• Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Collaborate
  • Blog
  • Parties
    • Children’s Parties Ideas
    • Holiday Parties
    • Adult Party Ideas
  • Holiday Ideas
    • Christmas
    • Easter
    • Fourth of July
    • Spring
    • Thanksgiving
    • Valentine’s Day
  • Seasons
    • Winter
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Autumn
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
  • Project Gallery
    • Crafts
    • Decorating
    • DIY
    • Good Ideas
    • Tutorials
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

  • Book
  • Speaking
  • Meet Vanessa
    • Featured

August 30, 2011

DIY Faux Wainscoting in the Dining Room

Ok. So, we all know that “faux” is just a fancy word for “fake”, right?
But I gotta tell ya, there is nothing fake about my love for my dining room walls now.
Faux Sho’!

Here is where it all began…
Sigh…green carpet…’nuff said.
I might not be able to do anything about that carpet right now, but I could do something with the walls!
Once I got my feet wet adding a chair rail and picture frame molding to our powder room, I knew my miter saw and I were going to be inseperable as we tackled the dining room.
I never thought I would get so much satisfaction out of seeing 2 corners match up!
Once I added the chair rail I was all set to start cutting the trim for the picture frame molding.
And then I spotted these on Clearance at Lowes!
There may or may not be a nice couple in our city who are still talking about the crazy, desheveled lady covered in saw dust and caulk they met in the wood trim aisle at Lowes who went on and on all about how excited she was to find these premade picture frames on Clearance and
how much time and energy that was going to save her.
 Just sayin’!
Here we are with the chair rail and the frames installed.

And after 2 coats of paint (make sure it matches your existing trim!), my faux wainscoting came to life!
Heather’s in love with her farmhouse sink and I’m in love with my walls.
We are deep like that here at the Fence!
My sweet hubby changed out the light sockets and switch plates from cream to white so they would blend in.

Looking back towards the living room, you can see that it isn’t truly an enclosed room. Which meant that the wainscoting had to have a point at which it came to a stop.
The walls are slightly rounded and my plan is to eventually put a chair rail in the living room as well. But to create the look of true wainscoting, I needed to have a “line” to define where it ends.

This was easily accomplished by taping off the wall in a straight line from the point where the chair rail ends.

Now, I really did love how the wainscoting turned out but what I wasn’t lovin’ so much was how stark this black table now looked against it.
I’ve been on the hunt for awhile now trying to find just the right sideboard for this space but haven’t had any luck yet. It can’t be very deep because there needs to be room for the chair to be pulled out so it has been a bit tricky to find something that will work.
Hmmmm….
What if I just switched it out for this one in the family room?
Definitely an improvement! Lighter, brighter and free!

I had my eye on this chicken wire cloche forever but the price tag kept me walking away from it every time.
Until a few weeks ago when it was 75% off!

My next challenge? This chandelier. You can see how it isn’t an easy one to switch out since the ceiling angles up to meet the 2nd story of our house. Even painting it would require renting scaffolding or teetering on a very tall ladder. Neither option thrills my heights-fearing hubby!

I do love how the wainscoting helps to ground and define the space now
and helps it to not feel so cavernous.
Until I figure out what to do with that light, I will just continue to admire my handiwork in the dining room and walk around the rest of the house trying to decide which space will be the next victim of my miter saw!
I think I just saw these walls raise their hands! Didn’t you?
Thanks so much for joining me at the Fence today!
This post will be partying at the following places:
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia: Tuesday’s Treasures
Savvy Southern Style: Wow Us Wednesday
DIY By Design: Sizzle into Summer
Guest host On Sutton Place: Open House Party
A Stroll Thru Life: Tabletop Tuesday
French Country Cottage: Feathered Nest Friday
Common Ground: Vintage Inspiration Friday
Stuff and Nonsense: Friday’s Unfolded
The Charm of Home: Home Sweet Home Party
DIY Showoff: DIY Project Parade
Roomspiration



40 Comments Filed Under: Decorating, Good Ideas

Subscribe

Get the latest goodness straight to your inbox!

Previous Post: « How to make an easy DIY window cornice
Next Post: Have your cake…and your veggies too…Chocolate Zucchini Espresso Cake »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Katie says

    August 30, 2011 at 5:15 PM

    Love the wainscoting, and those panel frames are such an awesome find!

