How I learned to stop worrying about wainscoting and love an easier solution

By now in my interior design journey, my Instagram and Pinterest feeds are bursting with incredible homes and outrageously talented DIYers. This barrage of photos does serve up great inspiration, but let’s be honest: At times, it also casts a shadow of self-doubt.

The No. 1 driver of this doubt lately is the incredible amount of wall paneling and wainscoting I see people tackle seemingly with ease. These decorative wall elements are back with a vengeance, showing up either as half walls with woodwork on the bottom (wainscoting) or full-fledged accent walls featuring wood throughout (paneling).