Many homeowners in the Meridian Kessler neighborhood of Indianapolis purchased their older homes for the character. The curved doorways, moldings, pocket doors and built-ins add architectural interest and evoke the time period in which the home was built. These lovers of older homes still need to update for functionality and aesthetics, however. My clients had purchased their MK home a few years ago and were looking to change up their guest bedroom a bit by adding wainscoting.
The graphic wallpaper in the space was cool, but it covered the whole wall making it overwhelming. The wainscoting was meant to break up the pattern a bit while matching the character of the rest of the home. My clients like the idea of a taller design, going just over the bed frame but still allowing the wallpaper to pop. Clean lines, lots of rectangles and thick moldings were the basis of the design.
It may appear at first that wainscoting is a straightforward job – one slaps some paneling up and add trim, right? However, there is a great deal of planning that goes into crafting a custom look. The goals for this project were to make the wainscoting look like it had always been there and to show no seams. I had to preplan the sizing of the panels throughout the whole room ahead of time, figuring out where to put the joints so I could cover them with trim and still achieve a cohesive look. Since we were covering all four walls, architectural elements like doors and windows needed to be accounted for as well. Panels had to be cut to different widths and then placed appropriately – it’s like a puzzle you build yourself.
To save on cost and mess, we decided to keep the existing base, window and door moldings in place during installation. The challenge here was to ensure the new and old blended well. The edges of the wainscoting were mitered or roundovered and set up flush against the moldings. Caulk and paint completed the job. There are many ways to go about installing wainscoting; if you are paying attention to the details, the end result of your process should look the same.
Adding wainscoting to a home is not about how the big planks look on the wall; rather it’s the details that will make or break the project. Experienced custom woodworkers know the engineering behind the design and installation, ensuring a seamless and high-quality result. Looking to add some additional character to your older home? Send me an email or give me a call at (317) 679-5890.
