I have always had a thing for tongue and groove wall panelling. I love the texture, the warmth and how much character it brings to a room. Having lived in new build flats since I bought my first flat at the age of 25, ten years down the line I am craving period features. Therefore, I am more and more drawn to this simple way of injecting character into any room. All that being said I am definitely not about to knock up some wall panelling in my flat as it would look totally ridiculous in such modern surroundings but it would be one of the first things I would do when moving somewhere new.
Not only do I like the way tongue and groove panelling looks but it is also a very practical way of covering up bad plasterwork and it can be a wipe clean hardy surface to withstand a lot of wear and tear. Have a look at these examples of where it has been used for a bit of inspiration…
Kitchen
Whether you create a splash back or panel a whole wall I love how much more personal this panelling makes a kitchen feel.
Image via Skonahem
Dining room
Laying the panelling horizontally gives it a completely different feel.
Image via Julias Vita Drommer
Panelling half way up the wall is a very practical way of protecting the bottom half of a wall from scuffing – especially useful when you have chair being pulled out against a wall on a regular basis.
Image via Stadshem
Painting the panelling a bold colour that ties in with the rest of the woodwork is a good way of bringing colour into a room.
Hallway
A very practical way of protecting walls in your hallway is using tongue and groove panelling. Adding shaker peg hooks along the top of the panelling looks great, too.
Image via Rhubarb Garden tumblr
Image via Etno and Retro
Living room
Panel whole walls in a living space to add character and texture.
Image via My Scandinavian Home
Bedroom
I love how the panelling can look so quant and traditional at the same as working with more modern elements like the light fixture.
Image via Decor8
Bathroom
One of the easiest places to start with tongue and groove is in the bathroom. Maybe a bath panel would be something I could add to my home…
Image via Remodelista
What do you think? Love it or hate it?
Katy x
I love panelling, especially half way up the wall. Our friends have it in their bathroom and it makes the bathroom look so much… fancier (if that’s the right word). I’d always assumed it was always an original feature but interested in the idea of adding it later, we live in a victorian where it would look great but not worth the effort for a rented house. Maybe one day!
Author
Obviously I would prefer original panelling but it is definitely something you can install yourselves and it will still look lovely xx
Katy, just discovered your blog on Houzz and I’m smiling at your first style inspiration this morning – Tongue & Groove. We are ‘refreshing’ our ‘powder room’ (downstairs loo!) but I didn’t want to go to much expense so decided to keep the WC & Washbasin (style Heritage) and tongue & groove it. I’ll be going, as usual, with white. Thank you for confirming how nice it is. Looking forward to reading more of your Blog.
Author
Oh good! Hope the ‘refresh’ goes well and welcome to my blog! x
Love it! Feeling very inspired now. Wondering if this would look out of place in our 1970’s terrace?!
Author
I suppose it depends on the style of your decor. Maybe try it somewhere ‘safe’ first like a bathroom and see how you like it x
Yes! A lot of our home has wall panelling like this. When we moved in it was all still in orange pine, but now it’s painted white it’s completely lovely. Apparently it’s great for natural stone walls as it lets them breathe without bringing the damp inside, too.
Author
Oh yes, I LOVE all the panelling in your home. Definitely the right decision to paint it white, too x
I just love the panelling! Actually, I am going to show my mum this post in hope that she gives this a try! It adds such an authentic feel and really helps to carve out character. And just to add, I adore those blue intricately designed cushions – I am getting Dolce and Gabbana Maiolica vibes! Love it.