    Reply
  2. Michelle Paige says

    August 30, 2011 at 5:21 PM

    Wow! Your home is so beautiful! I love how you made your own wainscoting and learned how to use a miter saw! You are an inspiration!

    Reply
  3. Pam@OurAdventuresInHomeImprovement says

    August 30, 2011 at 5:28 PM

    The wainscoting looks fabulous! And I love that you got it on clearance! Great job!

    Pam

    Reply
  4. Carolyn@SweetChaos says

    August 30, 2011 at 5:29 PM

    It looks fantastic! And how awesome is it that someone thought to make the premade panels?? I have a serious weakness for wainscoting. It just gives everything a more custom look. Way to rock the miter saw!! 🙂

    Reply
  5. Jamie says

    August 30, 2011 at 5:44 PM

    GREAT work! And we’ve all been “that crazy lady at Lowes” at some point in our lives, right? hahaha!

    Reply
  6. ⚜ ↁℯℬℬᴵℰ⚜@ Debbiedoos blogging and blabbing says

    August 30, 2011 at 5:45 PM

    That is unbelievable Vanessa! What a HUGE difference that makes in the room. Who will even notice the green carpet? Only you, believe me, this looks gorgeous!

    Reply
  7. Leslie says

    August 30, 2011 at 6:12 PM

    Your home is beautiful!! Great job in your dining room.

    Reply
  8. Rachel says

    August 30, 2011 at 6:20 PM

    I absolutely love that you got those frames for a steal – save TIME AND MONEY! (Let alone stress!) 🙂 Looks great! 🙂

    Reply
  9. Debra @ Common Ground says

    August 30, 2011 at 6:27 PM

    Oh Vanessa, I’m lovin’ your space! That wainscotting real or not is amazing! You did such a wonderful job! My monster light fixture is just like yours except more “monster-y”. I’m thinking that chalk paint might work, little nervous about trying it though…
    If you get a minute come help out Dianne at Design Challenge. xoxo

    Reply
  10. ℳartina @ Northern Nesting says

    August 30, 2011 at 6:28 PM

    WOW Vanessa you are goooood!! I’m lovin your walls too, and I love how you brought in the white table. Looks beautiful! We did the same thing in our dining room and hallway a few months ago and I couldn’t be happier! Martina

    Reply
  11. FABBY'S LIVING says

    August 30, 2011 at 7:20 PM

    Fabulous wainscoting Vanessa! I love the way it turned out, your dining room looks beautiful and elegant, I love it as I have it around our living and dining room too. Your house is very pretty, I love the photos you took of it. Nice chandy too! Thanks for sharing.
    Lots of hugs. FABBY

    Reply
  12. marina {yummy mummy} says

    August 30, 2011 at 8:18 PM

    You are so creative! And I love the chicken wire cloche! I may have a go at making a diy version 🙂

    Reply
  13. Kim @ Savvy Southern Style says

    August 30, 2011 at 8:20 PM

    Vanessa, you did a great job on that trim. I let the mr. do those kind of jobs here. I do like the furniture switch you made to. Thanks in advance for joining the party.

    Reply
  14. housedressingblog.blogspot.com says

    August 30, 2011 at 9:45 PM

    Love the walls, you done good!… and where did you get those plaid panels? I am in deep lust over them!

    Reply
  15. Ann from On Sutton Place says

    August 30, 2011 at 10:54 PM

    Really wonderful transformation. It’s great that you even changed out the switchplates. Details like that make all the difference. Love the white too!

    Reply
  16. Pamela says

    August 30, 2011 at 11:05 PM

    Looks amazing Vanessa!! I really do need to go back to Lowes and get them again. You have shown me I CAN do this project!

