TRICKS OF THE TRADE: {wainscoting)

Wainscoting:  Big isn’t always better.  Ask your pet!  They know it feels much better to nestle up to a corner or wall.  People like points of reference.  Large rooms can make a person feel uncomfortable, feeling almost lost in space.  The humanist architects had an intuitive trick for making an inhabitant feel more comfortable in a room: wainscoting. By applying a layer of wood, fabric, or other surface material below the chair rail height, it broke up the wall mass, letting the eye rest at a level more scaled to the human.  But, here’s the tip to gain full effectiveness of this trick.  If in a bedroom, the wainscoting needs to be placed at the level of the bed height.  Why?  Because when is person is lying in bed, they will feel enclosed.  In effect, wrapping the space with a soft layer of fabric or wood will make the inhabit feel warm and safe, much in the same way we naturally gravitate to the corners of sofas, when we sit down. 

{Abby’s Footnotes}

Along with creating a cozy and defined space, wainscoting can also provide texture in a vast space. In an all white foyer, the wainscoting treatment provides texture and breaks up the monotony of plain white walls. Also, in small spaces, such as a bathroom, wainscoting can provide a canvas for a pop of strong color. The red walls in the bathroom  works well because the walls were not painted completely red. The wainscoting allows for a bold decoration statement in a small dose.