Beadboard and the Meaning of Life
The Times raised an issue last week that’s up there with global warming and world peace: the appropriateness of beadboard. First, a little history: Beadboard began as the Victorian equivalent of Formica, a millwork sheathing used only for rustic retreats, and for kitchens, back halls and other rooms hidden from public view. Because it was…
The Times raised an issue last week that’s up there with global warming and world peace: the appropriateness of beadboard. First, a little history:
Beadboard began as the Victorian equivalent of Formica, a millwork sheathing used only for rustic retreats, and for kitchens, back halls and other rooms hidden from public view. Because it was made from scraps, it was inexpensive, and it could be installed by practically anyone. Beadboard is milled with a thin ridge or tongue on one edge and a groove on the opposite edge so that the panels fit together easily.
After years of being relegated to the country house, the “lumberyard’s answer to blue jeans” is taking urban homes by storm. We generally like it but think it should be used in moderation in the city, with bathrooms being the obvious place. Kitchens can work, too. What do you think? Hot or not-so-hot?
Room to Improve [NY Times]
Just did beadboard in our mudroom, up to 5.5″, topped off with a peg rail. Looks great, and with good paint it’s washable. MUCH cheaper than tile, too. I used the thin stuff from Home Depot, the trick is to use a ton of panel adhesive, then it doesn’t warp. I’d never use it in a more formal space though, and going up to the ceiling is a no-no.
2:01, to be safe, we primed the back of the panels as well as the front before installing them in the bathroom. You should always make sure to have good ventilation in the bath and use it whenever showering or all of your walls will start to peel.
Looks rather cheesy, im my humble opinion. It looks like painted corrugated cardboard.
We have a “cheater” (ie. 4 storeys but only 3 visible from the street) and we put beadboard on the sloping ceiling of the front room at the top of the house. The ceiling is of course the most conspicuous visible element in the room. We love the Cape Cod look of it and get lots of compliments.
The use shown isn’t necessarily over the top, depending on the context; in the middle of a kitchen restoration in the Hudson Valley earlier this year, I pulled off the nasty 50s paneling and found late 19th century beadboard under it, floor to ceiling. With a little cleaning up and a fresh coat of paint it looks great.
has anyone had problems with warping in the bathroom? I’ve read that it should not be used in bathroomss due to the high humidity which can cause the boards to warp. Fact? Fiction?
Ten years ago we used beadboard in our Vanderbilt Ave brownstone bathroom. Looked great. We entered the design in a magazine contest and it won first prize — a Chevy Blazer.
I think looking to the past is one way to use beadboard, however I would much prefer beadboard to be used in new interesting and inventive ways.
It’s got a dollhouse quality to it. It’s certainly quaint, but frankly, I find it to be a bit silly looking. I much prefer subway tiles. They are both traditional and modern.