Wall panelling- had its day or here to stay?

[SoozyWoozy5]

We have really high ceilings in a very old converted stone cottage - I think wall panelling at least half way up might break up the space and add character but I’m wondering if it’s becoming a bit passé now??

Does it matter? We live in an old cottage and the decor has a definite arts and crafts theme. A century or more out of date, but it works.

The sort of paneling currently being put up everywhere is pretty cheap as it's battens and dado rail fixed directly to the wall, often with adhesive and nails. It gives the look of paneling without having a wooden back to it. If you put it in then want to change things and get rid of it there will likely be a fair amount of damage to the plaster needing skimming or re-plastering. Traditional panelling is complete panels screwed to the wall.

Having got rid of ornate panelling fitted in the 1980s I wouldn't have it. Massive dust trap for starters!

It’s beautiful in older or period homes.

It’s really naff in new builds.

For houses that should have it it’s timeless imo.

If you’ve a period property and it’s in keeping then of course it’s not had its day. It’s people putting it in properties it would never have been that’s a poor look.

Research what would be age and class appropriate for your house and do it properly and it'll be timeless. You don't want to e.g. put Victorian kitchen panelling in a Georgian drawing room.

Except through the years, homeowners have always updated their homes to reflect trends. Victorians may well have considered Georgian decorative features to be dated and old-fashioned. But, I get what you mean. Would the Victorians have panelled a kitchen?

If you like it, get it! Who cares what other people think!

As a trend it's outdated now but if you like the look, go ahead.

I quite like it, haven’t got any but I think it looks great when it’s done well.

It depends on the house really. "Shaker style" mdf is probably not going to last but if you're in a Georgian cottage and you put something like this in, it's sympathetic and will probably work really well, painted or waxed https://www.traditionalwallpanelling.co.uk/product-page/real-wood-modular-closed-back-panelling-system

Also it's really nice and cosy! We used to have some original wainscot in another house and it's just a lovely warm vibe.

@Animatron most of the panelling being put up at the moment is not proper panelling - it looks like it, but is just timber battens fixed to the wall with the wall and battens painted the same colour.

Yeah, I know, and I wouldn't recommend it. But backboarded panels as I linked, I would. That's what my post was saying (I thought!) 😅

In a period property it will never be out of style

Faux panelling is completely naff.

The thought that something has had its day is down to marketing. My Father worked in marketing and everything is about getting you to spend money. If something has "had its day" who is deciding this? Who are you listening to? Of course some will be swayed to pay money for whatever some random person decided is the latest thing is. There are new wallpaper prints to sell, cushions, sofa colours because someone produced the fabric and of course paint colours.

Decorate how you want, it is your home for you to enjoy. If you want panelling, whatever that looks like, do it. We all have different tastes and people like to feel superior with their condescension over certain design choices made by others.

Not the answer to your question but ever since I saw this photo of the Farrow & Ball colour designer’s house I’ve been really into the idea of the bottom half of walls in full gloss. My argument against was reversing it in the future in my rented place - but it’s less work to sand and prime a gloss surface than pull panelling off walls so maybe it’s an idea? And bonus, gloss won’t get marked unless you do something pretty drastic.

Rest of the house here www.houseandgarden.co.uk/gallery/joa-studholme-somerset-house-addition

@Offcom , have you heard of Lincrusta? The raised plaster wallpaper that was used in Victorian houses below the dado rail.

That was always painted gloss because it was hard wearing and easy to wipe clean. I grew up in a house with it and my parents used it in their new build house 40 years ago. It lasts a lifetime.

@FaceLikeACrackedScreen I did not know the name but looking at the designs it’s something I’ve seen! I can imagine it lasts and lasts, especially if you go for one of those dark greens or reds that Victorian houses wear so well

@Offcom , I quite like the linen fold and trellis designs. It really is a once in a lifetime installation, mind you at £325 a roll plus their adhesive it wants to be!

I guess if my parents had asked mnet 40 years ago ‘we’ve loved lincrusta in our period property for decades, shall we put it in our new build retirement bungalow’ the answer would have been no, not appropriate 😂. Fact is it looks fabulous and other than a lick of paint every few years is a permanent fixture!

Personally not a fan, but this unimaginative notion that you can only decorate your house according to the period it was built is nonsense. There were trends in Georgian and Victorian times too! Imagine having a 90s house and being told you can only decorate it with sponged walls and white gloss? It’s your house, be as creative as you like!!

Your house. Decorate it however you choose.

Well said. I decorate my home based on what I like to look at everyday and what I enjoy. I redecorate for the same reason. I never think about whether something is dated or trendy, not especially because it's people's subjective opinion based on marketing - if whatever I do happens to fall into either of those categories, it's simply by chance and not what I care about. I don't tend to like a lot of "trendy" or popular stuff anyway, especially if it's just for the sake of it. (That is, if I like something, I like it for what it is not because everyone and their mum is on it; and if I don't like something, I don't, even if everyone else thinks it's the be-all, end all).

I apply this to fashion and anything else I do - Absolute Freedom! You don't like it? Well it's my choice - you don't have to like it, I do.

It's more of a don't add anything that looks like it should be permanent that suggests an older property than you actually have. So fake georgian fireplaces in a new build = naff but a modern fireplace in an old house is OK. Decoration can be how you like but people will inevitably judge based on their own taste, I've had people do it to me (and obviously I think I have better taste than them 😂).

Do you like it? If you do then do it.