Hello friends,
One of my very favorite things about the English country house style is wallpaper. But it can be daunting to choose, and expensive to purchase and have installed (if you don’t install it yourself). Or, you may not actually like wallpaper. Either scenario, today’s post covers some other wall treatment options that still offer the cozy charm of beautiful cottage-style walls without using wallpaper. Cottage style is all about warmth, history, and a lived-in feeling. Traditional English cottages often featured painted tongue-and-groove paneling, brick, stone, and wainscoting alongside wallpaper. Choosing paint and paneling is not a compromise. It is an authentic way to bring cottage character into your home.
There are four wall treatments in this blue & green English country kitchen: Brick, tongue-and-groove paneling, blue wainscoting, and wallpaper (just imagine the wallpaper were tongue-and-groove painted in a soft, mint green). The different wall finishes offer different things in this space. They serve to add texture, color, and distinction between the different spaces in this more open concept kitchen/dining room. I love the look & feeling all the textures and colors give this room!
Beadboard is another timeless option. Its narrow vertical grooves add texture and charm, whether you use it on full walls, as wainscoting, or even on a ceiling. When Matt and I planned our guest bedroom remodel, we installed beadboard for the ceiling to cover the dated popcorn texture. Beadboard panels are especially DIY-friendly because they install more quickly than individual planks and create fewer seams.
Picture rail is another simple addition with a lot of impact. Traditionally installed about a foot below the ceiling, it allowed homeowners to hang art without damaging plaster walls. Today, it adds architectural interest and a sense of age. Paint it to match the wall for a subtle look, or match the trim for more definition.
Tongue-and-groove paneling may be my favorite cottage wall treatment. It feels both rustic and refined. You may not even need to install new boards. In our cottage dining room makeover, we painted the dark, dated wainscoting, which not only made it read more like proper tongue-and-groove, but it gave the room a light, fresh feeling. As part of our kitchen remodel in our previous home, we added tongue-and-groove to a blank kitchen wall (as shown in the photo above), which immediately gave the room more texture and charm. In our kitchen, we installed the paneling vertically to draw the room upwards and give a greater illusion of height.
In this English country bathroom, the tongue-and-groove paneling has been installed horizontally. It expands the space, making it feel wider. Leave it natural for a rustic look, or paint it for a classic English cottage feel.
Wainscoting is another type of paneling which covers the lower portion of a wall and is typically topped with a chair rail or cap molding. Originally practical, it also adds depth and visual interest. In this lovely rose & blue English bedroom, the wainscoting is painted in a soft, muted rose. The wainscoting not only adds architectural character, but it grounds the room and helps to set the color scheme.
Paint is always a good place to start. Here is the same English bedroom without wainscoting, but instead painted in a soft mint green. Paint can brighten a dark room, unify mismatched trim, and provide a more budget-friendly option than wainscoting or tongue-and-groove. Don’t be afraid to layer treatments. Pair wainscoting with picture rail, use painted paneling behind a gallery wall, or combine tile and wood molding in a bathroom. Start with what you have, add details gradually, and choose colors that make your home feel calm, welcoming, and collected.
Warmly,
Rachel
