Wainscoting

So they sell this "wallpaper" in Lowes that is textured to look like something it is not.  I learned about it from my friend Margaret, who invited me to her house to see her new "wainscoting" on her hallway wall.  It looked great!  As I was complimenting her on it, she told me it was wallpaper.  No it's not! I insisted.  Yes, it is! she calmly stated.  To all appearances, it was wood beadboard, no doubt in my mind.  But after touching it and examining it a little bit closer, I had to agree, it was wallpaper.  Amazing!  I immediately went to Lowes and bought a roll.  Twenty bucks for a big fat roll.

So I brought it down here to my little Florida condo, a previously white (but dirty) space that was screaming for some character.  I envisioned a wainscoted dining room wall, painted a sandy color against the gorgeous blue already in place.  Yesterday, I cut my 33' lengths of "wainscoting" which I soaked in a tray of water and then put in place.  Nine strips later, it was done.  Took about an hour?  And it was white.

Today, it was painted that sandy color (called Drumskin for those of you paying attention to paint colors), a very subtle chair rail was added and painted, and voila!  I have a wainscoted wall!  And even I am having a hard time convincing myself that it is wallpaper!  Again, I have to spend this evening staring at my walls.  Love.

So things are not always as they appear to be.  In this case, my "fake" wainscoting is a good thing.  If I'd tried to do real beadboard, there would have been a problem with the bowed walls.  Wallpaper and a flexible "plastic" chair rail don't care if there' s bow in the wall.  To all appearances, everything looks perfect.

So to what do I apply this metaphor?  Cosmetic surgery?  False impressions?  Fake diplomas?  Designer knock-offs?

No, I think it's just about wainscoting.  Wainscoting that I am in love with.  That's all.