Just chiming in to vote for picture frame wainscoting. I have to admit that I love beadboard -- but I fear it is being over-used, and will therefore 'date' your remodel. You have really good reasons for using the picture frame style as opposed to beadboard -- So I would. Again, I love beadboard. But more picture frame will never look dated because it's architecturally consistent with the rest of the house.

Sweeby:

Thanks for taking the time to answer. I also think that picture frame paneling would be better in the long run. Like so many others on this board, I believe that the 'look' that is consistent with the architecture of the home is best in the long run. The picture frame paneliing in the gameroom and the family room is solid oak. We painted the family room many years ago because the paneling had darkened so much over the years that the room felt like a cave. But it is beautifully constructed paneling. However, the bathroom is far less public and there would not be a lot of paneling and what is available is mainly hidden behind fixtures. No one will stand in the bathroom and critique the design or quality of the wainscoting! It just needs to last. Another problem is that I'm running short on time and money, so sollid wood isn't an option, nor is hiring a master carpenter, it must be DIY. Perhaps I need to push the painters back a week or two....

The MDF option is really fantastic because you can custom design your order to the measurement of your walls and the placement of corners, outlets, etc. We have a bookcase built out of MDF and trimmed in oak and it has held up well since 2004. There has been no warpage of the doors and then paint, which was sprayed after the unit was primed, is still in good shape. My concern is how all of this will hold up in a bathroom. Today I'll call Wainscoting America (which just sounds so cheesy, there is another company called "Nantucket Beadboard" which sounds far more authentic and of better quality, but who knows?) and a couple of other companies and listen to what they have to say about the subject.

Thanks again, Sweeby!

Here is a link that might be useful: Another Wainscoting Company

I would think that MDF would be better suited to a bathroom with the humidity? I'm not sure I could see picture frame in a bathroom. It seems too formal. Beadboard seems better although personally, I might consider tile wainscot on then walls, especially around the toilet. See link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tile wainscot

We have the plain wainscoting in our bathrooms, with a rail above it.

Since I had all boys, it was much easier to clean instead of having to get into hard areas like picture-frame or beadboard.

They used a solid panel with the rail above it. When we added beadboard to the rest of the house a couple of years ago I thought about changing out the bath paneling but decided to keep it because of it being easier to keep clean.

Oakleyok:

So with plain wainscoting, was the panel simply flat with the chair rail along the top?

And rather than do picture frame paneling, I would actually install more of a flat frame. It resembles the picture frame paneling but with fewer nooks and crannies to clean.

I'd love to do a tile wainscoting, but since our house shifts seasonally (our foundation is moving all the time-bad Texas building codes with respect to our soil content), there would be more cracking than I'd want to deal with. The bathroom floor is Amtico, the only tile in the room is in the mud (concrete and metal mesh) shower.

Thanks so much for your thoughtful replies. They are very much appreciated.

I'm afraid the picture frame wainscoting would be hard to keep nice and clean in a bathroom. It will get sticky and fuzzy and . . . who knows what happens in boys' bathrooms!

The beadboard could be considered overdone, but it also gives you a solid bit of wood to paint in a gloss or semi-gloss, and it would be much easier to keep clean. It would be the next-best-thing to tile, I would think.

Here's a blog with pic frame moulding in the bathroom. I think it looks really nice here.

Here is a link that might be useful: Grits and Glamour blog

That's a gorgeous bathroom. Ms. Grits blog is a fun read as well. Thank you, Sheesharee!

Can anyone else weigh in on the efficacy of MDF paneling in a bathroom? I think that the bead board sold at HD and Lowe's is MDF, has anyone used either of these products in a bathroom?
Thanks again!

Seems like too much detail on walls in a space that small. There can't be that much wall space to begin with, and to crowd it with all that moulding seems out of place.

By the way, I love the Kohler Memoirs line. Classic, imo. I have the one of the toilets from that line in our upstairs bath.

Cup, yes the panel is flat with the chair rail on top.

