Kim and I have recently started a new site all about remodeling and design ideas and pictures. This article was inspired by one of the images Kim found for the new blog – you can find it here: Beautiful Workspaces {Dreamy Desks}.

This photo is one of those that I could write ten posts about. Just for fun, let me point out a couple of cool ideas here before getting into the real subject matter of this post. Starting in the foreground and working back:

• Old fashioned crystal door hardware… hot!
• Using mounted accessories such as a coat hook and a thoothbrush holder on a desk… smart!
• Painting or wallpapering the inside of that desk an accent color… sexy!
• Check out that door… it’s a good old fashioned Dutch Door… proof of mad skills!

But none of that is the real thing I want to look at. Let’s take a look at the beadboard wainscot and topping molding, which could be called a picture molding, a chair rail (not so much), a cap rail, or any other make-it-up-so-you-like-the-sound name.

How High Should Beadboard Go Up A Wall?

First, there are two answers. One applys to the low version, which is much more common. That’s the one where you see wainscot go up the wall about 1/3 and be capped by a proper chair rail.

I answered that question in detail at Remodeling Guy Answers (where you’re encouraged to ask your own questions)… here is the link: http://www.remodelingguy.net/answers/?p=61

Second, is when the beadboard paneling is covering a much larger portion of the wall and only leaving a small section of smooth wall surface showing at the top. This is what’s seen in this picture. The same tool applies to both options.

The Golden Ratio

I’ll refrain from a lengthy diatribe about the Golden Ratio and all the ways it proves that life was designed by a Master Architect. If you want to believe in mindless evolution of life and the world we see, be my guest, just don’t look too hard at the science which proves otherwise.

The Golden Ratio is a naturally occuring mathematical formula that essentially dictates what looks right to most people. You can start learning about it at Wikipedia if you’re so inclined.

But if you want to know how high to run your paneling up the wall, you can use the Golden Ratio as a guide. Here are the exact numbers using the Golden Ratio Calculator:

Wall Height —- Low Wall Wainscot —- High Wall Wainscot

96″ —- 37″ —- 59″

120″ —- 46″ —- 74″

Adjust To Taste

Here’s the thing… there are no exact right answers. If you apply the Golden Ratio as a guide it can help you, but as a steadfast rule it might steer you wrong.

What if your walls are 12′ tall, should your chair rail be over 4′ high? No. It would look ridiculous. I usually won’t take a chair rail above 42″ no matter how tall the wall is.

Another example is the photo above which looks like an 8′ tall room. (I figure that based on the roof overhang visible outside) The paneling goes higher than 59″, but not by much. It looks to me that it’s about 64″ above the floor. (you can assume that the door is 80″)

Like I said, it’s a guide. I hope it’s useful for you. I’d love to hear your thoughts on how high chair rail or wainscot paneling should go. I’ve been running a survey on this monumental question for awhile now and I could use more input!

~RG

Here’s the truth: You deserve the home of your dreams.

You do. I’m totally serious and I’m talking to you. No if’s, and’s, or but’s about it.

Write this on a little index card: “I live in the house of my dreams.” and read that out loud every day, like ten times in a row. I don’t care if anyone thinks your crazy, even you.

The important thing isn’t that you’re sane, it’s that you live in a rockin’ abode. This will get you there. You just can’t quit doing it. Eventually you’ll make it true even if it’s not even close today. I’m telling you the truth.

Soon, you will start to feel a little motivated. RUN with it. Start doing something to make it happen. Like now. Maybe a little paint?

Research shows that a paint can is the most powerful force, in terms of Wpci rating (wow! per cubic inch), in all of home improvement! It’s like dynamite! Dyn-O-Mite!

Paint Project Inspiration

Glossy Painted Wood Paneling

I picked this picture, from HouseBeautiful.com, to show off the cool use of color, but it’s also a great example of using v-joint material to cover your walls. (post on v-joint paneling here)

If you look at where the natural light is shining in on this painted wall, you’ll see that it’s a semi-gloss paint (possibly even high gloss, but I don’t think so).

The trick to making that work on the wood is one action word: sanding. (followed by tedious cleaning off of all sanding residue.)

It’s worth the effort to achieve this look, but if you don’t have the time or inclination to sand the wood smooth, use flat paint!

