The conceptualizing and implementation of home interior ideas require creativity and the essence of innovation while planning. It is a professional or leisure pursuit; creativity, designs, and implementation of designs for the room demand experience and artistic skills. Individuals dealing with interior designing need to be mindful of the existing trends and approaches with the most prevalent and accepted color combinations. Interior designing is the art and science of enhancing home features to achieve a healthier and aesthetically pleasing ambiance. To achieve this approach, wainscoting is old, but the reformed idea instantly transforms the entire room’s look, making it appealing and pleasing to live in.
What is wainscoting?
Wainscoting is the installation of wooden panels that are board-shaped to add dimensions to the room. They are installed for various purposes, such as making the room appear bigger or lighter. They can be done in any part of the room with different materials to achieve the room’s functionality. They can be decorative or practical, serve various purposes, and make the room elegant for casual or formal dining.
For bathrooms, water-resistant materials are used to secure the walls from being wet. In addition, there are panels available that suit the functionality of every room. Wainscoting Designs, as previously seen, were in vintage designs, but nowadays,s they are available in different designs and sizes as they can be installed for a more decorative purpose.
Does Wainscoting Make a Room Look Bigger?
Wainscoting does not make a room look bigger. On the contrary, Wainscoting makes a room look smaller. However, the panel’s color and the height of the panel’s color affect the size of the room.
The history of wainscoting dates back to the 18th century where people used the panel covering to insulate a room and provide durability to the painted walls. However, nowadays, they are mostly used for creative purposes, aligned to the chair rail level making the room visually appealing. Historically, the preferred material for wainscoting was wood, but as the demands and creativity increased, the materials’ availability also amplified in the market. Currently, the designers have changed the designing approach of this panel and are only installed on the lower portion of the walls to highlight the key features. The heights and widths of these panels can be adjusted to the size and demand. Key elements such as the room’s ceilings, height, color, shape, and dimensions are considered, and panels are installed considering the room’s fundamentals. Normally wainscoting goes as high as 5 feet, all the way up to the wall to ensure an extra layer of protection from water or fungus. The top part is then left for paint or wallpapers.
If the concept of wainscoting is not applied tactfully,y then it may make the room appear smaller and darker. It is important to carefully select the paneling colors and materials to add aesthetics and creativity. Light-colored and lower panels will make the room appear brighter and spacious. For instance, if a room has tiny and narrow windows, then elongated wainscoting will make the windows appear larger and the room shorter. This concept can ideally fit in those rooms that have a small table with ample space. However, wainscoting that is very near to the ceiling will make the entire room appear lower. People who are looking forward to installing a chandelier should be mindful of the height of the wainscoting. Some contractors use a special density fiberboard which is an engineered product also known as the pressed board. It is the most cost-effective and good quality choice for any room without water, so it is not preferable for bathrooms. That is a reasonable choice also cannot be installed in the kitchen walls as the presence o water in the room is highly expected. However, real solid wood or tiles are used for paneling in the bathroom or kitchen because they will be resistant to spatters and spills. Wainscotings in the areas prone to moisture are made from ceramic tiles, which can be easily cleaned and possess non-porous characteristics.
How high should wainscoting be?
The optimum high for wainscoting is about one-third the way up the wall. For example, if the ceiling is 9 feet, the wainscoting high should be 3 feet. Sometimes if we have tall wainscoting, the cap Is 2/3 the way up the wall.
There are multiple designs and styles available in wainscoting. The beadboard is the most common one, which comes with grooves. It is the most versatile, allowing homeowners to add elements of versatility in indoor and outdoor spaces. Previously its installation was a bit difficult and laborious, but now it is available with tailored wall-length pieces readily available in the market. Flat and raised panel pieces are accessible, depending on the contractor’s and homeowner’s preferences. The installation depends on the arrangement of the pieces and the painting method selected. However, as mentioned earlier, a specific panel is available for easier cleaning and surface protection from water. There are other non-wood wainscoting materials available in the market to satisfy customer demands. They are long-lasting, come with durable quality, and provide a charming look to the entire room. PVC plastic, embossed metal, ceramic tiles, embossed MDF, embossed drywall are all examples of non-wood materials for wainscoting. The ceramic tiles are the most commonly used by contractors as this type of wainscoting material is the hard-wearing one. Most homeowners acknowledge the water-resistant quality and durability of tiles with a timeless appearance and, designers are often inclined towards its installation in most of the rooms.
How much does wainscoting cost?
The price of wainscoting ranges from $6 to $45 per square foot, depending on the panel’s type and quality. Wainscoting Installation in the US costs an average of $80-$100 per hour. Therefore, cost, including materials and labor, is about $6 per square foot.
It is important to appropriately and professionally deal with the crack seems in the room that can only be possible if there is a durable seal to reduce the chance of contraction and expansion. Some homeowners intend to paint it or keep it natural, but in the end, a single layer of pre-paint would have to be done to eliminate the chances of visible unfinished wood. Small rooms can also benefit from the application of wainscoting and paneling to the walls; choose the appropriate type and material of paneling to serve the purpose and make the room appear bigger and elegant. Embossed wallpaper made from the cotton patch can be well-suited in bedrooms. When placed on the bottom third of the room, it tends to make the wall appear taller, eventually making the room appear bigger as it allows more vertical design choices.
In terms of cost, wainscoting is a sensible investment from the design point as it can add value and want to the entire space. The cost depends on the structure, type, material, size, and quality of the substance it is made from. It also depends on factors such as height, room size, and local market conditions. Manufacturing wainscoting panels at the most cost-effective ones range from $8 to $10 per panel. It can also be done as part of DIY projects, provided that the user is skilled in specific measurements and knows how to install the panels professionally. However, the higher and good quality and intricate designs cost more than $40 per square foot. The installation and labor rate for wainscoting depends on the type of project. Normally the installation budget hovers around two dollars to four dollars per square foot for an average room.
From 2022 onwards, Mark has also been contributing author of home repair articles at nimblefreelancer.com.
Read more on Mark Brown's biography page.
Contact Mark: mark@nimblefreelancer.com
