16 Trendy DIY Wainscoting Ideas

Board and batten wall treatments have been popular for quite a while now and they aren't going away anytime soon. It's an easy way to add architectural interest to a space.

Although it isn't traditional wainscoting, it falls into the wainscoting family of wall treatments.

Adding it to untextured walls is a breeze while adding it to a textured wall is a little more involved. Have no fear, it can still be done and we're showing you how! Read more for the full tutorial to add board and batten to your textured wall.

Half wall board and batten is traditionally what you will see for this style of DIY wainscoting.

It's typically painted one color and the wall above a different color. Pairing it with wallpaper is another way to decorate your space and it looks lovely in this little girl's bedroom!

Traditional wainscoting looks like picture frames on the wall. It's an easy project, but it's a time consuming DIY.

You will need trim and chair rail molding to install this DIY wainscoting, but the finished look will be amazing!

Lots of planning and caulk are needed to take on this DIY, so read more for the step-by-step tutorial to add picture frame wainscoting to your space.

You can get the same picture frame wainscoting to look as the last one but without having to worry about cutting trim pieces.

Premade frames are your ticket to success for the easiest DIY wainscoting project. You will still need caulk and you will still have to measure and plan out the spacing, but you will save a lot of time when doing it this way.

Get creative with your DIY wainscoting! There's no hard and fast rule that says it has to be wood.

This DIY wainscoting idea is unique, and I love that the scalloped edges of the tile aren't covered with trim.

Read more about this cute tile and where you can get it for your bathroom DIY wainscoting project.

We've seen DIY wainscoting in the bathroom, the hallway, the bedroom, and now in the dining room. The style of wainscoting you choose will set the style tone for the room.

In this dining room, the picture frame wainscoting gives the space a more formal feel when paired with the light beige wall color above and the tray ceiling.

Beadboard is another non-traditional way to add wainscoting to your space. It has a cottage feel to it that works well with farmhouse and coastal style. Depending on the paint color it also works well with other design styles too.

Beadboard comes in 48"x96" panels making installing it quick and easy! The tall beadboard is great for rooms with high ceilings and draws your eye up.

Read more to find out the rule of thumb when deciding how high to go with your DIY wainscoting.

Adding textured wallpaper to your DIY wainscoting is a great way to add extra visual interest to your wall treatment.

It's subtle enough that it doesn't compete with the painted pattern above in this nursery. The wall above can be repainted as your child gets older and the wainscoting won't have to change at all!

Here is another picture frame molding DIY wainscoting idea. We're back in the dining room and the dark paint above gives this picture frame molding wainscoting a more dramatic look.

The key to adding picture frame molding is consistency in spacing on the wall. There is math involved, but read more to find out the simple formula to space our your picture frames.

This DIY wainscoting idea takes it all the way to the ceiling with these raised panels.

Made from MDF wood, you can order them in the style you want, and installing them is simple with the tongue and groove edges and a brad nailer.

You will have to cut out for electrical outlets so be sure to do that before you nail them into place.

The wallpaper is clearly the star of the show in this tween girl's bedroom, but let's give that tall board and batten its props.

This DIY wainscoting idea makes the room appear taller and it draws your eye up to that show-stopping wallpaper.

Related: Check out these floral wallpaper ideas for girl's bedrooms!

Lattice pieces and 1x3 pine boards make this DIY wainscoting idea budget-friendly.

The baseboard underneath gives it a chunkier look and looks great with the crown molding.

Using a cordless nail gun makes this job much easier than lugging an air compressor into the house, even if it's a small one.

Barn door wainscoting is a creative way to add a wall treatment to your space. MDF board, 1x6s, and 1x4s are what you will need to make this style of DIY wainscoting in your space.

Painting before installing is best to make sure that all edges are covered then all you have to do is caulk and a bit of touch-up paint if needed.

Related - Check out these barn door ideas you can make yourself!

Pre-finished molding is another way to make your DIY wainscoting project easy and quick.

Chair rail molding is installed first, then base cap molding is used to make the picture frame shapes of the wainscoting pattern. Paint it all to match when you're done installing!

The baseboard and top rail of this DIY wainscoting is the same width, giving it a chunkier look in this small bathroom.

The wainscoting picture frame molding mimics the molding on the built-in shelving cabinet door and brings the whole look together.

Painting the wainscoting darker and the wall above light gives this bathroom a fresh modern feel.

The DIY wainscoting in this study is the perfect frame for that amazing wallpaper mural.

The mural is definitely the focal point in this space, but the crown molding above and the 1/3 wainscoting below make it a stand-out feature in this room.