we recently installed wainscoting--ordered from a great company called wainscoting amercia--here is a link to their site that has tons of photo's--perhas something there would answer your questions--go to the gallery tab
http://www.wainscotingamerica.com/
also here is a link to the wainscoting we recently installed--hope it may help answer some questions---I wanted true raises panel wainscoting, not picture frame molding painted to look like wainscoting---wainscoting america uses mdf board, and will mill all the pieces based upon the dimension you give them--it was so easy, and they will work with you every step of the way---and it was not expensive at all, even with the shipping---we sent ours to a furniture finisher who sprayed on the paint and it looks like glass, just spectacular--they also do all the molding around the windows and the door pediaments
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2005548387840.2117400.1517551392&l=b0971b0474&type=1
wainsccoting is not out of style---