Design Challenge:

Dark wood paneling? Soaring Ceilings? Odd room size? We’ve faced our share of design challenges! Thankfully with the advent of Pinterest there are tons of photos and inspiration just waiting to be found! Each issue, we will tackle some common design problems that have stumped our readers. Send us your current home photos and we will scour the depths of Pinterest to find the best Pinspiration to solve your home challenges!

To kick this series off, Editor-in-Chief, JoElle Knight was recently sent photos an old high school friend who wanted some help and inspiration.

DESIGN CHALLENGE

DESIGN CHALLENGE

WALL-TO-WALL PANELING

Design Challenge: Walls and Walls of Solid Wood Paneling plus some Massive Mantles

Home of: Stephanie Hoffherr “We have wood paneling throughout our house. I love all the natural touches, but it’s all just so heavy. Husband is 100% against painting. I am also struggling with the mantles. We have 3 in our house and they are massive. I have no clue what to do with them….Help!”

As soon as we saw Stephanie’s home photos we immediately loved all the character there was to work with. The stone, wood and brick are beautiful and just needed some thoughtful décor to turn this dated look into a warm, rustic design Stephanie and her husband would both be happy with.

DON’T PAINT THE PANELING!

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s talk about why. Gone are the days of the faux- paneled, dungeon dens of the 80’s. For so long, trends have had an aversion to this dated look, and rightly so! But, with designers showing more and more the beauty of wood, we say it’s time for paneling to make its comeback! Solid wood paneling, that is. No other style is more fitting for a laidback, cozy vibe than these looks. Whether you lean towards surf hut chic or a layered hunting lodge look, wood paneling works for both. We dove headfirst into Pinterest to find Stephanie an assortment of styles to pick from that showcases well-designed looks against the backdrop of wall-to-wall wood. White, blues, teals and bright greens work great with warm wood tones and keep everything from looking too dark. Remember, it is all about balance. And feel free to throw in a wall-mounted animal or two if that’s your thing.

Design Challenge: MANTEL DECOR

As for Stephanie’s mantle challenges, we kept in the vein of the warm rustic looks we found and drew inspiration from Pendleton western styles and summer camp nostalgia. Anything natural will go with this look but we were particularly fond of these two styles.