Simulated flat panel wall treatments!

Here is a easy faux panel look for a wall. The treatment looks fantastic in any sort of home, it fits well with a Colonial style home and also works in a modern look. It is a bold simulated raised panel, actually a flat panel look that can be set at chair rail height, or a higher bathroom height treatment. It really makes a room look fantastic, with a clean but outstanding profile.

 Its also very easy to do, and is a project anyone can handle with a few basic tools and a little math. The panel part of the wall is the existing sheetrock, and the rails and stiles are just 3/4" pine stock. with a 1 3/4" pine cap rail. 

The layout is the most important thing in making the panels look good on your walls. I pick an attractive height to start with and check that the cap rail won't run into any electrical switches or plugs. I also try to bring it across under the mirror, although with a little ingenuity you can cover part of it with the mirror. often in the bathroom it's nice to do a 2/3 height "shoulder height", which comes across on the bottom third of the mirror. The other consideration is the panels, i tend to like a taller narrower panel. But really it comes down to whats pleasing to your own eye. A DIY'er can mock it up and make adjustments to the size of the panels as they go. The cap rail is only 1 3/4" wide, so it makes it easy to fit tight to the wall with a little pressure applied as you nail it. After the pine is all nailed up, you are all set to caulk and paint with an interior latex trim paint. I recommend a semi-gloss finish.

 Its such a clean and simple look, you will love it! as you can see, it can also be easily modified into a chair-rail look. Although it think the paneled look is more rich appearing and stands out better as a wall treatment.

As Always, if you have any questions or comments, come get TheBuilderFix!