Wainscoting with different height walls?

[LisaR]

I am following my mantra: When in doubt, ask on the Dis!

I am repainting my dining room and living room. I intended on putting wainscoting on the bottom of the walls. It is something we had in our old house and we miss it. I am second guessing using it because I am not sure how high I should make it. Our old house had ceilings that were the same height.


When you walk into my house, my living room is on the left and my dining room is on the right. There isn't a wall at the entrance to either room.

Dining room:
2 walls that are slanted at the ceiling reaching a height of 12' at the peek and 8' at the bottom of the slant.
The front wall that faces outside has a big window that takes up most of the wall and that wall is 8' straight across.

Living room:
Same front wall with big window and 8' height.
Side wall peaks at 10' and goes down to 8'
Back wall is only 7' in height.

32" looks stupid on the 10 & 12' walls. 48" looks great on the big walls but stupid on the 7 & 8' walls. We can split the difference and do something around 40 - 42" but I just can't decide if it will look good. Any idea what the height is suppose to be for wainscoting on walls with different heights?

 

[golfgal]

Can you post a picture?

 

[LisaR]

Can you post a picture?

I can't today. My DD went to Universal for the day and took the only working camera. Ugh!

 

[golfgal]

I do better if I can see pictures but my "guess" would be to put in 8' of the wainscotting. I agree that on the higher walls the 1/2 way up will look kind of silly. I just don't know how it will look at the 8' height either. Can you go to a photo editing site (when you get a picture) and "paint" in the various heights to see if it looks ok? Otherwise, prop some up against your wall and see if you like the look before you actually install it. Most lumber yards are good about returning materials.

I know in my parent's kitchen they have this and some is at about 5' and some is lower and it looks fine but it also is on walls that are at different angles to each other (bump out for the breakfast nook and down into the hallway type deal).

 

[mickeysgal]

I am a visual person. Cut pieces of cardboard in various heights and put them against the walls to physically see how it will look. That may help you with the decision.

 

[LisaR]

I am a visual person. Cut pieces of cardboard in various heights and put them against the walls to physically see how it will look. That may help you with the decision.

That is a great idea! I am having a fridge delivered next week and I can use the cardboard from that.

 

[golfgal]

You could even do that with sheets or towels....

 

[LisaR]

You could even do that with sheets or towels....

DH is digging through the garage right now pulling out pieces of plywood and all kinds of crap we can use for a visual. My house is a complete disaster at the moment with furniture moved to all different parts of the house. I just want to paint!

 

[ksjayhawks]

Wainscoting is usually put under a chair rail. So you need to take one of your chairs and determine the height of the chair rail first.

I would make both rooms the same.

Check out this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn4UNphFfVw

 

[shortbun]

Try skipping the taller walls. I also think a 12ft wall with wainscotting would just look funny. Can you decorate differently on that wall? Is there a fireplace there?

 

[LisaR]

Problem solved! Kind of. DH is a pack rat. I "allow" him to keep whatever he wants as long as it is kept in the garage or attic. He comes in with wainscoting from our old house. This stuff has to be 15 years old. There isn't anywhere near enough to do even one wall in any house so why he saved it is beyond me. But he was able to cut a few different size pieces and we were able to hold it up to the wall to get a good feel. The chair rail is 3" so we are going to make the wainscoting pieces 37" for a total of 40" on every wall. That looked the best from what we can tell.

I can't skip the taller walls because that would be half of each room so it wouldn't even be worth wainscoting. Besides, there isn't a wall that is 12' tall all the way around. It is slanted so it comes down to 8'. I have always hated the way the walls are in this house.

I am done putting the first coat of paint on! I love painting! I plan on putting the second coat on tonight but we won't wainscot until next weekend.

