The walls and ceilings of my home were like a blank canvas when we moved in. They were naked, had no character, and with 14ft ceilings, it really felt more like a warehouse rather than a home. I quickly got to work on dressing my walls with WOOD. I chose many different types of wood workings and moldings throughout my home to fit each space’s needs and the design I wished to achieve. I’m excited to share with you all the different wood dressings I chose and why. First, I’ll begin with one of the most popular types of wood paneling that I chose for my home.
Shiplap
Shiplap is extremely versatile, and you can achieve many different levels of texture, charm, and aesthetics with it. I personally find it to be a more casual wood design, which is why I chose it for my boys’ room and mudroom.
Shiplap is one of those materials that is easily accessible. You can find it at Home Depot or Lowes, and it is relatively inexpensive. It is easy to install with minimal tools. I prefer primed real wood nickel gap shiplap for the walls and pine or cedar tongue and groove shiplap for the ceilings. The real wood cuts easily, provides a great anchor if you wish to hang things on it, and the primed finish makes for a smooth paint job.
I decided to run nickel gap shiplap vertically in the boy’s room and create an accent wall by painting it a darker color. By running the wood vertically on the wall, it elevated the space. The dark navy color pops off the wall, really showcasing the shiplap. I also love how it plays off their shiplap headboards.
Before:
The 14ft wall felt bland and unfinished. The color of their beds blended into the wall and left it very flat.
After:
My favorite thing about this navy shiplap wall is how transitional it is. I can change the room theme from one thing to another easily and I can also repaint it one day if it becomes my daughter’s room. It is timeless.
Sherwin Williams 6244 NAVAL
In my mudroom I ran the shiplap horizontally, creating a backdrop for the built in. The crisp white shiplap paired with natural wood tones and pops of black create the modern farmhouse design I was trying to achieve in this space.
This was a small empty room in our home directly off the entry. The previous owners used it as a storing space for patio cushions and junk.
Every space in your home can be beautiful and functionable if you create it to be.
The bench was already here so all we had to do was add some cube shelves and WOOD and we have ourselves a mudroom.
The shiplap functions as a great anchor for the backpack hooks. Adding storage bins gives my kids a place to drop all the things after school. This little space has also provided as a great catch all for guests who want to drop their bags or shoes somewhere out of the way.
Sherwin Williams 7102 White Flour
Wood isn’t only for the walls! The wood shiplap ceilings throughout our home are my favorite added touch. With the high ceilings the wood created a natural acoustic absorbent, provided a thermal isolation, and it also brings warmth and elegance to the space. Function and beauty, my two favorite things.
On the ceilings we used tongue and groove shiplap boards. This type of shiplap has no gaps between them, and they are stacked smoothly on top of one another. I used cedar wood that was easily stainable. Again, this type of wood treatment is done with minimal tools and is relatively inexpensive compared to other wood applications.
Before:
After:
When to choose Shiplap:
f you are trying to achieve a farmhouse or coastal look.
It is best used for mudrooms, laundry rooms, accent walls in bedrooms and living spaces, and small bathrooms. Some people like to also use it as a backsplash alternative to tile in a kitchen.
Looking for an easier/entry level DIY project that requires minimal tools and lower cost.
Need a wood treatment that provides function and beauty.