Contrasting Walls and Ceilings

I’m so easily distracted… I love the floors in this picture from HousetoHome.co.uk

• and the bench..
• and the steps…

But the use of stark contrasting colors is the “paint project inspiration” I’m showing here. Not everyone wants bright greens and yellows and reds which are so often shown. This photo is proof that you can get beautiful spaces with a wide range of colors.

One trick to pay particular attention to, and it makes all the difference in the whole world here, is that all the trim is painted the wall color. The baseboard and door casing just blends into the walls. Looks cool and makes for a much easier paint job!

Use Accent Colors

This picture, from a post here on RG about kitchen islands, shows a great mix of colors. The blue accent color on the cabinet shows off the woodwork and creates a great focal point at the end of the room. Imagine the same shot with that cabinet white and see what a difference the color makes!

The shot below shows how a nice simple wall color can be soothing and calm, while the use of color in the curtains and bedding makes the whole space pop! It’s often hard to remember things like window treatments, bedding, and pillows when deciding on a wall color. Sometimes those little things can give the splash of color you really need!

Boxes and Boxes of Color

Woot! Oh yeah. This is a hot idea!

Anyone can build a box! (more or less) Buy some plywood and break out those two essential tools, the power-saw and the air nailer, and go to town! (just me, but I would use thicker wood than is shown in the picture)

Painting the inside of these all different colors is brilliant! Just imagine what this can look like arranged and stacked all cool in a room, then loaded with your favorite stuff.

—————–

Dream house, here we come!

If I can help you with any paint questions, or if you’ve got anything you’d like to share in the comments, please do. I love comments.

I’m a sucker for great wood ceilings. (great ceilings of any type, for that matter)

This ceiling caught my eye because it combines a couple of fairly simple things to create a really nice effect.

It’s A Tray Ceiling

A ceiling that slopes at an angle from the wall, then goes flat for a section in the center, before sloping back down, is called a tray ceiling. In case you were wondering.

It Uses V-Joint Paneling

The wood in this picture is simple v-joint tongue and groove. I’ve got a detailed post on that here: V-Joint Tongue and Groove Paneling

This stuff is soooooooo easy to install and it really looks great! I love, love, love, the blue doors against the white walls. LOVE.

Can I go all decorator-ey on you for a sec? What’s with that bed scarf? Isn’t it too wide? I’ve got issues with dimensions and that thing needs to cover 1/3 of the surface, not half. Okay, I’m done.

photo source: Coastal Living

Give me a break! Take a look at this:

This room has so much going for it I don’t know where to start. I suppose I should begin with my favorite feature. Bet you can’t guess what it is…

1. The Window Seat

The year was 1986 and I was listening to Bananarama when my parents bought a new house. My second floor bedroom had a window seat and I’ve been hooked ever since.

Easy to build and great for storage window seats are serious multi-taskers. For me, the ability to sit right up against the glass and look out is the clincher.

And what a view I would have from this one!

2. Of Course, The Ginormous Window

Probably most people’s first choice, this amazing window is a thing to behold. You might look at it and think…no way, that’s too far to “span”. It’s not, just think of your average two-car garage opening. It can be done!

Large windows like this are generally just a short version of a sliding glass door, known in many circles as a “patio door”.

Just like in a sliding door, the window panels “stack” on top of one another and, in this particular case, they “pocket” behind the wall so you can’t see them when the window is open.

It gives the illusion, when open, of the room not even having a wall on one side. Just how cool is that!?

On the down side, these type of windows don’t usually look as nice as other options when they’re closed. Trade-offs.

3. The Bookcases

These win my heart because of three things.

• I love to read and I’ve got a ton of books that I want to be able to see.
• The deep window sill that is created above the bookcases looks great and works.
• A place to put our photo albums. I like to keep them close.

4. Simple Wood Paneling Made Elegant

The simple paneling works with the rest of the decor, which is more polished, to create a really elegant look. In my view, it’s perfect.

This picture might show original construction, but the look can be achieved easily on a retrofit. The paneling is just 1×8 boards nailed on. Nothing special and an easy DIY ceiling or wall project.

5. The Open Trusses

This ceiling is made complete by these open trusses. The way these are constructed is something that you can easily duplicate underneath an existing sloped ceiling. These particular trusses appear to be structural, but you can copy the look even if you have regular (ugly) trusses above the ceiling.

6. A Fireplace in the Bedroom

It saddens me to report that I have never had the luxury of a fireplace in the bedroom. I think I’ve stayed as a guest in a few such rooms, but in the summer!

