How to Hide Wainscoting

Wainscot often has textured panels capped with molding.

Wainscoting is a traditional wall treatment that has graced homes since Colonial times. It's generally made from solid paneling or beadboard and trimmed with moldings and chair rails. Originally installed to protect plaster walls against damage from chairs and doorknobs, now it's valued for its decorative as well as practical benefits. If you want a different effect, however, you have a few options for hiding or minimizing your wainscoting.

Instructions

1. Blend it in. Wainscoting is often glued to the wall, so removal could damage the wall and leave you with a repair job. If you can't remove it, you can minimize its effect with paint. Decorator Kelly Porter tells clients to use contrasting paint colors to accentuate wainscoting and solid, subdued colors to minimize it. Remove any accent moldings and hide the seams with paintable caulk. Next, paint your wall, wainscot panel and chair molding in one neutral shade.

2. 

   Textured wall coverings can hide wainscoting.

   Cover it up. Visit home-improvement and decorating stores for endless wallpaper options. You'll find an array of solid colors, prints, florals and stripes. Some are made to be painted after they're installed, so they look more like textured plaster than wallpaper. You'll need to leave the top molding, but remove all other raised features, smooth any gaps with caulk or putty, and cover the wainscot panel with wallpaper. Since wainscoting only covers the bottom one-third to one-half of the wall, you have many creative options for adding contrasting or coordinating wallpaper to the upper half of the wall as well.

3. Build over it. A simple option is to remove the top chair-rail molding and replace it with a narrow shelf. You can also cover your wainscoting with built-in book cases, cabinets or counters. A large furniture piece like an armoir, book case, entertainment center or sofa can provide a functional and less permanent way to hide your wainscoting.

Tips & Warnings

• Old-house fans adore wainscoting. If yours is nailed rather than glued on, consider advertising it to home-improvement and salvaging buffs. They may be willing to remove your wainscot panels and reuse them in their own projects.

References

• This Old House: All About Wainscoting
• Color Sizzle: Ideas for Picture Frame Wainscoting