Cottage Style Guide :: Day #9 The Magic Of Beadboard

September 10, 2012 by Denise 1 Comment

Every cottage style home is bound to have bead board in at least one room of the home. Bead board is my number one favorite accent next to paint. It makes a big impact for little money! Bead board is versatile, budget-friendly, and easy to add to walls or furniture. It’s reminiscent of lakeside cottages and New England inns and perfect for adding instant cottage appeal to your home.

What is bead board? It’s a type of wall paneling made from fir, cedar, solid oak, pine, or wood composite, or most popular and cheapest MDF. You’ll know it right away because of its unique appearance. Bead board paneling is a series of thin, raised strips of wood that join together and interlock snugly to create a continuous panel. If buying the MDF version, it is purchased in paneling sheets and is very reasonable in price.

Bead board can be used in its natural state or it can be painted to match or compliment your décor, making it one of the easiest and quickest ways to make a significant impact in a room or as a beautiful detail on furniture. It is also available with a variety of widths to the strips on each paneled piece.

Ideas for Using Bead Board

•Frame a mirror
•Add to the back of a hutch as a beautiful backdrop for your china
•Use below wainscoting in the living room, den, bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, dining room, or office
•Top end tables or coffee tables with bead board
•Remove the back of a bookshelf and replace it with bead board
•Bead board on the ceiling is an interesting architectural accent and creates visual interest – sunroom, porch, living area, kitchen, etc.
•Create headboard and footboard for a bed
•Cover an entire accent wall in a room
•Surround the kitchen island, craft table, or sewing table
•Backsplash behind kitchen sink or stove
•Set-in accent on cabinets, armoire doors, hutch doors

As you can see, there are almost limitless ways you can incorporate bead board into your cottage style home. It’s easy to create cottage charm with this amazingly versatile decorative accent.

I have used bead board liberally in my house. I have covered my ceilings in my living room. I have used it in bathrooms to add cottage charm. I can’t say enough about this fantastic home accent!