What I want to experience is sitting up on a cold night with a fire blazing…

Well, I guess I better leave the details of the scene to the imagination. Point being, a fireplace in the bedroom is a great thing indeed!

Bottom Line – One Awesome Room!

What did I miss? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the great bedroom in the comments!

-RG

What is it about beadboard?

As a contractor for twenty years, I can’t recall ever hearing anyone say they don’t like it. At the same time I can remember hundreds of ooh’s and ah’s, gasps for breath, and near fainting when just the idea of beadboard was discussed! Not too many materials can claim such rarified status, especially not too many made, for the most part, of wood!

The bottom line is that beadboard just rocks, full-on! I love it, you love it, your spouse loves it, everybody loves it! (pretty much) We’re going to dedicate the next three installments of this ongoing series on all things related to wood paneling specifically to beadboard!

We’re going to start off with some serious photographic inspiration, because a clear vision is always the most important part of a great remodeling project! Let’s get to it!

Beadboard Pictures Galore

You’ve seen the people who can stand in a museum and look at a painting on a wall for hours. This is my Mona Lisa… I’m in awe of that cabinet, especially against that wall! cottage of stone

————————————————–

Beautiful recylced tongue and groove beadboard: www.coastalliving.com

——————————————————-

Very water resistant, wood beadboard wall panels make a great wainscot in bathrooms. www.coastalliving.com

———————————————————

Beadboard ceilings and wall paneling combine with amazing window trim in this incredible bath. This photo shows a proper height when running up the wall higher. I’ve seen some pictures that are close to halfway, and that doesn’t look as nice. About 2/3. www.hgtv.com

————————————————————-

Beadboard makes great cabinet door panels…and I love the open shelves in this kitchen!

——————————————————

A very common mistake, but still a misnomer, is to call this beadboard. It looks similar, but this is v-joint tongue & groove paneling.

————————————————————

Running beadboard horizontally looks great and is much easier than you would think! If you use solid tongue and groove pine (or other solid wood) you can easily hang things like that rack with just a few screws. How cool is that?

—————————————————

In the next installment we’re going to talk about the details of real solid wood tongue and groove beadboard, then after that we’ll get into the easier, and often just as pretty, beadboard panels.

If you have any pictures of beadboard work you’ve done or some great ones you’ve seen, I’d love to see them. You can always email me: tim@remodelingguy.net

If you want to subscribe to my blog to be sure not to miss the next parts of the series (we haven’t even gotten into flat panels and raised panels yet!), you can do that here: subscribe to Remodeling Guy

Previous Posts in RG’s Complete Guide to Wood Paneling:

Post#1: Introduction

Post#2: A brief look at various paneling types and options

Post #3: Board and Batten Wall Panels

Post #4: Tongue and Groove V-Joint (walls and ceilings)

Lumber company stocks are on the rise. The Woll Street Journal says that there has been a sudden increase in the purchase of wood paneling. Consumers cite the Remodeling Guy Blog as the source of their newfound inspiration!

In the interest of improving the economy, let’s continue and talk about V-Joint!

Traditional V-Joint Tongue-and-Groove

As you can see in the picture above, V-Joint paneling is really a classic look. When I first started in construction, I remember finding this in many of the old “Florida Cracker” houses we would get involved in. Often it had been finished with a shellac which had, over time, turned almost orange. Sadly, we often covered it up with drywall. You wouldn’t catch me doing that now!

In most jobs using this type of paneling, there really aren’t too many parts involved. In the picture above, it’s just one board, from floor to ceiling. Put a whole bunch of them side-by-side and voila…wall is covered.

Run It Horizontally, Vertically, or on a 45

The picture above (countryliving.com) shows a beautiful horizontal installation. Being ultra-observent as you are, you probably noticed that this may not actually be v-joint paneling. This pciture might show plain-ole 1×8′s stacked-up the wall! In the infamous words of Tommy Lee Jones.. I don’t care. The picture is just totally amazing and it makes my point.

You can run the stuff sideways, or up and down, or whichever other way you can think of. Whatever floats your boat.

I wish we could run off and talk about those open trusses… oh the discipline.

I haven’t been ‘over’ the picture above for more than a few seconds, a minute MAX, and this comes along:

My jaw literally hit the desk. If you did the same, we have similar taste, you and I. I should just end the post right now. RG’s Guide to Look at the Picture and Copy it and You’ll Be Totally Thrilled and Happy Forever.

