Joanna Gaines’ Fireplace Makeover Uses Wood Paneling in a New Way

Joanna Gaines’ latest undertaking is a series of home makeovers that don’t require any demolition and can be completed in a weekend. She’s dubbed them “Mini Renis,” and her most recent room do-over features a fun alternative to plain paint or busy wallpaper. 

She installed a fresh and modern accent wall using just a few strips of strategically placed wood — and barely any math or tricky angled cutting was required.

“Earthy blues and greens, textured tile, and lattice molding work together in this #minireni living room to create the whimsy, artful, storied look the homeowner wanted in a color palette we knew she loved,” Gaines captioned a recent Instagram post. 

The fireplace wall in the living room she was working on was definitely almost a statement, with its double windows framing the mantel. Gaines knew she wanted to center her design around that wall.

But rather than paint the fireplace and wall a different color or clutter the already tight wall with patterned print, she decided on easy DIY paneling. The panel pattern is a set of three strips of wood installed about a foot apart, and unlike other paneling projects, this design only required a few simple straight cuts and no angled cutting whatsoever. 

The entire wall was then painted the same color as the rest of the space, but those wood strips made the fireplace wall stand out from the crowd. Plus, it feels a bit historic and like it’s been there the whole time.

So before you decide to switch out the paint color or install wallpaper to make an accent wall to your space, consider Gaines’ easy, inexpensive, and subtle way to add interest without creating too much chaos.