A Day in the Life…Paneling

Just when you thought we were out of the woods (pun intended) regarding wood paneling, it goes and “rears its ugly head”! Yes, it seems as though the 60’s/70’s era wood paneling is making a return into design, much to the chagrin of myself and I’m sure, also, with many of you. This was verified by a visit to a model home earlier this week and was further confirmed by an article I recently saw online…eek! Though this particular design aesthetic doesn’t push any of my buttons (frankly, I just don’t really care for it), it does warrant an important discussion. Partly to do with why this particular look is pushing its’ way back into design, and, on the flip side, what to do about it? Let’s begin with the former.

As the article suggests, it appears to be closely related to the recent surge in “retro” inspired design. There are many great aspects to retro design that do merit a revisit from the design community, and often, when done so, it brings a fresh perspective to a previously popular design trend. Though the verdict on my opinion is still out on whether or not this is a good idea for wood paneling, I do feel that the way it was used in the model was clever (which is why we are talking about it now!). Creating a sort of “wainscoting” from the paneling is a unique way to repurpose this otherwise outdated look (as seen in this weeks’ photo), however let’s take it a bit further. The above addresses the following from the retro design crowd, but what about the rest of you who would like to modernize a space instead (can someone say “first time home buyer” of an early 70’s ranch)?

Now, let’s make some lemons into lemonade! Fixer Upper has gained a ton of popularity as of late in many different circles, and one of the most recognizable design features from the show has been the use of shiplap (see where we are going with this?!). Have some existing paneling lying around or are you on a budget? Turn it horizontal, run it floor to ceiling, paint it white and voila…shiplap! Looking for some more? How about this…If you can get your hands on the real wood option for paneling, why not use this in place of tongue and groove wood for your…wait for it…ceiling! This would be a cost effective way to achieve a similar look, and, because it is real wood, you could stain it any color you wanted! How about them apples?

Now to the interactive portion of this presentation…what do you think? We would love to hear your opinions and ideas!

Joseph D. Clark