Try that photoshop again with the vertical lines more accurately reflecting the max 8" width of the material the OP has been considering.

The image posted by ams03 looks good, I think the difficulty will lie on the window wall. That's a super traditional/formal window with its arch. Not sure how to "countrify" it. Will you switch out the chandelier? Another formal element that isn't lending itself to the vision your wife holds. Also the fireplace surround would be better bricked out.

And another thought, not sure the technique, but I would see about getting that marble entry honed. The shiny marble is so traditional, while a more honed look would suit better.

And take it over to the window. That is going to be one awkward transition that lines up with nothing. The lines already give me a headache.

None of those photoshopped pictures above translates into "warm country Colonial"--- which is more of a personal idea than a style--- and none of those pictures remotely resembles the inspiration picture. As someone mentioned, the diagonally laid floors are already very country (with a definite seventies vibe as well) and there is only so much of that a room can absorb and still look elegant. With that wall treatment as pictured above you ruin the gracious proportions of the room.

Please don't get me wrong, I LOVE siding or "planking," as you call it, on interior walls. It is a very casual look and I used it in the recent remodel of our downstairs as you can see by the pictures below. But it doesn't lend itself to all styles and rooms.

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The rooms like sterle, unlived in. I do agree some good planking would help!

marcolo, I'm not that sophisticated with image manipulation to get the scale so accurate, unfortunately. If you're trying to make the point that a narrower plank would look busy, that's a very good thing to point out. In fact, the busy-ness of the planking could make or break this project. Better to go with wide plank, IMO.

Here's vertical from another view:

horizontal:

Your great room is very nice. awm's renditions are well done and look fine but I don't think they make the room look more attractive or more cozy. Why go through all that work if the boards don't make the room look significantly better?

I think both the horizontal and the vertical installations emphasize the height of the room. Your eye follows the boards up as far as they go until it hits the painted part and then the eye jumps to the ceiling. Perhaps if the part of above the boards is painted the same color that might help.

The latest photoshopped pics above are very well done and probably fairly represent the look of the end result. I think it looks terrible; the paneling trivializes the main architectural feature of the room--- those glorious windows.

I think the vertical planking works fine. But could you tie it in well with all the various levels in the house? For instance, in the right picture, you'd cap it to neatly align with the floor of the upper level. But if you carry that height around the rest of the room, would the planking look too short? What looks logical at one end of the room might look out of proportion on the other end.

This would be a concern with the horizontal planking too.

This post was edited by awm03 on Tue, Dec 23, 14 at 11:25

Pick a different room for the treatment. One that is smaller and cozier and less formal to begin with. It doesn't suit that room at all. If you'd like to do a judge's panel type of treatment, that would work. Just not stripes of siding. You would need a talented carpenter to design the panels though, as it appears that none of the main elements really align well enough to have traditional segmentation. (Which is another reason the planks do not work. They call attention to the architectural inconsistency of the room)

You can't have too much panelling!

Yes, you can. My 1560-sq. ft. house has paneling on all or part of the walls in SEVEN rooms. Three rooms were built with solid wood paneling that I like. Previous owners added different paneling, not solid wood, in two rooms (only a little in one, but the other is the kitchen) and then built an addition with paneling, not matching either of the others, on all the walls in two more rooms. So there are three different kinds spread across those seven rooms.

The house is not a cabin in the wood or a hunting lodge; it's a mid-century split level. The whole area used to be nutty for paneling but these people went beyond that.

Pick a different room for the treatment. One that is smaller and cozier and less formal to begin with

It may be worth noting that a "keeping room" historically was a rather small room, open or adjacent to the kitchen so that it could receive heat from the stove or hearth. It would have been used constantly because, aside from the kitchen, it was the only warm room in the house.

I don't think the planking/paneling/siding works, but perhaps a wallpaper...? (No, I'm serious. Wallpaper. NOT fake wood wallpaper! Something classy colonialish?)

In all the photoshopped rooms, the one common element that I see is that the planking clashes with the floor. The diagonal lines of the floor don't mesh well with either the straight vertical or straight horizontal planking. There are just too many lines.

