Characterized by long horizontal (or vertical) panels formed by overlapping “rabbets” (grooved boards), weathertight shiplap has long been popular in areas with harsh climates. Recently we asked Sheila to share her insights into the myriad applications of shiplap; here’s what she said.
In the dining area of Harbor Cottage, shiplap paneling was used to unify the space and give it an updated cottage feel. Sheila Bonnell: Put simply, shiplap is a less formal way of adding interest to a wall and/or dimension to a space.
Photograph by Justine Hand.
Shiplap in the kitchen; see Rehab Diary: Dream Kitchen for Under $3,000. And because it creates texture in such a clean, unfussy way, it can work just as well in a contemporary setting.
Photograph by Matt Clayton.
Shiplap is quite happily paired with elegant marble counters in photographer Abi Campbell’s London kitchen. You can take this continuity further by also using shiplap in the ceiling.
In my own home, covering all the walls was beyond our budget, so we made the choice to panel the high ceilings as a means a maintaining the intimacy of the space.
At the Josephine House in Austin, Texas, the construction crew discovered shiplap underneath the drywall. Poplar is great if you are going to apply a finish, because it is smooth and accepts paint evenly.
The shiplap paneling at Salt House Inn in Provincetown leaves some space between the boards. RM: I’ve seen the boards applied right up against each other and with a more of a gap.
Photograph by Justine Hand.
At Harbor Cottage architect/designer Sheila Bonnell employed traditional shiplap in a clean, modern way to create a contemporary space that is still very much in context with the rural Maine setting.
Photograph by Matthew Williams for Remodelista: A Manual for the Considered Home.
Tiina Laakonen’s bath in Amagansett, New York. Curious about the difference between shiplap, V-groove, and beadboard?