    Reply
  17. Graces Goodies says

    August 30, 2011 at 11:25 PM

    It turned out so well! Love the white table in there:)

    Bianca

    Reply
  18. marty (A Stroll Thru Life) says

    August 30, 2011 at 11:31 PM

    Your diningroom looks amazing. I totally love your wainscoting. It is just fabulous and it turned out sooooooooooo good. I really like the white buffet in there also. It is perfect and your vignette and wall collage is gorgeous. So pretty. Such a huge difference. Thanks for joining TTT. Hugs, Marty

    Reply
  19. NanaDiana says

    August 31, 2011 at 12:42 AM

    You did a wonderful job on those walls! LOVE that you found that framing and that it was just perfect for the job. What a time saver. Hmmm…I think those wall are quaking to see if they are gonna get nailed next! xo Diana

    Reply
  20. Refresh restyle says

    August 31, 2011 at 1:41 AM

    I think your faux looks fabulous ! And the white buffet was the perfect move!!! This post is full of eye candy, love the new cloche!
    Debbie

    Reply
  21. Debbie says

    August 31, 2011 at 2:14 AM

    Faux Sho? You make me laugh.

    I also admire the dining room. It looks great!

    Reply
  22. Michele Smith says

    August 31, 2011 at 2:48 AM

    Beautiful! You did a fantastic job. Your home looks some cozy and inviting!

    Reply
  23. Christie says

    August 30, 2011 at 8:49 PM

    It looks amazing! I think it does create such a warm space! Your entire home is so inviting! Love to you! Christie

    Reply
  24. FiliGrace says

    August 31, 2011 at 8:06 AM

    Wow, nice job! 🙂 Congrants!

    Found your post via DIY by Design blog. 🙂 I joined the party, too. 🙂

    xoxo
    Grace.

    Reply
  25. Anonymous says

    August 31, 2011 at 12:37 PM

    on the light change the shades. love what you did to your room.

    Reply
  26. Shelia says

    August 31, 2011 at 2:54 PM

    Woo Hooness! I love it! What a great job you did! So so pretty and I know you’re enjoying it so much!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia 😉

    Reply
  27. tableandtop.com says

    August 31, 2011 at 4:18 PM

    Your home is very pretty. Love the post!

    ‘Please visit our new website http://www.tableandtop.com‘

    Reply
  28. Youaretalkingtoomuch.com says

    August 31, 2011 at 5:33 PM

    Love.Love.Love! I have got to get my rear in gear on doing this! Love, Me

    Reply
  29. Toni says

    September 1, 2011 at 10:19 AM

    You did an amazing job. I am scared of saws so I would never attempt this. Yea for you!! The white table is perfect. Your home has so many interesting details. Love it.

    Reply
  30. Honey at 2805 says

    September 1, 2011 at 1:14 PM

    The changes made such a difference. It’s absolutely beautiful!

    Reply
  31. Poppy says

    September 1, 2011 at 9:07 PM

    Absolutely fantastic job! what a difference the picture frame moldings and the chair rail made… it gives such a beautifully custom look to your dining room. I like how you placed the white console table and the wire cloche is such a darling… pretty vingette with the lamps and silver teaset. You have a gorgeous house! Thanks for having us over every Thursday. Have a safe Labor Day!~Poppy

    https://withadashofcolor.blogspot.com/

    Reply
  32. Honey at 2805 says

    September 1, 2011 at 9:12 PM

    Your really did a fabulous job-it looks so custom. Custom by Vanessa!

    Thanks so much for participating in the first Potpourri Friday Party!

    Reply
  33. Karen says

    September 1, 2011 at 9:40 PM

    You did a fabulous job, it looks just like custom wainscoting.

    Reply
  34. Tracy Suzanne says

    September 2, 2011 at 9:57 PM

    Trim and molding makes the biggest difference. You did a great job Vanessa! I’m know you’re lovin’ it.

    Hugs…Tracy 🙂

    Reply
  35. Ann from On Sutton Place says

    September 3, 2011 at 12:05 AM

    You are such a worker bee. This looks like it was professionally done. Those frames are amazing. So glad you came to the party!

    Reply
  36. Ricki Jill Treleaven says

    September 3, 2011 at 10:39 PM

    Linking over from 2805! I like your dining room and the shadow box molding and chair rail. Nicely done! I think your light fixture and my dining room light fixture were separated at birth. I would like a new light, too, but I probably won’t be getting one any time soon 🙁

    Reply
  37. Ellen says

    September 5, 2011 at 7:27 PM

    Love the new look, so crisp and clean. Just in time for the holidays. Sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Linking up from 2805.
    Hugs,
    Ellen

    Reply
  38. Sherry says

    September 6, 2011 at 5:17 PM

    Vanessa,
    What a great idea that trim was. It looks wonderful! I love the furniture switch too! I liked the “walls raised their hands.” That was cute!
    Thanks for joining HSH!
    Sherry

    Reply
  39. Ange says

    September 23, 2011 at 9:49 PM

    I recognized your dining room right away! Isn’t the moulding such a fun touch to add to any room? 🙂 Looks great, as always!

