Wall panelling has never been more popular- as interesting as wallpaper and more versatile, panelling can add character, gravitas or simply signal an era or style that a room is designed to reflect. Panelling can work as a feature of a room, or simply as a versatile background for your furnishings. Wall panelling is also a popular choice for smaller rooms, as they can give the illusion of height and width, depending on which type you choose. MDF panelling can also be easily primed and painted to match whatever colour scheme you apply in your room.
Tongue and Groove
Tongue and groove panelling has long been associated with the New England look as well as with the perennial favourite, Shaker. Most often hung vertically, tongue and groove can also be hung horizontally or used in a combination of the two as whole rooms, even ceilings, are covered. This type of panelling gives a room a cozy feel and instantly conveys a nostalgic mood, making it the perfect backdrop for antique furniture or a great foil to a more contemporary look as it can soften hard lines or shiny surfaces. Despite its reputation for being old fashioned, painted tongue and groove panelling has become very popular in contemporary homes, particularly in bathrooms, where the lack of ledge means there is less danger of water accumulating.
Victorian Panelling
Victorian panelling, traditionally placed to dado height, historically provided protection from chair backs as well as offering a ‘cut off’ point for the hard wearing painted lower wall coverings, such as anaglypta. Perfect in hallways, these raised panels are an instant way to add character and sophistication to a plain or boxy dining or sitting room. This panelling is also popular in original Victorian properties as a way to reinstate the period feel of the home. This grander style can add a splash of a more traditional look to a contemporary setting. If you are faced with a plain room, Victorian panelling can add oodles of texture and character.
Georgian Panelling
Georgian panelling was often full height, although it was also seen at dado height. As a trick of the eye, the Georgians, who were great proponents of classical proportion and style, would use panelling to give rooms a taller appearance and to frame and enhance the architectural features such as windows and fireplaces. The simplicity of the panelling belies the complexity of the proportions, which are critical to its integrity. Our Georgian panelling is based on an original design found in Spitalfields, London and with its raised panels adds depth and gravitas to a study, library or formal sitting room.