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Design Dilemma
emmelinewe

Tongue and groove panelling - nice or not?

Emmeline Westin
8 years ago
Whether it's in the bathroom or kitchen, I think tongue and groove panelling can look amazing. It's an interesting finish, and marries a little bit of country with a little bit of Scandi.

What do you think?

Croxted Road - Dulwich · More Info
Featured Answer
  • mockturtle1
    8 years ago
    I just hired a joiner to put it in our hall! I love it! I actually painted it in an eggshell finish to be hard wearing/wipe clean (I have two kids and a dog) I love the sheen, and how it reflects the light.
    I'm delighted to read that someone has mentioned how it can keep the heat it! Happy days!

    Comments (41)

    • Tom Flanagan
      8 years ago
      I'm a big fan - its definitely got some coastal calm to it!
    • PRO
      DIY Splashbacks
      8 years ago
      We love it! Particularly in a matt finish! It looks great when mixed with other materials too, such as tile or (1/2 ) mirror.

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    • cavgirl
      8 years ago
      I love the warmth (literally) and character it can add to any space. Both my kitchen and living room have felt significantly warmer since putting it in.
    • Sarah Alcroft
      8 years ago
      I like the look of it in other people's homes, but it's a tiny bit too country for me
    • Rachel Brown
      8 years ago
      Love it!
    • Sara
      8 years ago
      I think it looks really good in small quantities around the house, or in a bathroom as the picture shows. We've kept a load of panels from an old chapel we recently stripped out. We're now using it around our conversion (as window sills, cupboard doors) etc.
    • T Tokarczyk
      8 years ago

      I'm a brit and love it and wanted it in my Polish house however my husband says wee wee splashes on wood is not hyenenic. I have seen the tile wooden panel effect but they are expensive. I will show him this and hopefully get my way.

    • cavgirl
      8 years ago
      I really wanted to use it in my bathroom but chickened out over how well it would stand up to moisture around a claw foot. I do like the tiles I have but when I see beadboard/tongue and groove bathrooms I feel a pang of envy.
    • Helen Hoffman
      8 years ago
      I'm investing in panelling for my bathroom. I live in a old police house. (Georgian)The bathroom was once a cell. I think panelling will make the room feel more warm and relaxed.
    • 106jarrett
      8 years ago

      Am I the only one who HATES IT. Moved into a house with it on the walls, ceiling, in cupboards, around windows, EVERYWHERE. And it is the pine (dirty pine) wood. It is coming out. Give me plain painted walls every time.


    • Vonn
      8 years ago

      I think it looks lovely. However, might I say that I prefer panelling really. Each to their own though.

    • Sven
      8 years ago

      If painted it looks fine, varnished or stained brown colours or even worse that honey orange 1980s colour then it looks terrible. I have lived in several properties with it in the bathroom, even around the bath and it was fine (painted with bathroom paint though one was exterior paint). Good quality paneling with a visible grain painted white and finished well will always look good.

      It painted gray as in the picture above, it looks wonderful.


    • nudejude
      8 years ago

      LOVE it! However, it does need to be painted to give the country look that so many of us like

    • nudejude
      8 years ago

      Forgot to say, for the benefit of 106jarret, think carefully before removing all that panelling, especially if it's an old house, it may well hide a multitude of sins, and bring about a lot of costly work, you might find that painting it makes the world of difference and saves you a whole lot of work and expense.

    • PRO
      Hunkydory Home
      8 years ago

      We have it in the bathroom of the house we recently moved into. We are going to have to remove it though because with the moisture it has cracked and expanded, goodness knows what we'll find underneath!

    • Frank
      8 years ago
      My teenage years during the 80s in a self-converted loft with T&G panelling all over will never leave me whenever I see it. No one painted it then other than using clear varnish though. Fascinating to see it's recently seeing a revival. Wonder if woodchip wallpaper will be next :-)
    • sizzlinghot
      8 years ago

      I love this Houzz bathroom picture in grey. The Balance is right. My Favourite picture in wood panelling and would have it like this picture depicts broken up with metro/subway tiles and painted walls. Done right it can look nice or overdone you will Hate it, as I have seen it done very badly by a T.V. designer in a Yukee cornflower blue over the whole room. But the owner loved it.