    Reply
  40. Jena @ Involving Color says

    September 25, 2011 at 10:58 PM

    Vanessa, the new molding looks great! We did picture frame molding in our dining room, but the hard way. That was such a great idea to get the premade kind. It really adds a nice touch to your room. Thanks so much for linking up to Roomspiration!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Search This Blog

Take the Quiz

Stay updated!

Get all the latest goodness straight to your inbox!

Get the book!

Invite Vanessa to speak at your event!

Must Reads

Recent Posts

  • Lessons From Growing Out My Bangs March 12, 2021
  • Painted Staircase Handrail Makeover March 4, 2021
  • A New French Country Dining Table February 3, 2021
  • Open Now December 17, 2020
  • Tradition and a Christmas Home Tour December 9, 2020

Get all the latest straight to your inbox

Footer

Instagram

I've been watching our cherry trees bloom for 12 y I've been watching our cherry trees bloom for 12 years now and every year I ohhhh and ahhhh over the blossoms like it's the first time I've ever seen them. I gush and I take photos (that look exactly like the ones I took the year before and the year before that) and I make my family come outside and look at them with me which you know they just LOVE to do. 😉 I think that is one of the main reasons why I love spring so much. On the one hand, it's predictable and yet, on the other hand, it still feels like such a surprise after the long months of barren branches.

And yesterday, as I was staring at the gorgeous blossoms for the umpteenth time, I couldn't help but think that I hope this is how I feel when our lives return to some semblance of normalcy.

I hope that the predictable feels special and that the typical feels anything but. I hope that I ohhh and ahhh over the simple things I've realized I've taken for granted. And, most of all, I hope that feeling doesn't go away for a very, very long time! 💗
Are you living with great expectation friends? Bec Are you living with great expectation friends? Because He is risen!

Happy Easter from my home to yours!
Lemon bars all ready for tomorrow! It’s going to Lemon bars all ready for tomorrow! It’s going to be a different kind of Easter for sure but some things don’t change. Have you been baking and getting ready for tomorrow? What’s one thing on your menu that you have to have every year?
If this is Good Friday, why doesn’t it feel so “good”? It all seems backward doesn’t it?

What could be good about the unspeakable pain he suffered? What could be good about the shame and betrayal?

Easter Sunday is so joyful, bright and cheery. Shouldn’t that be the day we call “good”? It just feels so much better!

But, I don’t know how to rejoice over His resurrection, unless I have felt the pain of His death. I have realized that in life the sweetest victories are the ones which were realized after a pain-filled journey.

And, so it is with Good Friday. I know there will be victory over death, but I can’t skip ahead in the story.

Jesus knew what was coming. He knew what he would experience. And he knew why he would go through it. He did it for me. He did it for you.

Do you know that? Have you felt it down in the very core of your soul? 
Sometimes it makes me squirm a bit. Why would anyone do that for me?

Well, because, I can’t do it for myself!

There is nothing I can do to earn that kind of love and mercy.

That is why it is called GRACE.

His grace is freely given. We don’t have to pay for it. He paid the price for us already.

Do you remember that movie from years ago called “Ransom”? A couple’s young son was kidnapped and the parents went to hell and back trying to find him and pay the “ransom” demanded by the kidnappers.

Well, Jesus is our “ransom”. (1 Timothy 2:6) His life was the payment.

Why is it called “Good Friday”? Because that wasn’t the end of the story….
.
…It was just the beginning!
Raise your hand if there’s a table in your house Raise your hand if there’s a table in your house that’s become the landing zone for ALL THE THINGS! 🙋🏻‍♀️🤪 I’ve never been more thankful for our rarely used dining room table as it’s become command central for school books and laptops and games.

Where are things collecting in your house right now?
“Sighing, tears, frustration, anger.” Every si “Sighing, tears, frustration, anger.” Every single one of these emotions has made their way through our home in recent days and, my guess is, they have in your home too.

