Pinteresty walls 101: Complete guide on how to transform your interiors with aesthetic wainscoting

Make your Pinterest board come to life with wainscoting. Expert shares styles, best rooms and colour-finishing tips to level up your space.

Ever scrolled through your Pinterest feed and swooned over those Pinterest-y walls that radiate a luxe, vintage energy? If you couldn’t quite put a name to them, these elegant wall treatments are called wainscoting. They exude a graceful, old-world sophistication that seamlessly blends with your interiors. They transform your mundane walls into artistic styles.

Wainscoting exudes a luxurious and vintage energy.(Shutterstock)

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Interior Designer Misbah Kapadia, founder and curator of Design Konstruct, explained more about wainscoting and the types.

She introduced, “Wainscoting is a timeless wall treatment that adds texture, depth, and visual interest to interiors, instantly elevating a space with character and sophistication. It involves applying panels, mouldings, or woodwork to the lower or full portion of the wall, creating a refined, architectural appeal.”

Types of wainscoting

Furthermore, Misbah broke down the different types of wainscoting and explained which rooms they are best suited for. Each type has a distinct style that makes it ideal for specific rooms based on their utility.

She shared these:

Raised panel wainscoting:

Raised panel wainscoting, with its classic and formal look, is perfect for dining rooms, entryways, or living areas, adding a sense of grandeur.

Flat panel (shaker style) wainscoting:

Shaker style offers a clean, minimalist aesthetic, making it ideal for contemporary bedrooms, offices, or hallways.

Beadboard wainscoting:

For a cosy, cottage-inspired feel, beadboard wainscoting, with its narrow, vertical planks, works beautifully in kitchens, bathrooms, or mudrooms, adding warmth and charm.

Board and batten:

• Board and batten, known for its bold, geometric pattern, creates striking visual drama, making it perfect for hallways, staircases, or statement walls.

Colours and finishes

Now, to make the most of wainscoting, the choice of colour and finish plays a crucial role in defining its impact.

Here are the colour and finishing tips for wainscoting as shared by Misbah:

• Colours: Soft neutrals like white, beige, and greige create an airy, timeless appeal, while deeper hues such as navy, forest green, or charcoal add richness and sophistication. To create more visual interest, consider a two-tone effect, darker wainscoting paired with a lighter upper wall.
• Finishes: For finishes, matte offers a modern, understated look, while satin or semi-gloss provides subtle sheen and durability, making it ideal for high-traffic areas.