    • Jane Bateman
      8 years ago

      I love it BUT it has to be natural or painted. The orange pine is a definite no no!

    • Bella Tanner
      8 years ago
      So interesting this has come up! I'm about to do a loft conversion and am torn between a classic Victorian look with tongue and groove or a super modern bathroom! Either would work in my Victorian house as there are only hints of original in the house (and the loft of course is a modern addition). That said given the comments here I remain torn!!!
    • juliedennis74
      8 years ago

      I put tongue and groove in my old farmhouse bathroom. Now we've moved house it's the room I miss most. I absolutely loved it but not sure it will really suit the 80s house we are in now. (sorry about the sideways pics, can't work out how to turn them!)



    • Debbie Byard
      8 years ago
      I really like it. I'm thinking of buying panels for up my stairs, I've seen it in a friends house and it looks charming.
    • Catherine McDonald
      8 years ago
      I love this to add coastal style and would like to add it to walls in a coastal cottage we are buying. Can anyone advise on cost of employing a joiner to do this room by room please?
    • mockturtle1
      8 years ago
      @catherinemcdonald Our joiner charged £680 for a smallish hall which included new picture rails and skirting.
    • Vonn
      8 years ago

      I so love the panelling in our hall. Looks great and super practical.

    • Vanadis Ward
      8 years ago

      Lovely in other people's houses. Strikes me as a dust trap...

    • kazza_hayward
      8 years ago

      love it, particularly in a bathroom. The first pic in Dulwich and

      juliedennis74's pic are fab!

    • PRO
      User
      8 years ago

      Its great! Used to great effect in so many projects on Houzz. It can become something very different if you vary the width of the boards and the height that it finishes. Brilliant to add texture to a small space. Over a whole wall it can contain a bold colour. Painted in a good quality eggshell (oil based still exists, try Little Greene) its wipeable so will be ok for 'wee spray' (T Tokarczyk). Also if you use marine grade Ply and its correctly painted, then you should avoid any of the nasty blow out caused by moisture.

    • Caroline Murphy
      3 years ago

      Found this company online in UK https://theenglishpanellingcompany.co.uk/product/georgian-panelling/

      Im getting the short for the bathroom.. it’s moisture resistant

    • Michelle Werry
      3 years ago

      It’s a yes from me! We incorporated it when we renovated our bathroom last year and it was one of things at the top of my wish list.

    • LTS
      3 years ago

      @caroline murphy has your panelling arrived? I’m considering it too.

    • LTS
      3 years ago

      Topping it with a little shelf like shown at number 7 here looks good!

      https://www.idealhome.co.uk/all-rooms-ideas/wall-panelling-ideas-229783

    • keiblem
      3 years ago

      I have original 200 year old wide bead and butt panelling boxing in a stairway. Oddly enough it is horizontal.
      It goes with a one of a kind door at the bottom of the stairs that has panels that are sort of triangular. Of course I shall keep both and will include some similar panelling in the house but in moderation. I had considered it for the bathroom but I fall on the side that thinks it will be a maintenance problem. It would however be great in a cloakroom, painted of course.

    • LTS
      3 years ago

      Sounds lovely keiblem!

    • Caroline Murphy
      3 years ago


      Just gone up today.

      I was going to paint them the dark blue from panels... but now they’re up.. maybe paint them white ( they are primed)

    • carocat24
      3 years ago

      Lovely tiles in the shower too

    • keiblem
      3 years ago

      It’s lovely to see work in progress rather than just the finished article. We can share the pain and know better what was involved to get there.

    • LTS
      3 years ago

      Lovely Caroline! What are you putting on the floor?

    • Caroline Murphy
      3 years ago

      They’re down and I don’t like them very much.


    • Caroline Murphy
      3 years ago

      My plumber putting pressure on me and I couldn’t find anything that would go with everything

    • LTS
      3 years ago

      Oh yes, sorry, no idea how I missed them! I’m sure once you have everything in & the colours balanced will look lovely! I know what you mean re tiles...my head is mush looking at them online / ordering samples.

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