What they need is some discipline, not something on the walls.

Post a picture of the entire DR. Then get rid of the gray. It's just depressing. No reason for children to be tearing up your walls. They can bang into board and batten and mess it up.

I love that type of wall treatment, and the trimwork in your house is very nice. If you want to do it in your living room, I'd have it go up to where the ceiling in the hallway is. No higher.

You'll need to measure carefully so that all the rectangles are the same size. I'm sure you did that in the dining room as well? Unless the house was built that way.

But as jck910 stated, the children could damage that as well. Some boundaries are needed.

What height are you thinking for the entry and the living room? Also, pls add photos showing more of your dining room.

I agree this os not the answer to bad beheviour of the kids . I do not think thta trim on that sloped wall would be agood idea so at best I guess it couldbe to the same height as the entry but then it will not look like the DR I don't think but we need to see the whole DR. I will say to patch that trim with damage will be harder than patching a wall . I raised 3 boys and 2 grandsons and not once did we have damaged walls .

continue the board and batten as you have in other areas, same height, same size.

I'm not sure the board and batten is the right solution for this home that is fairly contemporary.

Wow. I thought this site was for advice on fixing up a house. Thanks for all the grand parenting advice. They are toddlers that put hands on the cheap paint the builder used.

I think you just need some art on the wall. Could you post more pictures of you family. Your molding is very pretty.

You said “tearing up the walls “ which implies holes and gouges and scratches, etc. so getting offended because you can’t communicate falls on you. Why not just repaint with quality paint if that’s the issue?

Repainting with a higher sheen paint would make it easier to wipe down the handprints. Ben Moore eggshell is easier to clean than flat or matte.

But yes, saying "tearing up the walls" implies more damage than a few handprints.

You could also use a vinyl wallpaper on the bottom 36" of the wall and add a chairrail on top to disguise the prints or at least make them easier to clean. By the time they are taller/older they probably won't be touching the walls as much.

I think a good washable paint is a btter idea and when you say tearing up walls of course you are going to get a different answer that fingerprints . You still have not posted the DR pics which we asked for but for me thta sloped ceiling wall does not seem to be a good spot for that wall trim. I found with our kids the hallway was the one where hand prints were an issue much more than the walls where furniture was placed .

Just a thought: I used to work at a higher education institution with student residence halls. Their practice was to use sisal wallpaper on the lower walls of the hallways. It seemed to work well.

Fyi: I was imagining holes in the walls, tricycle scars, and hot wheels jumping off the racetrack dents. But it sounds more like you just have cheap paint.