But of course I have more to say…

V-Joint Is The King Of Ceilings

I did a whole post on this kitchen one year ago tomorrow: An Idea Kitchen – Close-Up Look One of the things I mentioned is the cool ceiling. Most T&G V-Joint ceilings are natural finished, and even more are simple and only feature the paneling…but this one looks great in conjunction with the beams and finished with paint!

The classic look is a bit more a-la-mountain-lodge:

This picture from Mountain Paradise Cabins is what I’m sayin’! This stuff can really look great! I’m pretty sure that is authentic reclaimed wood there. I love the idea of using reclaimed wood! It’s totally perfect environmentally speaking, and you can’t beat the look!

The Remodeling Guy Difference

There is no arguing the fact that I’m a little different. Just ask my kids, they’ll tell ya. But what I’m talking about here is how I seem to be different that so many “experts” in saying that this stuff is really no big-deal! You can do this if you want to and don’t let anyone tell you different!

It’s really no wonder to me that so many people feel discouraged about what they can’t do themselves when it comes to construction. When I go out and research before a post like this… I actually start to feel inadequate! Seriously, some of the videos and tutorials I see make me think I really don’t know what I’m doing!

I have to remind myself that my grandfather was a contractor, and that I’ve been a full-time professional remodeling contractor for the past twenty years! And even before that I learned on the job every weekend and every summer. Of course I know how to do it. But if I didn’t, it would still be easy.

I’m not going to give you a whole bunch of rules that you must follow to get a good job. It really isn’t rocket science we’re talking about here, much to the chagrin of some of the tutorial authors I read. You would think they were telling you how to do a heart transplant.

It’s really not that hard and you can make a mistake or two and not worry about it.

A Couple Of Videos

This first video shows a horizontal wall installation. It’s by a company that sells special paneling but the idea is very similar… the only difference is that with regular paneling, you have to have any veritical seams on a stud.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bab8hZnywE

I thought about holding off on this second video until next week when we talk about beadboard, because that’s what kind of ceiling Tim Carter, from AskTheBuilder.com is installing. But the video just does a great job of showing the key points of tongue and groove. You’ll notice that he ‘blind nails’ the wood, and that when you’re doing a ceiling, it’s important to be sure you’re nailing the wood onto something solid, like roof framing. (with walls you can often glue and nail to just drywall)

Wood Ceiling Panel Video

————————————————————————-

Well there you have it! Next week, we’ll be talking about the widespread favorite, Beadboard!

I’m always willing to answer questions in the comments and I love to hear your thoughts!

RG’s Complete Guide to Wood Paneling

Post #1 – Introduction

Post #2 – Overview of Paneling Types

Post #3 – Board and Batten

Post #4 – V-Joint T&G (you’re reading this one!)

Post#5 – Beadboard Inspiration

In this part of the ongoing series getting in-depth with real wood wall paneling, we’re going to cover the in’s and out’s of one of my favorite looks, board-and-batten paneling.

Let’s start off with some great pictures and general thoughts on the style, then I’ll link to another page with some detailed technical info that will really help you if you want to actually do this project.

Board-and-Batten Paneling

As you can see in the pictures here, board-and-batten simply refers to a style of paneling that traditionally was built-up of solid wide planks of lumber, such as 1×12′s, which were used to cover a wall surface and arranged vertically, so the boards were standing on end.

The seams created when these planks are jammed together in what’s known as a “butt-joint” are then covered with a much smaller strip of solid wood (traditionally a 1×3 or so); these are called batten strips.

Modern Versions Often Use Plywood

Board-and-batten is one of many traditional building ideas that, while originated out of necessity, is duplicated now mostly because it looks great! With the availability of plywood panels, drywall, and other wall surface materials, there is no real reason to have a seam to cover.

We often apply “batten” strips over plywood or drywall with no seam in sight! It just looks fabulous! The photo below from newlywoodwards is done with plywood panels.

The Parts Explained

This graphic from ThisOldHouse.com shows the parts:

1. Cap Rail or Chair Rail
2. Cove molding to add visual interest and detail
3. A horizontal batten-like strip frames the panels and acts as a counter-balance to the baseboard. Leaving this out really detracts from the look.
4. The batten strips themselves can be as small as 1/4″ x 1″ lattice strips, or as large as a 1″x4″ board (sometimes even 1×6 is used)
5. The actual wall paneling (the “board”) can be wither plywood or solid lumber. If the wall surface is very smooth you can also use drywall or plaster (or just put the rest over what you have).
6. Baseboard – usually without a profile at the top, so the batten strips can “die into” the base.
7. Shoe molding – adds a little detail to the base and is sometimes necessary for practical reasons related to the flooring.

