I promise the title of this post is not click bait! This really is the simplest way to do board and batten, and I can say that because my husband and I are not DIYers, and we managed to do it.
I actually wasn't going to write a post on this, but I've gotten so many requests that I changed my mind. Apparently we're not the only ones out there looking for an easy way to jazz up a bedroom wall! I say "we", but really it was my husband who took my design and made it a reality while I kept our son occupied in the living room so he could have space to work. No easy feat I assure you!
Let me start by showing you the mood board I created:
As you can see my original design was a little more intricate and traditional which our home is not, so I scrapped that and went with a more contemporary look.
Now on to the process:
The first thing my husband did before buying supplies was measure the wall. Then, he used a stud finder. (Studs are typically placed 16"-24" apart.) Thankfully the studs were the perfect width apart for the look we wanted. That may not be the case in your room, so you may have to use a different method for attaching the strips to the wall if they will be going directly into drywall.
Then it was time to prep. We decided on the height of the picture shelf and he drew a line (using a laser level) across the length of the wall. He also drew lines where each furring strip would be placed.
Next, we headed to Home Depot. There we bought (10)-1in x 2in x 8ft furring strips, (2)-3/4in x 7in x 8ft cedar planks for the picture shelf, clear sealant, nails, brackets (for the shelf) and a gallon of Behr Ultra Black Matte paint. We went with a matte paint to sort of camouflage the finish on the wall because we didn't feel like scraping it off or covering it. I wasn't kidding when I said we kept it easy!
My husband then cut the furring strips to size and used a nail gun to attach them to the studs. He filled the nail holes with putty.
Then it was time to paint, and install the brackets.
The final step before placing the planks on the brackets was putting a clear sealant on them to really draw out their beautiful color.
And voila! Drama, drama, drama!
Finally it was my turn to decorate! A few months back we bought a King sized bed (our first one in over 16 yrs of marriage!), and new nightstands to go with our new wall. A few plants, and family photos completed the look.
Before:
After:
I absolutely love how this turned out, and kudos to my husband for doing all of the work! What I also love about this is that if we ever decide to sell, the new homeowners can easily take it down and repaint the wall, which means this could also work in a rental if you have permission to make temporary changes.
Hope this tutorial was helpful if you're looking for an easy way to make a big impact in your space. If you would like help designing a room in your home, schedule your free call with me today!