Something is lacking, but you can’t pinpoint it. The room is furnished, the drapes are up, the rug is spread out, and you’ve brought in all of your valued decor objects to create a lived-in feeling. Why does it still feel like it lacks character? The finishing touch, wainscoting, does not have to be too far away from the wall.
British builders in 18th-century England pioneered wainscot paneling, a paneled lining of an interior wall, by adding Danish wainscot oak wood paneling to the bottom half of a room to preserve walls and offer additional insulation.
This concept has weathered the test of time, evolving into a variety of ornamental options that add architectural beauty without requiring a complete gut restoration.
Wainscoting comes in a range of heights and sizes. It can be installed as flat wood wainscoting panels, generating square-like imprints; thin and elevated, resembling classic molding; or vertically across the entire wall in long, continuous grooves. It can also run halfway across the wall at the standard chair-rail height or all the way to the ceiling.
Not sure where to begin? Take inspiration from its original versions and add traditional wood wainscoting panels that can be matched with antiques and rush floor mats, as shown in David Netto’s reinvention of this country house in New York. Or defy tradition with fanciful wainscoting that pairs well with modern accents, like in Ernest de la Torre’s bright New York home.
Whether you like a streamlined look, the royal treatment, or something that evokes the storied appeal of Colonial buildings—and whatever size, weight, height, and color you choose—wainscoting will anchor a room, add architectural charm, and create visual intrigue. Continue reading for 31 wainscoting designs that will be the only walls you want to put up.
1. Traditional with a Twist
Traditional paneling does not overshadow this 18th-century triplex on Paris’s Left Bank. Retrouvius, an crestexamedia A-List firm, painted the walls above it a soft gray, allowing white to accentuate the paneling’s architectural symmetry. It’s the ideal setting for wacky vintage-inspired furnishings. The drinking tables are by Roger Lemaire, the old fireplace is Swedish, and the Stilnovo chandeliers are from the 1980s.
2. Old Faithful Paneling
Designer Melissa Lee chose soothing, somber tones for the dining area of this Long Island summer home, which will undoubtedly quiet the spirit, which is exactly what you need at the beach. The pale green wainscoting evokes sea mist and balances the darker vintage Thonet dining chairs that surround an extensible No 3 table from Sibast.
3. Pretty Pink Wainscoting Panels
Designer Anne McDonald incorporated Nordic elements into the primary bedroom of this Minnesota home. Wainscoting would be important for warmth in the frigid northern climates, but in this American home, it serves a more decorative purpose. Doused in blush pink, it brightens and expands the space around a colorful floral pattern headboard, and it blends well with natural wood and wicker tones in the bedside lamp and nightstand.
4. Contrasting Wainscoting
Designer David Netto’s fantasy version of a country house in Millbrook, New York, draws significantly on American Colonial style. The unexpected rich plum walls above the white wainscoting give the home’s library a modern yet pleasant air. A simple white sofa, John Derian ottoman, and Stark’s classic jute rug complete the delightful contrast.
5. Grand Tour Tudor Walls
Studio Peregalli is well-known for its dramatic innovations. In a historic London mansion, the studio created the ideal breakfast room that is both sumptuous and hospitable. The soft white wainscoting here has almost Tudor proportions and looks great with the 18th-century painted wallpaper on the ceiling and walls. A 19th-century Moroccan lantern, a tiny table wrapped in a Persian textile, and 19th-century English seats complete the grand tour mood.
6. Classically Inclined Wainscoting
Young designer Augusta Hoffman is one of the few who can pull off a well-balanced interpretation of modern minimalism. In the Manhattan loft she shares with her husband, she used the ultra low wainscoting as the architectural foundation for this quietly majestic corner of their living space. The same pristine white covers both the wainscoting and the wall, allowing a sleek Steinway & Sons piano to stand out in the living room. A towering Jacques Adnet floor light completes the look.
7. Updated Country Wainscoting Panels
8. Simplicity Is Key
When it comes to wainscoting, simplicity does not have to mean dull. In this Northern California home, the modest shiplap paneling complements the fanciful Pierre Frey wallpaper.
9. Modern Marvel
Whoever believes wainscoting is only for traditional design hasn’t seen this Japanese-style home in Hunter, New York. When combined with clean furniture and shapes, the pine wainscoting in this room appears refreshingly modern.
10. A Formal Flair
Wainscoting, as shown in this Grey Gardens-inspired East Hamptons home, may bring refinement to an otherwise odd setting. The gray detailing contrasts well with the Cole & Son wallcovering and Made Goods mirror.
11. Monochromatic Magic
Don’t underestimate the power of a painted wall. The tone blend at ELLE Decor feels classy but subtle. The walls are painted Pigeon, and the wainscoting is Blue Gray, both by Farrow & Ball.
12. Beautiful Beadboard
Consider adding beadboard to your wainscoted walls for a beautiful finish. Beadboard, which is made out of narrow wooden planks, is a great method to add visual interest to your wainscoting. The beadboard detailing in this Georgian guest bathroom is painted Cornforth White by Farrow & Ball.
13. Fashionable Functionality
While an interior’s wainscoting deserves to be highlighted, it does not have to dominate the rest of the space. This Connecticut home blurs the barrier between style and function by displaying a framed painting, installing a towel rack, and positioning a chair strategically.
14. Dimensional Design
This Lake Tahoe retreat elevates wainscoting with recessed beadboard and a noticeable ledge.
15. Historic Roots
To pay attention to the element’s historical roots, pair your wainscoted walls with classic features like a grand staircase, antique mirror, and white-washed bust. Let this historic Harlem brownstone show you how it’s done.
16. Old Meets New
Looking to revive traditional wainscoting? Take inspiration from this 18th-century Parisian apartment and paint the walls a bright red.
17. Wow with Wallpaper
18. All The Way
19. Create Contrast
20. In The Heights
21. Au Naturale
22. Country Charm
23. New England Estate
This entryway in a Connecticut family house exudes stateliness, complete with Thom Filicia carved consoles, Jonathan Burden mirrors, and wainscoting.
24. Add Some Breathing Room
If your personal style swings toward the extreme, a wainscoted wall is an effective method to break up opposing patterns. The beadboard wall in this dramatic breakfast nook provides some breathing room between the striped wallpaper and painted floor.
25. Defy Gravity
26. Wonderful Wood
27. Add An Accent
Swap out the common pop of color for a wainscoted accent wall, as seen in this upstate New York home. Coated in a layer of black paint, this accent wall creates a statement while also complementing the room’s color scheme.
28. Tonal Treatment
29. Color Blocked Brilliance
Use wainscoting to balance out a vivid wall color, as seen in this Hamptons property. The pristine white accents keep this nautical space grounded and peaceful.