I didn't like the idea of the planking from the beginning, and after the renditions, it really does not look good. In addition to the lines in the walls and the lines in the floor, it distracts from the lines of the architecture and does them a disservice. Further, there are the strong lines of all the architecture including the windows, the balcony, the foyer ceiling, the mantel, the furnishings that all compete leading to an unrelaxing and discordant cacophony of geometry. Rather than achieving a more country feel which I associate with ease and comfort, it creates excess visual noise which generates tension.

I'm all for thinking outside the box, but in this case, it's a miss, not a hit. I'd hate for you to go through all the trouble and expense and end up with unhappy results.

May I suggest that instead you look to inspiration rooms that give you the feel you want from this space, and then study the elements that make it so...the finishes, the fabrics, the colors, and then bring them to this space so it works well with the existing architecture, not clash with it.

I agree with Annie. After the renditions, it clashes with the diagonal wood floor and the foyer pattern too much. Add some color with paint, then decide what else you want to do (curtains, pillows, artwork, etc).

Anymac, Wow this is a rough posting to dive into. I like the concept for the room. After reading the postings, I think everyone got confused by the word planking.

Based on awm03's lovely renditions of how the room might appear, I am a fan of the vertical style. I would call the vertical style a simulated 'Board & Batten' technique, and the horizontal style a simulated 'Ship lap' technique. I am accustomed to seeing the ship lap typically in a home a bit more modest in scale.

The simulated Board & Batten can be accomplished by simply attaching wood lath strips to the wall and topping them with a wood or extruded moulding trim piece. It's a very inexpensive method that provides a big bang for the buck. That is how I installed it in this guest room for a client. Had to work closely with the carpenter to get the right size strips and moulding, and then figure out the correct spacing for the room, but this same technique could easily work in this room. After the strips are nailed and glued, they receive caulk to fill the irregular gaps in the walls & then painted. I believe these strips were installed about 11" apart. The ceilings were about 10' tall. Based on the size of your room, you may require strips greater in width. Google techniques for "wainscoting" and you'll see a number of ways to do this.

No one is confused by the word planking. Most of us simply hate it on the OP's room. Board and batten--which is not what the OP described anyway--would make it marginally less busy because the shapes are significantly wider. The effect is still migraine inducing.

I don't understand the OP's room. The architecture seems to call for Revere silver and a lifesized portrait of George III. The furniture is Spanish baroque with a little Jacobean. The floor is rustic. How does all that relate to shiplap siding? Guess I'm not visionary enough.

I'm not confused...

While horizontal is the same as ship lap, the vertical options before yours were not a simulated board and batten, but tongue and groove, and a small beadboard - the latter of which which would not be appropriate for this room. Neither would a faux board and batten.

I'm having a hard time getting past the first 2 words,,,

"Hi ladies"....

;)

marcolo...New housing these days is mix of lots of different styles. I wish I had a nickel for every turret I've seen that is not on a castle.

The OP is in Texas, has a room that is taller than it is wide, with huge areas of white wall space, and is looking for a solution to cozy up the room a bit. I don't see any reason to cover the interior with wood panels on top of the drywall. They just need the texture that wood would provide for the room, hence the strips. I would paint the wall area above with a color that coordinates with the color of the coco fiber rug.

They're still going to need some large art and, although the attached image is not the one I'm thinking of, I've seen some great paintings of horned steers that would really make an impact in the room. or maybe horses would work too.

Dear lord no. Not pictures of cows or horns.

The board and batten looks worst of all.

How about spending the money on great artwork instead, and covering those walls with it?

This on a larger scale:
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or this
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Wow, thank you all for your suggestions and feedback! And especially the photoshops AWM03! I showed the wife and she was so appreciative.

To answer some of your questions:

1) The front door is going to a 8ft so there will be no transom.

2) The large window is being replaced by non divided light windows to bring the outside in. The lower middle portion will become 8ft french doors leading out to the deck. There will be drapery panels as well.

3) The FP trim would come down and be divided the same as the rest of the room if we planked. The pic that will be above the fp will simply be hanging on wood.

