Rather than trying to match the drywall to the plaster in the main bath, why not do some wainscotting?

We considered that, but unfortunately the paneling went too high (think shoulder rather than waist height).

Here is a link that might be useful: before photo

I know some may not agree with me but I see nothing wrong with shoulder high wainscotting. I saw a picture of one somewhere and it looked lovely. In my bathroom the plastic tiles were installed high and we are going to fix it up so there will be high "wainscotting". I don't always follow rules as long as it doesn't mess up something.

Wow--they didn't miss a trick--diagonal paneling! You can just hear the disco beat.......

Shoulder high wainscoating fits right into the early 2oth c. Craftsman style books published around 1910 show many examples of rooms with high wainscoating. It was used in the Victorian era, but the style was different.
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from "The Craftsman" 1902

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from "The Craftsman" 1907

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from "The Craftsman" 1905

The last illustration shows mock wainscoating on the bottom, and on the top a mural treatment for a nursery.

Yes, I remember now! The picture I saw with high wainscoating was of a living room in a renovated cottage. There was narrow shelves on top where the owners placed framed pictures on.

An interesting information, in the early 20th century (not sure whether it was the 1920s or 1940s), tile height in the bathroom showed the wealth of the owner. The higher the tiles went, the more money the owner had.

The higher the tiles went, the more money the owner had.

Perhaps that was the reason for the scored plaster in the bathroom of my first house, built for a middle-class couple in the late 20s. The plaster was scored so that, at first look, it looked like 4X4 tiles, and in fact I only discovered that they were scored plaster when I was cleaning them in preparation to paint the room.

The kitchen in the 1920 house we are about to move into (tomorrow!) has scored plaster on the wall behind the sink base, but I have no idea what the kitchen looked like originally. It was definitely remodeled sometime in the last, oh, 40 years!

I vote for higher wainscotting too.

Thanks for the pics kennebunker.

Good luck tomorrow vjrnts!

I am going to look again for that source of the information on the height of tiles related to income. I am now wondering if tiles were very expensive at that time. If I find it, I will post it, it is so interesting.

Vjrnts-Enjoy your house! The "tiles" reminds me of the show where one can copy the style of an expensive room :o)

I though I'd show you the craftsman style wainscoating in white as I recreated it for a dollhouse dining room

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Even though most of the houses had golden oak, some people opted for white, which was also popular.

Kennebunker-
The work is lovely and something to be appreciated! Is it a hobby/business or just a hobby?

Could not find the website with the information. Should have had saved it. Oh, well.

I have shoulder high wainscoating very similiar to what's in the dollhouse pic in my music room. It drops to waisthigh in the foyer and up the staircase. No where else is there anything like this in the house...It could have been an add on I don't know....but it's here to stay. As with any house this one has had many changes over it's life time. The trick is to keep what works and is worthy of care and edit that which doesn't fit or takes away from the beauty of the home.

We have this in dark wood in our dining room. I still think it would look weird in a bathroom.

Lisa,
I think it would look awsome in that bathroom! I'd paint it white, instead of leaving a wood look. I have a converted 1/2 bath off the kitchen. I did the whole thing, wall AND ceiling in the tongue and goove beadboard. I think it looks awesome! Course that's just my opinion and you're free to do what you think!

Terry

Thanks for all the good wishes. The move is complete, both houses are total messes, but it's all counting bodies and cleaning up now. What a mess!

And, to get back on topic, I like that high wainscotting too, if the proportions of the room are right. In a very small room, it might make the ceiling look disproportionately high. But then, Lisa, only you know your own space; maybe you could photomanipulate a picture of your room and put in the high wainscotting just to get a rough idea of what it might look like. I know that I always do better with some kind of visual; I'm not good at picturing things in my mind's eye.

Thanks for all of your input. We decided to demo what is left of the upper plaster wall down to the studs and hang new 1/2 inch drywall. We plan to put a traditional height wainscotting over that and paint it bright white. We're thinking a flax color for the upper wall with white pedestal sinks and white subway tile surround in the tub.

Please post pictures! We love seeing what people do with old houses! They have a certain feeling that one cannot find in new houses. Hard to explain :o)

Just wanted to add another "high wainscoating" picture. This wainscoating continues in the front hall, up the stairs and in the upstairs hallway, at about waist-height. In the dining room, it's above shoulder height.

Here is a link that might be useful: My wainscotting

Hi! I just found this forum and wanted to add that I have shoulder high wainscotting in the dining room of my 1906 Craftsman. I agree it would be strange in a bathroom if left wood or stained, but I think it would look gorgeous painted. Here is a picture:

I just remembered something.I have seen the Victorian style beadboard high wainscoating used in bathrooms from the Craftsman era. It was cheaper than tile, and less apt to be damaged by water than plaster. I recall that it was always painted.