Hi there! Welcome to the “Ask Alexa” series. I’m Alexa Drees, the Design Center Director at Drees Homes, and I’m excited to bring you weekly tips, advice, and answers to your dilemmas to help make designing your dream home an easy and enjoyable process. Each week, I’ll be rolling out a new feature. (If you missed our first seven videos, you can watch them here.)

In our inaugural month, we kicked off the series with a discussion on all things backsplash. In November, we took a deeper dive into the kitchen, going beyond the backsplash and suggesting other ways you can create major “WOW” factor. We also tackled lovely lighting selections for the home and reviewed all the options when it comes to accent ceilings and statement walls.

Today, we’re going to talk about the biggest buzz word in home design ever since Joanna and Chip Gaines stole everyone’s design-loving heart on the show Fixer Upper…shiplap.

The Easiest Installation

Shiplap is a great way to bring texture into a space, whether it’s large or small. When you have a space that needs to be set apart, sprucing up the wall is the way to go. A nice, clean shiplap will help your breakfast nook or home office feel highly designed and inspired. We’re seeing that shiplap really looks and feels like a natural fit in many of our custom floor plans. Our homeowners are loving this home design trend.

Floor to ceiling…You can never go wrong!

Some of our homeowners love the idea of shiplap, but are afraid to go all in. In my opinion, you can never go wrong with a shiplap statement wall, especially in rooms that don’t require as much stimulation like a bedroom or bathroom. It’s easy to go with a touch of classic farmhouse without going crazy. We take this approach often when working with homeowners who are interested in dabbling in the trend.

But if you are really head over heels in love with shiplap, I say, “Go big or go home!” Even floor to ceiling, this trend can present a polished, clean look like shown in the room above.

Experimenting on a Small Scale

If you want to dip your toe in the water, try sprucing up a smaller space like a bath, a walk-in closet or even a pantry (because the pantry deserves to be beautiful too). Line the back of the space with shiplap for a more finished look.

Pushing the Boundaries for Greater Interest

 

To incorporate shiplap in a more creative way, consider using it to add pizazz to the space above your fireplace mantle. This approach will help extend the focal point and provides great background for your mantle décor.

Overall, we are loving the idea of shiplap as a way to introduce a new organic texture to a space. We hope you were able to take away ideas to use in your own home.

Next week, we’ll be focusing on ways to create a home that is perfect for the holidays. For the first look at our new segments, be sure to follow along on Facebook. We look forward to having you join us on this journey of design explorations!

All the best,
Alexa Drees