15 Best Board and Batten Wall Ideas
It's the easiest way to add architectural detail to any room.
Whether you live in a historic house or a new build, your home needs architectural detail to give it character. One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to add that visual interest is with board and batten woodwork. Consisting of vertical panels of wood with seams covered by a thin, raised strip, board and batten is a traditional type of wood paneling that has never really fallen out of fashion.
The best board and batten wall ideas align with your home’s existing architecture, adding detail without looking out of place. We love to see this paneling in a dining room to add an air of formality or in a bathroom to break up bare walls. You can use board and batten from floor to ceiling or three quarters of the way up the wall if you’d like to leave room for wallpaper or a fun paint color at the top. This kind of paneling is usually installed vertically, but you can shake things up and try it as a grid or flip the boards horizontally.
No matter where you want to use board and batten paneling, we found quite a few ideas to get you started. From traditional bedrooms to farmhouse kitchens, we’ve scoured the House Beautiful archives to find the 15 best board and batten wall ideas for every room in your home. Keep reading to get inspiration for your next project.
For more wall decor ideas:
- The Best Wall Paneling Ideas
- In Defense of Wood Paneling
- Everything You Need to Know About Wainscoting
Elevate a Dining Room
Formal dining rooms are back and better than ever. Board and batten wall paneling is great way to quickly elevate your dining room and add drama to the space. Pull an accent color from another element of design—as Redmond Aldrich Design’s Taylor Shanahan and Chloe Warner did here with the light gray from the wallpaper— and paint the new paneling and trim to match.
Give a Lounge Atmosphere
Inspired by luxury hotel lounges, this music room by Eddie Maestri is the perfect combination of moody and masculine. The wood paneling was original to the 1931 Tudor home, and we think the homeowners were rightly insistent to keep it. The dark wood stain suits the home’s architecture and the vibe of this modern space.
Warm Up a Bedroom
Walking into a cozy bedroom is a sure-fire way to make the day’s stress disappear. Use board and batten wall paneling in a warm wood tone, as Marie Flanigan did in this Texas home, to evoke a cocoon-like vibe that will have you waking up rested and relaxed every morning.
Elevate an Entryway
Entryways are often strictly functional. As a drop zone and welcome point, they’re more about utility than decoration. However, the simple addition of board and batten paneling can make even the barest space look more considered and polished.
Related: The Best Entryway Design Ideas
Let It Guide a Gallery Wall
Ornate wood paneling can make hanging photos and lighting difficult. However, the simple design of board and batten actually makes it easier to hang artwork in a clean vertical line. Take inspiration from this living room by designer Joe Lucas, where nautical artifacts and paintings of the Jersey Shore landscape reference the views out the windows.
Enliven a Hallway
A bare hallway is no good—these narrow spaces deserve the same design attention as the rest of your home. Add board and batten paneling to create architectural interest and add visual detail quickly, easily, and affordably. This hallway blends the color palette of the rest of the home into the owner’s suite.
Add an Air of Luxury
In designer and TV host Carson Kressley’s Pennsylvania farmhouse, a rich wood stain practically makes the board and batten paneling melt into the wall. It’s a chic detail only those paying close attention will notice, with a quiet luxury feel—and it’s a great, subtle move if you’re on the fence about paneling.
Spread Out the Battens
The building that homewares store Brika occupies in Bentonville, Arkansas, was once home to a historic bank. Redesigned by Ryan Lawson, the wide board and batten paneling on the walls is filled in with a soothing sage green paint, the perfect backdrop for the unique items the store is known to stock.
Accentuate Tall Ceilings
If your home has super-tall ceilings, flaunt them with board and batten woodwork painted in a light, airy color. This living room by Mark D. Sikes treats the central fireplace as its true focal point and emphasizes its height with the vertical lines of the paneling.
Use Thinner Battens
The battens are the strips of wood that cover the seams between boards. For a more detailed look that adds height to a room, opt for thinner battens, as seen in this home office. A rich, dark paint color ensures the walls look streamlined, not busy.
Flip It Sideways
Not a fan of vertical wooden paneling? Flip the boards on their side. This midcentury modern living room features wide boards that run horizontally, echoing the rich stain of the wood furniture and bringing a sense of the outdoors in.
Create Character in a New Build
We may have built our 2022 Whole Home from the ground up, but you’d never guess it from Leanne Ford’s character-filled teen suite. The clever board and batten wall idea she used brings depth and interest into what would’ve otherwise been a blank-slate room.
Take It Onto the Ceiling
Embrace the fifth wall and wrap an entire space in board and batten paneling. This angled ceiling in a home designed by Jeffrey Alan Marks is perfectly accentuated by the thin panels.
Tone Down Busier Elements
There’s a time and place for bare walls—but it’s not in a bathroom. You have only so much square footage to infuse with personality. Use board and batten paneling to cover an entire wall (and protect it from splashes). It’s a great way to add interest and detail while allowing the louder design elements (like this floor tile) to shine.
Adorn an Accent Wall
Designer Tom Scheerer elevated a standard pop-of-color accent wall with subtle paneling. While it’s hard to make out behind the beautiful antique artwork, the added detail is well appreciated and only helps to highlight the collection on display below.
22 Elevated Closet Door Ideas for Your Bedroom
What Is a Drawing Room?
45 Powder Rooms That Will Impress Your Guests
There Are Only 50 of These Ranges in the World
