Shiplap, used indoors or out, introduces texture to rooms. It offers a rustic, relaxed alternative to smooth, unadorned walls; it can be painted nearly any color and used on a ceiling, as an accent wall (if you believe they’re still in style), or as an all-wall covering. And anything shiplap can do, board and batten can do, too. Courtesy of Ashton Woods Like shiplap and other siding styles—think beadboard and tongue-and-groove—board and batten is a relatively simple wood construction that can be added to any preexisting wall (good news for remodelers and renovators). And, according to Jay Kallos, senior vice president of architecture at homebuilder Ashton Woods, it’s a trend you can have fun with. “I have seen it on ceilings; I’ve seen it as wainscoting; and I’ve seen entire walls out of it,” Kallos says. He and his team at Ashton Woods will even use it as walling for unfinished basements, where it can be left as-is, painted, or replaced when the basement is spruced up. You could just try painting interior doors to give your home a little oomph, but board and batten is a way to give a room—or a whole house—an upgrade that feels a little more custom. No one will ever know that it was a DIY project, a relatively simple one at that, and you can sand it down, remove it, repaint it, add to it, and more as trends change. If you’re feeling creative, a board and batten wall can even stray from the standard vertical orientation. A board and batten interior project can be paired with a board and batten exterior, or it can stand alone as a rustic or not so rustic look. (A monochromatic color scheme can make even this originally rustic wall feel elegant.) Take a look at these board and batten ideas for a little inspiration, and think about it—you could have this shiplap replacement before anyone else. It just takes some wood and a little construction know-how.
