Remember when wallpapered accent walls were all the rage, back in 2017? Yeah, it’s 2019 and that look is a getting a little tired. So what’s a wall drama-loving gal to do? Allow us to suggest board and batten.
Otherwise known as “coffered effect” or “paneled relief,” this timeless wooden wall treatment is having a renaissance, with designers and the DIY-savvy set using it to add depth, character and architectural gravitas to a room…on a teeny, tiny budget. (An image of a navy board and batten wall was one of the ten most pinned home images of 2019.)
So what exactly is board and batten? While variations run the gamut, it essentially entails nailing paint-grade plywood and lumber strips to a wall in a dimensional grid—then painting over to mask the seams.
We love that this look gives an air of history and that it can be repainted to your heart’s content. But the best part? It’s crazy inexpensive to do yourself—like, under $100 inexpensive for a small wall. (We found this tutorial incredibly helpful, for context.)
Image: In PureWow’s brand new podcast studio, designer Max Humphrey of Decorist commissioned a board and batten-effect partition wall.