The Study....

For our studies we are creating masculine, traditional spaces: think of a gentleman in a smoking jacket, a good book in one hand and a crystal tumbler of aged single malt in the other. The room has the faint odour of cigars and old parchment. On one wall is a crackling fire, emanating its rosy glow across the room. In the corner lie the hounds curled up in their baskets. The rich wooden paneling of the room envelops them in a warm and intimate retreat from the waries of their day.... Now you have the gestalt of the study!

Below are some pictures which provide inspiration for the designs:

It would also be great to have a hidden bookcase door. Very Sir Arthur Conan Doyle!

Wainscoating and Boiserie...

Wainscoting (derived from 14th century middle Dutch / Flemish word waghenscote, meaning superior quality oak wood, board used for paneling) is the term for panelling of various descriptions from floor height to almost any height on the wall. The height has been dictated over time by varying fashions, the purpose of the room (i.e. in a dining room it was usually high enough to protect the walls when chairs were pulled put from a table), and of course by the over-all proportions of the room. Originally it served to help insulate rooms from the stone exterior of the building and any rising damp. Now, of course, its purpose is largely ornamental.

Stairs

Wainscoting on stairs protects the walls from the usual scuffs of stairwell traffic. Its panels can be lozenge shaped and run smoothly up the side of the wall (as above, which I think is the more elegant option) or they can be stepped along with each stair tread.

Curved Walls and Corners

The paneling may be squared-off at corners as above, or curved around, as below:

Although I don't particularly like the colour combination in the picture below, it serves to show how well wainscoting and moulding can emphasis a curve:

Examples of how the heights can vary:

A modern form of wainscot can be produced by applying moulding directly to the walls, creating a cameo effect:

Traditional paneled walls used a similar technique, although were often more elaborate:

For more on complete wall panelling and mahogany Wainscots see our post on The Study. For more on Gilded Boiserie work see our post on The Ballroom.

The Gentleman's Gentleman....

The art of Butling and Valeting has all but gone by the wayside and men like Jeeves are a dying breed. Those of you who recall Wodehouse's satires about the hapless Bertie Wooster and his faithful (and long-suffering) valet, Jeeves may understand the usefulness and elegance that a gentleman's gentleman provides. They were the forerunner to the P.A. and took care of the necessary quotidian tasks to ensure one could go about one's business with ease, comfort and style.

A valet is not to be confused with a butler, who was the chief of staff of a household, corraling herds of footmen, under-butlers, and other sundry staff into timely action.

A valet's duties were many...

Oh for a gentleman's gentleman...