Decorating Rustic Paneling
Paneling often presents a decorating challenge to homeowners. Many purchase homes with it already installed and do not have the financial means to change it. However, rooms with paneling can be decorated in such a fashion that minimizes some of the downsides of paneling while playing up some of its strong points. The key for successfully decorating paneling is to be bold in your paint, accessory and furniture choices. Additionally, you'll want to select pieces that complement rather than work against the rustic nature of the paneling. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Paint
- Paint supplies
- Decorative accessories
- Rustic furniture
- Handmade quilts
- Framed photos
- Lamp
Instructions
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Consider painting your paneling if it's dark, and you'd like to brighten the room a bit. If you'd like to paint to add color to the walls, but don't want all your paneled walls painted, then look for stencils and stencil paint in craft stores that match the decorative motif of the room.
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Select decorative accessories that go with the paneling's rustic nature. These include folk art pieces like old metal signs and shadow boxes as well as Western decorative items like kokopelli dancers and horseshoes.
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Choose furniture pieces that match your room's rustic motif. Many times homes that feature rustic paneling support the look with antique furniture. Consider items like old pie coolers and antique stoves that you can place against the paneled wall.
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Utilize the bright colors of handmade quilts as wall coverings. Sew some rings onto one side of the quilt and install screw hooks into the paneling. Cover the wall with the quilt.
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Adorn the sides around the decorative quilt with old family photos in wooden or antique silver frames. Although you can use any photos, sepia-toned photos add to the room's rustic touch. If you do not have sepia toned photos, you can make some in programs like Adobe Photoshop. However, if you feel that the sepia-toned photos will make the wall too dark, then opt for full-color photos to bring more color to the area. (See Resources for more information.)
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Buy furniture made of unfinished wood. Look for couches that have exposed wooden armrests and legs with cushions covered in denim. Add brightly colored pillows to the couch and your chairs. Look for old wooden crates with metal fittings to store your magazines. These pieces will fit with the paneling and counterbalance some of the darkness that paneling can bring to a room.
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Place a tall floor lamp in the corner between two paneled walls to bring more light into the room. As a general rule, paneling tends to soak up the light in the room, making the corners especially dark. Choose a lampshade that fits in with the decor.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit panel image by Dave from Fotolia.com
