes, that includes wainscotting your walls,” reads a 2020 article on Elle Decor. A white finish allows the texture to shine, but deeper colours like navy blue or black ooze drama.
2. Consider non-traditional materials. Medium-density fibreboard (MDF), plastic and plywood are
all budget-friendly alternatives to wood. Or, try ceramic tiles in a solid colour or with elaborate, colourful patterns. They work particularly well in kitchens or bathrooms, where easy cleanup is a must. Other luxe-looking options are marble or gold panelling.
3. Try 3D geometric wooden shapes. If you’re not into the formal style that wainscotting typically suits, or the New England vibe of beadboard (a series of narrow wooden planks), get a funkier effect by installing a chair rail and securing wooden pieces to the wall underneath it. Brittany Jepsen of The House That Lars Built told Apartment Therapy she created columns with alternating diamond and circle cut-outs.
4. Fake it. Wainscotting can be costly and if you’re in an apartment, your rental contract might forbid it. Chelsey Brown, author of the 2020 book Rental Style, told Domino she got the look of wainscotting by using Polyurethane wall panels and Velcro strips. She mapped out the design, cut around obstacles like wall sockets and then stuck the panels to the wall. A coat of paint created a seamless finish.