Give your home wall-to-wall character with this timeless feature.
Something’s missing, but you can’t put your finger on it. The room is furnished, the curtains are up, the rug is laid out, and you’ve brought in all your prized decor items for a lived-in look. Why does it still feel like it’s lacking in character? You needn’t go too far off the wall for the final touch: wainscoting. Small Room Acoustic Treatment
Wainscot paneling—a paneled lining of an interior wall—was pioneered by British builders in 18th-century England who began adding Danish wainscot oak wood paneling to the bottom half of a room as a way to protect walls and provide additional insulation. This trend has withstood the test of time, evolving into a range of decorative possibilities that adds architectural charm without initiating a full-on gut renovation.
Wainscoting comes in a variety of options that vary in height and size. It can sit as flat wood panels, creating more squarelike impressions; it can be thin and raised, looking more like classic molding; or it can run vertically across the entire wall in long, continuous grooves. It can also run midway across the wall at the traditional chair-rail height or all the way to the ceiling.
Not sure where to start? Take cues from its original iterations by adding traditional wood panels that can be paired with antiques and rush floor mats like David Netto’s reimagining of this country house in New York. Or buck tradition with whimsical wainscoting that sings with contemporary complements, like Ernest de la Torre’s vibrant New York home.
Whether you favor a streamlined approach, the royal treatment, or something that calls to mind the storied charm of Colonial buildings—and whatever size, weight, height, and color you go for—wainscoting is sure to anchor a room, provide architectural charm, and create visual interest. Read on for 32 wainscoting ideas that will be the only walls you’ll want to put up.
Traditional paneling doesn’t overpower this 18th-century triplex on the Left Bank in Paris. Elle Decor A-List studio Retrouvius coated walls above it in a calm gray color, allowing white to highlight the architectural symmetry of the paneling. It’s the perfect backdrop for quirky vintage-leaning furniture. The cocktail tables are by Roger Lemaire, the vintage fireplace is Swedish, and the Stilnovo chandeliers are from the 1980s.
In the dining area of this summer home on Long Island, designer Melissa Lee opted for soothing, moody tones sure to calm the spirit, which of course is what you want at the beach. The pale green wainscoting recalls sea mist and balances out the darker antique Thonet dining chairs surrounding an extendable No 3 table from Sibast.
Designer Anne McDonald brought some Nordic notes into the primary bedroom of this Minnesota home. In the cold temperatures of the north, wainscoting would be necessary for warmth, but in this stateside home wainscoting serves a more visual purpose. Doused in blush pink, it lightens and extends the space surrounding a busy floral print headboard and mixes easily with natural wood and wicker tones in the bedside lamp and nightstand.
Designer David Netto’s dreamy iteration of a country house in Millbrook, New York, leans heavily on the American Colonial vernacular. What makes the home’s library feel modern and inviting in equal measure is the unexpected deep plum walls above the white wainscoting. The delectable contrast is set off with a simple white sofa, John Derian ottoman, and a classic jute rug from Stark.
Studio Peregalli is known for the drama of its inventions. In a London home steeped in history, the studio cooked up the perfect breakfast room that is equal parts opulent and welcoming. The soft white wainscoting here has almost Tudor proportions and pairs perfectly with the 18th-century painted wallpaper covering the ceiling and walls. Adding to the grand tour vibes is a 19th-century Moroccan lantern, a small table covered with a Persian textile, and 19th-century English chairs.
Young designer Augusta Hoffman is one of the few who can pull off a very balanced version of modern minimalism. In the Manhattan loft she shares with her husband, she used the super low wainscoting as the architectural basis for this quietly grand corner of their living room. The same crisp white covers both the wainscoting and the wall, letting a sleek Steinway & Sons piano shine in the living room. A looming Jacques Adnet floor lamp completes the scene.
Elsewhere in Augusta Hoffman’s apartment, wainscoting serves as something of a frame for a more involved wallcovering. In the dining room, deep forest-green wainscoting balances the romantic hand-painted mural above by James Mobley. Bringing the room into the modern age is the custom travertine table. The chic vintage chairs are by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, and the sculptural sconces are from Pinch.
When it comes to wainscoting, simplicity doesn’t have to be boring. In this Northern California home, the subtle shiplap paneling pairs nicely with the whimsical Pierre Frey wallpaper.
Whoever thinks wainscoting is strictly reserved for traditional decor has never seen this Japanese-style home in Hunter, New York. When paired with sleek furniture and silhouettes, the pine wainscoting in this room looks refreshingly modern.
As this Grey Gardens–inspired East Hamptons home proves, wainscoting can add an air of sophistication to an otherwise quirky space. The gray detailing deftly juxtaposes the Cole & Son’s wallcovering and mirror by Made Goods.
Never underestimate the power of a painted wall. In the House of ELLE Decor, the tonal combination feels elegant yet understated. The wall is painted in Pigeon, the wainscoting in Blue Gray, both courtesy of Farrow & Ball.
If you want to give your wainscoted walls a stylish edge, consider adding beadboard. Defined as a series of narrow wooden planks, beadboard is an effective way to add visual interest to your wainscoting. In this Georgian guest bathroom, the beadboard detailing is coated in Farrow & Ball's Cornforth White.
While an interior’s wainscoting deserves to be celebrated, it doesn’t have to dictate the rest of the room. By propping up a framed painting, installing a towel rack, and adding a strategically placed chair, this Connecticut home blurs the line between form and function.
This Lake Tahoe retreat takes wainscoting to the next dimension, thanks to its recessed beadboard and pronounced ledge.
Pay homage to the element's historical roots by pairing your wainscoted walls with classic features such as a grand staircase, ornate mirror, and white-washed bust. Let this storied Harlem brownstone show you how it's done.
Want to revitalize traditional wainscoting? Take a cue from this 18th century Parisian apartment and douse the walls in a vibrant shade of red.
Embrace your bold eye for design by pairing lively wallpaper with a colorful, wainscoted base. The combination in this Elizabeth Roberts–designed condo gives the dining room a rich and welcoming atmosphere.
Design rules are meant to be broken—and, yes, that includes wainscoting your walls. Wainscoting is generally defined as placing wooden panels at the bottom half of your wall, but why stop there? As this Upper West Side prewar apartment proves, the sky (or ceiling) is the limit.
What’s black, white, and chic all over? This powder room in Ernest de la Torre's upstate New York home. The black wainscoting, which is painted in Benjamin Moore's Midnight, picks up the black accents and whimsical illustrations on the Shantell Martin mural.
Flushed in Benjamin Moore's White Dove, the tall wainscoting gives this Oakland home's foyer a dash of drama. Plus, the artwork, pendant light, and brown accent paint create the illusion of a high ceiling.
Kelsey Mulvey is a freelance lifestyle journalist, who covers shopping and deals for Good Housekeeping, Women's Health, and ELLE Decor, among others. Her hobbies include themed spinning classes, Netflix, and nachos.
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