Les, it really does help give a small space a bit of nice architectural detail. The builder put it in both bathrooms and I was happy he did it. The panel takes the plainness of a small bathroom away. I also think they did that to protect the walls because it's much easier to wipe down the paneling than wiping down the paint.

One other possibility is wallpaper. I just gave my guest bath a redo and used beadboard wallpaper instead of paneling. It was so easy and quick to put up and looks good. I put a couple of coats of white paint on it just to protect it and done--so simple. I used Graham & Brown beadboard paper and would definitely use it again--you just roll the wallpaper paste on the wall and put the paper on straight from the roll.

Here's a picture of the finished bath and a close up while still in progress:

I've had picture frame for years, and has seemed dated for years. It was all the rage in numerous master planned communities in the Houston area in the eighties. I can't wait to rip the stuff out!

I love the beadboard look in my bath. But the stuff is always a problem to clean at the bottom edges and near sink. I have to vacuum first, then spray a cleaner and toothbrush anything left, then wipe off. Definitely rec using sealant, although you will still have to clean edges.

Cupofkindness: Thank you for the kind words! I was inspired by beautiful baths and dresser conversions I saw at GW, especially my3dogs' vanities. Since I've only used the wallpaper in the guest bath so far, can't speak to the seams lifting, but it is pretty secure so far, and also anchored top and bottom under the chair rail and baseboard moldings.
I have had dents in it but they go away; I put a boudoir chair in the corner that gets pressed up against the paper when my cat jumps into the chair. Within an hour or so after moving it away from the paper the dent is gone...it seems pretty resilient. Good luck on your project!

You can get PVC wainscoting at HD which is great for a damp room like a bath. It's very attractive and looks like the real thing. No painting and washes up with soap and water.

Bird Lover: I live in Dallas, and we have a picture frame paneled family room, as well as the game room (which serves as our sons bedroom and is where this bathroom is near). Our family room was like an oak cave (since it is rather interior to the house) until we painted to full-height paneling (10 feet high) an ivory color and renovated the Austin limestone rock fireplace (which was really ugly). Now I must say that I have the most beautiful family room around. So painted, the p-f paneling isn't so bad.

Emagineer: I would think that bead board is a pain to keep clean. The vacuuming tip is a great idea! Thank you!

GGMolly:

I will go to HD and look at the PVC wainscoting today. It must be white. Perhaps it can be painted? They'll know at Home Depot.

Thanks again for your replies!

~Cupofkindness

My $.02:

I don't think picture-frame wainscoting is stylistically appropriate or practical for a bathroom. Also, painted MDF could seem cheap, especially in a home with solid wood wainscoting in other rooms, and I'm not sure how it would hold up it in a room/climate that is subject to mold.

While I like true beadboard in vintage baths, it's often used just because it's trendy, fast, and cheap (if you use any of the various imitation beadboard products). Beadboard would look good with your Memoirs toilet and pedestal sink, but may seem too cottage-y for the rest of your house.

My first preference would be for tile wainscoting, which need not be expensive in a small space if you shop around and do the tiling yourself. Are you really sure you can't use it? Unless the seasonal movement is really extreme (in which case you must have problems with all of your walls and wainscoting), you should be able to use tile as long as you have the proper surface, use small tiles, and flexible grout. (I'm no expert, but that's what I've been told.)

Another option would be to simply install a chair rail around the perimeter of the room. You could then use different colors for the upper and lower walls, or paint the lower wall and use wallpaper or stenciling on the upper part (although extreme house movement could sabotage wallpaper).

The PVC Wainscoting does not need to be painted, it's already white from the factory. Hope it serves your purpose.

We are finally working on this bathroom! The decision has been made to install picture frame wainscoting. I am searching for panel mould that has a smaller profile for this bathroom. I probably need to find a lumber yard that sells trim for kitchen cabinets.

Here is an inspiration picture. Thanks again for all of your ideas and advice.

Here is a link that might be useful: Beautiful Pedestal Sink with Picture Frame Wainscoting