Can You Skip The Wall Paneling (Just Use The Drywall)?

In the photo above from DecoratingGuru.com, the “board” section is actually drywall.

I’ve seen an abundance of instruction online suggesting that you just go over the drywall with batten strips. I say be careful with that. For one thing, it can be hard to get everything to stay put without something solid to nail to, but the real danger is the surface texture.

Wood has a distinct look and drywall texture is clearly not the same! In the above picture they did a “slick finish” on the drywall first and it works. But don’t be fooled by pictures from a distance that show regular textured drywall done this way. It doesn’t look good up-close if the wall texture is heavy.

What About Finer Hardwoods?

The photos above and below, which are the former home of Melissa from The Inspired Room, show how great board and batten looks when it’s done with nice material; stained or clear finished. In this case, the material is mahogony, which is one of the nicest woods for clear finishing.

Melissa’s pictures show that board-and-batten used over the entire wall (rather than just as a wainscot) creates a really great look an can be a wonderful alternative to drywall or plaster. If you’re like me, your ability to nicely cut and nail a piece of wood on the wall far exceeds the drywall finishing skills! That’s part of why I love paneling!

If you really want to know about board-and-batten paneling, I’ve created another page that isn’t pretty (no pictures) but is a very useful resource if you just want to know what I know about this stuff! More of a bullet list than a well written report, read more info on board-and-batten paneling here.

Are you ready to give it a try? You can always hire someone to do it and armed with your new knowledge you should be able to make a great deal!

posts in this series:

Part 1 – Intro

Part 2 – Overview of Paneling Types
Post#3 – Board and Batten
Post#4 – V-Joint Tongue and Groove
Post#5 – Beadboard Inspiration

I almost titled this post Not Your Grandfathers Paneling but then I looked more closely at this picture and thought…isn’t it? In fact, the paneling I’m going to be sharing with you in this post series isn’t new at all, we’ve just gone back to the old way of doing things. And we call it new!

Real Wood, Real Color, Real Nice

New or old, the kind of paneling I’m talking about is the real deal. Real wood (except for a few outdoor options we’ll talk about in a later post) is far and away the best wallcovering material for my taste. Wood offers so much in terms of versatility and value:

• Wood is readily available
• Wood paneling can be painted, stained, or left unfinished
• Wood can look rustic, classy, or ultra-modern
• Wood offers great insulation value and soundproofing
• Wood can be installed by relative beginners (nicely)

The only reasonable objection I know of to wood is the concern of sustainable forestry. I’ve driven through parts of the Pacific Northwest and been shocked by the mountains stripped totally bare of timber. That’s not something I want my kids and grandkids to see.

I’m as against those practices as anyone, but I don’t believe it means wood in-general is bad for the environment. Wood is a natural product and proper harvesting and purposeful planting and growing can make it among the most environmentally friendly products available.

Wood Paneling Styles – There Are Many

We’ll start with a quick overview of the various types of wood paneling, then in later posts, we’ll get into the details of each.

Board & Batten

The top photo and the one above (both from www.coastalliving.com ) are examples of the look of board and batten paneling. I emphasize look because the look can be imitated with plywood (or even drywall) and false batten strips.

Traditionally, board and batten siding consisted of solid wood planks run vertically on an exterior wall. The planks were just pushed up against the adjoining plank with no “lap” on the seam. A smaller strip is added to cover the seam and the nails. In a cross-section view, it looks like this:

While this method is still used for exterior siding, we’ll be talking about using it for interior wall paneling.

V-Joint Tounge & Groove

The term “tongue and groove” applies to any wood that interlocks by having a “groove” cut into one side of the board and leaving a small part sticking out on the other side (called the tongue). When two of these boards are placed side-by-side, they can be joined creating a stronger and more invisible seam.

There are many types joints and one that is used often for paneling is called a “V-Joint”. It creates a V shape when two boards are together.

T&G material is generally “blind-nailed” in the joint where you don’t see the nail.

V-Joint Is Great For Ceilings

One of the real advantages of v-joint paneling is that the joints can be forgiving over long spans. This wood is relatively easy to work with and the look is great. It’s often used on ceilings.