4) I mis-typed when I said we will be making the living a keeping room. I mean to say the old family room will become a keeping area. This large room is NOT the family room. it is not in same area as the kitchen. I will attach some pics of the current kitchen, nook and current family room. We have ordered 4 reclining leathers to replace the couch in the old family room and it will be keeping room. Also adding beams on the ceiling in that keeping area. That is a reason we were keeping this large room more painted rather than stained.

Looking back the other way

another

This post was edited by anymac on Tue, Dec 23, 14 at 19:53

kitchen

keeping. we will replace couch with 4 leather recliners and an ottoman in middle

I love planking. Am planning on it in my new build. But I agree with the others that say it looks bad in that room. Your home style does not lend itself to that type of treatment AT ALL. Find another way to spruce up the room. Maybe some window treatments?

I love planking. Am planning on it in my new build. But I agree with the others that say it looks bad in that room. Your home style does not lend itself to that type of treatment AT ALL. Find another way to spruce up the room. Maybe some window treatments?

entry with new lighting

office off entry

office

Are you replacing the side windows as well or removing the muntins?

You have a very lovely, very detailed home. Every picture you post of it is another argument against your proposed renovations. Good luck to you and the wife with your project.

This post was edited by kswl on Tue, Dec 23, 14 at 21:49

Please hire a professional before you remuddle this house beyond it's ability to recover. You're planning on putting a mustache on the Mona Lisa.

One of the most basic decorating theories that we discuss on this forum is the notion of decorating to compliment the style and architecture of your home. You can take a midwestern ranch and add tons of beachy and nautical details but it will never be a New England cape. You can throw tons of money and French country design at a Florida stucco house but it will never be a chateau.

That being said, I don't think you will find much encouragement and help from this forum if you are looking for advice on how change your interior into a warm colonial. The front of your house may resemble a colonial but the inside does not.

I'm thinking there's a lot that can be done with color. Whenever I see high volume rooms, I think the cozy factor can be added simply with color and the judicious use of moldings to demarcate the color blocked areas.

(Forgive my poor on-line drawing skills...but this is just to give you an idea.) Of course you may not like the colors I chose, but they are just a suggestion.

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This is DW, first thank you all for the compliments and renderings.

Yes the side windows are being replaced as well. Truly if we planked the room we would case the window so that all around it is just flat wood on the wall. That way the planking doesn't directly terminate with the window - it just meets wood.

But the more I look at pics the more I think we should go back to DH's first gut and do raised paneling. I can add warmth via decor instead of trying to do it with planking.

Regarding decorating the house to its architecture I like to as well. But we are not afraid to step out of line if it looks good - hence this question posted here. Most of the elements that are "not colonial" have to do with the trend that started in the 80's of really high ceilings. Real old colonials didn't have 2 story ceilings. But neither did old English or french homes, except for the mega mansions. The rest of the house IS colonial inside:

1) 3 brick masonry fireplaces
2) dental molding
3) center hallway
4) wide non-curvved staircase
5) paneled study, wainscoated game and family room
6) twin bedrooms overlooking front balcony

If you are referring to lighting well this and the wall color of the aesthetics WE have changed in the past year including

1) all walls painted white to start
2) checker marble entry floor
3) original wood floors that was under carpet and tile re-claimed throughout the house
4) both staircases changed from carpet to wood
5) complete kitchen remodel with carrara, farm sink, new applainces and yes non-colonial backsplash. We were going to do the predictable subway but took a detour and got a intricate glass design that I loved
6) all lighting redone - lots of colonial lantern lightings in halls etc. But we also did a bit of non-colonial pieces like the big chandelier. Our bedroom is a medium crystal chandelier inside a sphere and it looks great.

I guess my point is that we are well informed of the various true to form architectural characteristics - especially colonials. They are my fave of all and I know them well. I have just learned that the average person isn't as informed nor do they care what is pure to the architecture. They just care what looks good to their eye. I loved the chandelier for that great room and didn't want a plan colonial style ;-).

I'm seeing formal crown moldings and other woodwork, ornate spindles on the railings, formal panelling, a formal Palladian arched window, and a formal fireplace surround.

And my decor spidey sense is saying ... there is no way to "countrify" this room that will look good unless you gut the entire room and balcony area of all the formal elements. Just tacking up some board and batten will be the reverse of "lipstick on a pig".

