Design by Oak Design Project
Sometimes we focus all our DIY, decorating, and renovating attention on the most visible areas of our homes and neglect one of the most important: the master bedroom. Your bedroom should be a beautiful haven that welcomes you in at the end of a long day or invites you to linger on a slow morning. If your bedroom feels a little neglected or uninspired, maybe adding some wainscoting is the solution you need. It can elevate your space, making it look elegant and lovely.
What is Wainscoting?
Wainscoting is a type of paneling that covers the bottom part of the wall typically, but it can also be used all the way up the wall to the ceiling. It is composed of three parts: the wood panels, the raised side stiles, and the chair rail or top molding. In days past, wainscoting was used to protect the walls from scuffs and dings from chairs and also to add a layer of insulation over stone walls. Now it is mostly used for decoration. You see wainscoting in every room of the house from foyers to stairways to dining rooms, bathrooms, bedrooms, and more.
Types of Wainscoting
There is a wide variety of wainscoting styles, which means it really comes down to preference. Some of the most popular types of wainscoting include:
- Tongue and groove beadboard, with or without side stiles. This consists of narrow boards that are installed vertically and fit into each other with a tongue-and-groove joint. You can also buy faux tongue and groove panels that are made into one sheet, making them less expensive and easier to install.
- Picture frame style wainscoting consists of trim pieces that are arranged on top of the panels in square or rectangular shapes. This gives an elegant and sophisticated look to your room.
- Raised panel wainscoting has panels that sit flush with the trim that surrounds them. There are often beveled edges on the trim that give some depth and visual interest.
- On flat panel wainscoting, the panel sits flat against the wall, and the stiles and molding or chair rail are installed on top of it.
- Wall panel wainscoting is a bit different from other types because there is no wood panel installed over the drywall. Instead, the drywall has stiles and the top molding installed right over it, and it’s all painted to look like true wainscoting. This style works well when there isn’t a need to protect the wall, and you want to save money by skipping the wood panels.
- Customized wainscoting designs include stiles being installed in untraditional ways, such as diagonally, in triangle shapes, or in arches.
How to Use Wainscoting in a Bedroom
First, you need to decide whether you want to cover all the walls with wainscoting or use it for an accent wall. Installing it on all the walls may make your room feel more finished and cozy, while using it on an accent wall gives you a focal point, highlights the bed (typically the accent wall is the one directly behind the headboard), and might allow you to use darker or more dramatic colors. Spend some time on Pinterest looking at DIY wainscoting ideas, especially those of wainscoting in bedrooms until you feel sure which direction you want to go.
Wainscoting Height in the Bedroom
The “golden rule” for wainscoting is the rule of thirds. Generally, you want your wainscoting to do one-third of the way up your wall, measuring from the baseboards. But rules are, of course, made to be broken. It should reach higher than your headboard, by at least a few inches, even if that means it goes halfway or two-thirds of the way up the wall.
Pay attention to your window height as well. Wainscoting tends to look best when it hits halfway up the windows, two-thirds up, or even with the top. You probably don’t want it to reach just a few inches shy of the top of the window frame–it might look awkward.
Especially in a bedroom, you may want your wainscoting to be higher still. You can make it reach all the way to the ceiling (this looks particularly good with a picture frame design). High ceilings also look great with taller wainscoting.
How to Finish It
Wainscoting can be painted or stained. You can paint it to match your walls and blend in for a subtle look, or you can paint it a contrasting color (white with a colored wall, colored with a white wall, or two different colors) for a fun, casual vibe. Another idea is to paint your wainscoting a solid color and then use a patterned wallpaper on the top part of the wall. With so many options, it’s easy to see how wainscoting really does work well with any number of styles from cottage to farmhouse to traditional to modern.
Consider adding a narrow shelf to the wall behind the bed in place of the top molding. This can make a great place for a small plant, some frames, or other items you’d like to display.
How to Install Wainscoting in Your Bedroom
It’s not hard to install wainscoting in your bedroom! This project is a great DIY to tackle and will give you near-instant gratification. You will need
- a miter saw
- a jig saw
- a measuring tape, level, and pencil
- a pneumatic nail gun and finishing nails
- wood putty and caulk
- construction adhesive
- safety glasses and ear protection
- primer and paint
You will also need wall panels, trim, and molding for the top. To determine which size and how much, decide what style you’re going for. Measure your space and try drawing out the design on a to-scale drawing of your room. Prime the wood before you install it, or buy pre-primed panels and trim.
Remove any baseboards and wall plates. Use a stud finder to find and mark the wall studs around the room. Then you’re ready to get going!
- Install the baseboards from left to right, starting on the longest wall. Attach them with construction adhesive and make sure they’re level. Then use the nail gun to attach them to the studs.
- Make angled cuts to accommodate the corners.
- Install the panels and stiles in your desired pattern by applying adhesive to attach them to the walls, making sure they’re level, and then nailing them in place.
- Cut out any outlet spaces from the panels (try not to let a stile end up overtop of an outlet).
- When you’ve gone around the whole room with the panels and stiles, you’re ready to attach your top molding or chair rail. Do this by attaching it to the wall with adhesive and then nailing it into the studs.
- Use putty to fill in nail holes and caulk to seal gaps between panels, stiles, and top molding.
- Paint as desired and enjoy!
Summary
Wainscoting instantly elevates your bedroom, making it a cozy, stylish, finished-looking space. The design and paint options are nearly endless, making it a perfect fit for whatever look you’re going for. And it’s a DIY you can succeed at and be proud of! Why not give it a try?