Bead-Board Tongue & Groove

Another great T&G product is widely known as “bead-board”. Now there are also plywood products with the same name, but for the moment, we’re talking about solid lumber. (though it is often hard to tell the difference)

In this photo from brownstoner.com you can see that the entire wall is covered in beadboard with a very close repeating pattern. I’ll get into the details of T&G beadboard in a later post.

Beadboard Panels

Unlike T&G planks, beadboard panels come in sheets. Often it’s impossible to tell the difference and the sheets can be much faster to install. They often aren’t as thick though and sometimes need to be placed over another surface, such as plywood or drwall.

I found this picture on the amazing website, RemodelingGuy.net ! Honestly, I think I have a condition related to beadboard. I have more pictures of the stuff on my website than they do at Coastal Living. I really, really, really… HEART beadboard.

Flat Panels

Flat panels use a combination of trim boards to frame a flat section of wall. The flat part can even be drywall, but it is often high-quality plywood. This type of treatment can look incredible.

As you can see in this photo from Elite Trim Works, flat panels can make for a great looking wainscot under a chair rail. Here is another from trimeffects.com:

I wrote about a quick method of using picture frame molding to create wall panels on Hub Pages.

Raised Panel Walls

Raised panels are often something seen only in very high-end homes. The amount of custom effort that goes into getting the panels to line-up properly and look good is no small feat.

A raised panel, traditionally, is made up of joined solid lumber that has been shaped on the edge, just like in a fine cabinet door. Nowadays, painted raised panels can be made out of solid sheet goods, such as MDF. That is very likely the material in the picture below from carolinabuildingservices.com.

There are companies that will custom make your raised panel system for you and send it out ready to assemble, the picture below is from one such company, wainscot-panel.com

More Pictures, Detailed Info, and How-To Coming Up

We’ll go over these types of paneling one-by-one in upcoming posts and talk about how you can implement these ideas into your house.

Which style is your favorite? Are you a beadboard nut like me?

Previous posts in this series:

Post #1 – RG’s Complete Guide To Wall Paneling

Post #2 – Overview of Paneling Styles (you’re reading it)

Post #3 – Board-and-Batten in depth

Post#4 – V-Joint Tongue and Groove

Post#5 – Beadboard Inspiration

I was over at Beach Vintage where Simone had this photo posted among a few other awesome tropical spaces.

I would have done a double-take on this one even if we weren’t about to get seriously involved in talking about paneling.

I know it doesn’t work everywhere, but if you have the place for it, this look is unreal! If that isn’t actually old, it’s one of the best jobs of faking it I’ve ever seen!

The Nester’s Pic of The Week #2

The Nester was dreaming big when she sent me some house pictures she loved. This house here, in particular, is really amazing. She had seen it on Brooke Giannetti’s blog and fell in love. I think Brooke’s husband is the architect. The house is fantastic and too much for one post, but let’s start by showing you the exterior!

I wouldn’t mind walking up this path every day, would you?

—–

Let’s look inside and see what there is to see just inside the door!

Very, very nice! I wanted to show you this for three reasons. First, because it’s beautiful! Second, because it’s in a style I know many of you love! Third, because there are details here that you can include in a remodeling project, large or small.

Full-Wall Paneling

We’ve talked quite-a-bit about wainscot paneling with both 1/3 and 2/3 wall coverage. In this entry, the whole wall is covered with what appears to be a “v-joint” board. It really adds character and a more cozy feeling to the entry as compared to drywall or plaster.

This would be easy for a relative beginner to do themselves and is a great alternative to drywall because you don’t have to learn tape and mud! It makes picture hanging pretty simple too! Just drive a nail!

Beautiful Casing and Glass Doors & Transoms

Take a close look at how the trim around this door is done. The carpenters here did a great job of putting together a beautiful design. You can use various sizes and pieces of trim to create an overall effect that is much, much more stunning than “off-the-shelf” casing. Again, it’s not all that difficult to do. It just requires a little inspiration and imagination.

The other great effect is the use of glass. I’m surprised how rarely people use glass doors inside the house! They make a huge impact by opening up space while still providing privacy and sound dampening. The transoms are a great feature if you have the ceiling height for them! I also love the hardware on these sliders.

Beveled Floor Boards

Many people love the look of a hardwood floor that clearly shows the separation between the planks. This is often done with the use of a beveled edge on the floor planks, like you see in the picture above.

I’m a big fan of floors that are finished in-place and have no seams. What do you think?

What about the rest? Any other features in this entry that you would love to duplicate in your home?