Beadboard Bathroom Designs

Beadboard bathroom designs are most common in cottage-style bathrooms, but this casually elegant design can work well in a wide selection of bathroom styles. Traditional cottages often use the most familiar style of beadboard, which features thin, vertical white panels aligned closely together.

Newer styles are available in an almost limitless selection of materials, colors and finishes, ensuring that with a little research, you'll likely have no trouble finding the right type of beadboard for your bathroom design.

Beadboard features a single characteristic that sets it apart from other types of paneling — a recessed strip called a bead runs the length of the paneling, creating a distinctive look. In addition to adding to the attractiveness of a space, beadboard is often used to protect walls, acting as a barrier between the wall surface and any activity in the room space. Beadboard is often viewed as a quick way to transform the look of a room, as it can be installed in large sheets or smaller panels, and it is easily cut and configured to fit any space. Most styles of beadboard paneling feature tongue-and-groove construction, which allows for easy installation and a seamless look once on the wall.

Beadboard can be made from high-quality natural wood, plywood or medium-density fiberboard (MDF) in a vast range of finishes and colors. Pre-primed in white, left in its natural wood state or stained to take on the look of hardwoods like cherry and maple, beadboard can help create an elegant yet casual and welcoming bathroom space.

When purchased in its natural wood or pre-primed states, beadboard can be painted in the color of your choice. White beadboard is a common sight in traditional vacation or beach cottages, but soothing greens, blues and yellows can also work well to create a welcoming cottage feel in your bathroom. Natural wood beadboard can also be stained in a vast selection of colors and tones, with matte or glossy finishes in every tone from blonde to black.

Beadboard paneling was traditionally deployed in vertical strips on walls, but many homeowners have begun experimenting with new approaches and styles. Beadboard can now be found in horizontal strips in many homes; this style is particularly popular in southern homes. And many homeowners have started running beadboard on ceilings, as well, often creating a feeling of depth by contrasting with the direction of wall beadboard in the space.