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Wainscoting is a type of paneling that is most often used to decorate the lower 3 feet of a wall. It is usually a tongue-and-groove style. The most popular color of wainscoting is white, although darker colors and woods are predominantly used in formal dining rooms.
Decorating with wainscoting in a bathroom is a great way to add architectural interest without having to remodel. In addition, wainscoting is inexpensive and easy to install. Installation can be done with construction glue or wire nails. Wainscoting is usually topped with crown molding or a chair rail, as shown in the image above. -
A popular look for wainscoting in bathrooms is to go all the way around the walls with the paneling, coming up only about 3 feet. White is most commonly used in bathrooms. Above the wainscoting, paint the walls a cool color to give the bathroom a relaxing feel, such as a soft tan or pale blue. To really make the walls and wainscoting pop, add crown molding to the walls where they meet the ceiling and above the wainscoting itself.
If your bathroom is larger, you could also consider completely covering a wall with wainscoting. This will give your wall texture without the mess of wallpaper. Use wire nails rather than glue, and you can easily remove the wainscoting if you tire of the look. - While wainscoting is traditionally used on the walls, there are other ways that you can use it in the bathroom. Apply wainscoting to the outside of the bathtub to give your bathtub a customized look. Place a 2 foot square section of wainscoting behind your mirror, framing it. You can even add wainscoting to the ceiling, which is a quick and easy way to cover up old-fashioned popcorn ceilings without the hassle of removing the popcorn texture. If you have outdated or simply ugly tile on your bathroom walls, you can easily cover the tiles up with wainscoting, although you will need to use construction adhesive. Finally, add wainscoting to the front of your vanity cabinet doors to give them an updated look.