I'd use some rustic touches, like rough linen draperies and casual leather upholstery, country art, "rustic modern" furniture ... and leave the rest of the room alone.

I didn't have time to read thru' all of the comments, but I think the renderings (even tho' not exactly what OP wanted) are very, very helpful in showing that the OP needs to rethink the wall treatment for the room. I don't think either of those options 'cut the mustard'.

No need to stay true to colonial form, your house is not colonial. If anything, you need to get some of that colonial stuff out and keep it simple. Removing the applied molding above the fireplace and the chair rail to have simple surfaces would be much better in your house. As for your windows, will you be changing them all out? Inconsistent window styles rarely look good in a house. How do you plan to make window treatments work on that window, to the ceiling or bisecting the window? Either may be a bit odd.

Colonial doesn't quite cover it, as there is a colonial that is very formal traditional, like Mount Vernon...

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...and then there is a colonial that is very rustic farm house.

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One is associated with wealth, one is associated with simple living. One has high ceilings and fancy moldings and finished woods and fine furnishings, fabrics and wall coverings, one has low ceilings, hand-hewn beams, rough-finished boards and basic furnishing and few fabrics.

I think this lovely house is perfect for the former, but not so much for the latter. I view the planking as being part of the latter style and one of the reasons why it doesn't work here IMHO.

This post was edited by AnnieDeighnaugh on Wed, Dec 24, 14 at 12:26

what I was seeking is the feedback of visionaries who can imagine the room with clean planking and a nice clean mantle ledge with 8" baseboards. VS horizontal etc.

Oh, I really CAN imagine that room with planking and a ledge ... but I can't imagine it being an improvement on what's already there with some rustic fabrics and furniture and strong LARGE artwork. That ledge will chop the room at an awkward place and make what is a tall ethereal space into two conflicting halves.

The non-negotiable design elephant in the room is the flooring's strong diagonal stripe ... your proposed planking - painted or not - will add more stripes and it's going to be very busy.

Whereas respecting the essentially formal nature of the room and saying "it's formal, we're not" with your furnishings would be far easier on the eyes.

anymac, your house is amazing. You and your wife obviously have great gut instincts. You've married funky and elegant with wonderful results.

I think you have taken constructive criticism from the members here with aplomb and seem to be taking care to think through the decision.

I don't always agree with the opinions posted here as I like things to be a bit "off" rather than perfectly structured.However, I just really love your home as is. Your thoughts in the last post agree mostly with my own.

Please keep posting photos as you finish projects and I, for one, would love to see more of anything in the house.

I'll chime in too.

I don't like ANY version of the planking. Just looks cheap and out of place in an obviously well-constructed, expensive, formal home.

If you feel like you must do something to the surface of the walls of the room in question, why don't you copy the surface of your existing office walls? Maybe not the dark wood color, but the style of the surface itself.

Also, I don't like the marble black and white checkboard tiles. (I know you didn't ask about them, but you DID ask for opinions.) It doesn't seem to fit the house or furnishings.

Anymac and wife
I hope you will continue sharing your decorating as you go along. I would love to be wrong about the planking. I am also interested to see the window change. By the way, the foyer is much better with the new lamps.

Littlebug I think that the use of the black and white tile is one of the most striking and successful elements in the home. Especially paired with the rustic wood floors. And as you noted yourself it is exceedingly bad form to criticize something if the OP didn't ask about in the first place. Another element I adore are the chandeliers. The overall effect is very European. London chic.

Been to London much?

I have been following this and thinking about your home for a few days.

I think first of all, if you plan on living there for the long run, do what you enjoy, you do live there after all.

I think the biggest issue is the house has a variety of things going on between window styles and finishes already and trying to make them mesh.

If you really like the idea of planking, why not invest in a couple of inexpensive 4x8 panels, paint them out and temporally set them in place (much easier to patch a few small nail holes than remove a newly added wall because it turns out you don't like it). See if you like the way they look horizontally or vertically. Personally, I would wait to make any wall changes until your new windows are in and you try a sample to see if it meets your vision.