I SO needed this reminder today from the new book ‘Adore’ by @sarahagertywrites.

Adoration isn’t just sitting at His feet gazing longingly with stars in my eyes. It’s bringing my fears and my sorrows and gray roots in my hair that desperately needs to be colored and my messy house and all of the things that threaten to send me over the edge right now and laying them down before Him, soaking up His word and His presence so that when I stand back up, I am changed for having spent the time adoring the ONE who is... Healer, comforter, peace-giver, deliverer, redeemer.

What do you need to bring to Him today? I’ll share mine in the comments and I’d love to hear from you too!
I’ve always loved evenings, but since this whole I’ve always loved evenings, but since this whole lockdown thing began, I’ve come to appreciate this time of day even more.

It feels the most...normal. Daytime is strange and foreign right now. My husband has taken over our home office, I’m suddenly taking over the responsibility of managing my kids’ distance learning and let me just say that teaching 7th grade algebra to my daughter is hugely ironic since I struggled with math all the way through school. I’m trying to do my own work but it feels utterly futile with the constant interruptions which take precedence right now. In the daytime, I’m constantly reminded of how upside down life feels.

But, in the evening, I cook dinner like I’ve always done and we gather around the table like we’ve always done and we laugh and tell stories and then clean up and play games or go on a walk or watch a show. And that feels SO gloriously normal.

So now I love evenings even more than I ever did before and I’m so grateful for this little chunk of time where the rhythms we established years ago are helping to sustain us now when so much of life feels outside of our control.

What feels ‘normal’ to you right now? Whatever it is, keep doing it. 🌿
When I was in college I would frequently call home When I was in college I would frequently call home and pour my heart out to my mom, sharing with her all that was happening in my life in that completely unfiltered way that you can talk with the person who potty trained you. These phone calls usually took place at night and my mom would patiently listen as I vented frustrations about professors, roommates, boyfriends and the food in the cafeteria. And, inevitably, they would end with my mom saying, “Everything seems worse when you’re tired. Try not to overthink things or make any major decisions tonight, especially when you are feeling emotional.” Dear friends, may I pass along this advice to you today?

If you don’t absolutely HAVE to make a decision right now, I want to encourage you to wait until life gets back to normal. If you are finding yourself over-analyzing relationships and family dynamics, I want to encourage you to remember that everything seems more dramatic when looked at under a microscope. And, let’s face it, being homebound with our loved ones non-stop makes us all feel like lab rats in an experiment.

If you are tempted to quit a job, start a business, start homeschooling permanently, stop homeschooling permanently, move to a new city, buy a farm, quit pursuing your dream, join a commune or make any other major life decision just…wait. Because, if it is in fact the right decision, it will be made even clearer once our lives return to their ‘regularly scheduled programming’. Instead, in this strange season, let’s all just take a deep, collective breath and let it out slowly, releasing the anxiety that threatens to overtake us. Let’s help each other maintain some perspective and not slip into a posture of over-thinking every little thing in our lives. Let’s remember that the enemy of our souls would love nothing more than to use this time when things feel dark to manipulate us into thinking that aspects of our lives are worse than they actually are.

My prayer for you in these days is that you will have the clarity to know what is true and that you will be filled with peace even while we live in this season of so many unknowns.
Raise your hand if you’re doing more baking thes Raise your hand if you’re doing more baking these days! 🙋🏻‍♀️ I’m trying to avoid gaining the #corona15 but my daughter and I LOVE baking together and it does help to pass the time plus it counts as a science lesson right?

If you’re able to find flour in the stores (for the love people please stop overbuying!) and you’re doing more baking at your house too you need to add this apricot bread to your list of new recipes to try!

Normally I’d point you to my blog for the directions but I’m going to do you a solid and leave the full recipe in the comments.

What have you baked so far during this time of social distancing? I’d love some new ideas!
There are a LOT of people out walking in our neigh There are a LOT of people out walking in our neighborhood right now (but still social distancing!) and she decided that she wanted to bring them some joy and put a smile on their face when they pass by our house. Also, the square with ‘say no to coronavirus’ is priceless. 😂 I just love her so much!
Follow
Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2021 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2021 At The Picket Fence