Do you ever find yourself staring at the same plain and boring blank wall each day wondering “Is there anything we can do to really bring this wall to life?”? Fortuantely, the answer is a resounding YES….and the good news is that you can make some significant changes without having to spend the earth.
Something that can make a huge impact to any wall in your home and has been very popular in the past but is also going through a regeneration, is panelling or wainscoting. Wainscoting is very popular in America and we’ve spoken about this in a previous blog post but wainscoting can quite easily be confused with panelling so we will aim to break them both down below.
PANELLING:
Panelling (as shown in the above image in the dark blue and black) generally consists of what is known as ‘rails’ (horizontal sections) and ‘stiles’ (vertical sections) of approximately 100mm (4 inches) in width to form a square or rectangular pattern that is then repeated across the wall. The spacings between each rail and stile should be calculated to be equal in distance to ensure a symmetrical look. To add an additional feature, pine beading can be added to internal edges of each of the rails and stiles to provide further detailing. The configuration of the squares can be either equidistant, a larger panel in the middle with smaller panels either side (top & bottom), or really, in any formation that you feel would look appropriate, while maintaining the look of symmetry. Further, if the panelling is not going all the way up to the ceiling, a small bullnosed ledge, along with another beading for extra detailing could be added to the top to form something silmilar to a small shelf.
WAINSCOTING:
Waincoting on the other hand (as shown in the above image in the light green finish) is generally formed using thicker pine mouldings and installed directly onto the existing wall (if the condition of the wall is ok) in squares, rectangles or offset rectangles if installed at an angle, up a flight of stairs for instance. This moulding is normally accompanied by an almost mid-height dado rail and sometimes, depending on the space available, additional squares, rectangles, or offset ractangles above the dado. To add an additional feature, the colour of the wall and lower mouldings can be different to the mouldings and wall mouldings above the dado. One section can be painted white or even complementary colours, depending on the existing colour scheme in your home.
This all sounds amazing however, the final look and finish of the end product could vary dramatically depending on whether the work has been completed using a kit from a DIY store or whether it has been installed by professional installers who have the experience to ensure the finish of a high quality and overcome any obstacles that may arise during installation.
At Smart & Simple Home Improvements, we work with our clients to ensure that we provide them with the best solution to suit their home so get in touch now to discuss your new panelling or wainscoting project and book your free consultation.
Contact: Matthew
T: 07954 168666
E: enquiries@sshomeimprovements.co.uk