 

[golfgal]

Problem solved! Kind of. DH is a pack rat. I "allow" him to keep whatever he wants as long as it is kept in the garage or attic. He comes in with wainscoting from our old house. This stuff has to be 15 years old. There isn't anywhere near enough to do even one wall in any house so why he saved it is beyond me. But he was able to cut a few different size pieces and we were able to hold it up to the wall to get a good feel. The chair rail is 3" so we are going to make the wainscoting pieces 37" for a total of 40" on every wall. That looked the best from what we can tell.

I can't skip the taller walls because that would be half of each room so it wouldn't even be worth wainscoting. Besides, there isn't a wall that is 12' tall all the way around. It is slanted so it comes down to 8'. I have always hated the way the walls are in this house.

I am done putting the first coat of paint on! I love painting! I plan on putting the second coat on tonight but we won't wainscot until next weekend.

Cool-glad you figured it out. I have some painting I'd like done when will you finish your job

 

[Swan4Me]

I'll be the lone dissenter here.(Sorry)

I watch all the home shows-go to The Parade of Homes each year etc

Unless you have a older Victorian era home-or are stuck in the 70's-wainscoating isnt done anymore-esp with various heights-and you see why-it gets disproportional
Wainscoating was hot in the 70's when everyone had 8 foot ceilings

From the description of your various
heights, your home sounds contemporary-I'd stick to solid colors.

 

[golfgal]

I'll be the lone dissenter here.(Sorry)

I watch all the home shows-go to The Parade of Homes each year etc

Unless you have a older Victorian era home-or are stuck in the 70's-wainscoating isnt done anymore-esp with various heights-and you see why-it gets disproportional
Wainscoating was hot in the 70's when everyone had 8 foot ceilings

From the description of your various
heights, your home sounds contemporary-I'd stick to solid colors.

Wainscoting or paneling--there is a difference?

Also, easy enough to remove and patch holes if and when they go to sell their house.

 

[LisaR]

Cool-glad you figured it out. I have some painting I'd like done when will you finish your job

I LOVE painting. I don't know why but I truly enjoy it. And now that they make this zero voc, low odor paint, I could do this all day long.

Wainscoting or paneling--there is a difference?

Also, easy enough to remove and patch holes if and when they go to sell their house.

Exactly! We remodel our rooms all the time. If we don't like it or someone else doesn't, it is an easy fix.

 

[golfgal]

I LOVE painting. I don't know why but I truly enjoy it. And now that they make this zero voc, low odor paint, I could do this all day long.



Exactly! We remodel our rooms all the time. If we don't like it or someone else doesn't, it is an easy fix.

Do you know how much money you could make with a painting service


I don't mind painting--I dislike taping, prepping the walls, cleaning up after you are done, etc.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Wainscoting is not out of style, it is a classic wall covering that adds texture, functionality and visual interest to rooms:

http://www.articlesbase.com/interio...and-chair-rail-are-back-in-style-1622860.html

http://www.squidoo.com/wainscoting-ideas

 

[LisaR]

Do you know how much money you could make with a painting service


I don't mind painting--I dislike taping, prepping the walls, cleaning up after you are done, etc.

This is why I have a husband! He is a neat freak and it drives him crazy with the way I clean up so I walk away and he does it all!

We don't tape the walls though. We use an angled brush and it works perfectly. I used to hate taping. I would always end up yanking paint off the wall when I did it that way no matter what tape I used or how long I left it to dry.

 

[Swan4Me]

Wainscoting is not out of style, it is a classic wall covering that adds texture, functionality and visual interest to rooms:

http://www.articlesbase.com/interio...and-chair-rail-are-back-in-style-1622860.html

http://www.squidoo.com/wainscoting-ideas

Those are articles by handymen

I get Architectural Digest, southern Living and a couple other home mags-plus watch several home re-do shows-nobody does wainscotting

 

[LisaR]

Those are articles by handymen

I get Architectural Digest, southern Living and a couple other home mags-plus watch several home re-do shows-nobody does wainscotting

We are going to go against the norm. We like to live on the edge. Maybe we will start a trend and bring it back into style!