Traditional panelling
Wall Panelling in Southampton and Hampshire
Wall panelling has been at the heart of VIP Walls since 2007. Every installation is individually measured and set out to suit the proportions and features of your room.
Wall panelling is our main trade. We fit it in older and newer homes. Each layout is set out for the room.
Panelling changes the feel of a room more than most jobs. It is often the first thing people notice when they walk in.
We measure the room and set out the rails and stiles so the proportions look right. Older houses are rarely square or plumb, so we scribe the panels to the walls. We also work around the existing skirting, architrave, sockets and switches.
We fit traditional and contemporary panelling. It can cover one wall or continue through a hallway, staircase, dining room or bedroom. We leave it filled and sanded for your decorator, or we can paint it for you.
What a panelling job includes
- Traditional and contemporary styles
- Full height, picture rail height or dado height
- Designed around your sockets, switches and architecture
- Made to measure, fitted and hand finished
Wood and MDF wall panelling
Most painted panelling is made from MDF. It is stable, takes paint well and does not move much as the seasons change. Solid wood panelling suits a natural or stained finish.
We can talk you through which material suits your room before anything is made.
See also: MDF or hardwood panelling.
Living room and half wall panelling
In a living room, panelling often goes on the chimney breast wall or behind the sofa. Half wall panelling, at dado or mid height, keeps the top of the wall plain. A dado rail along the top of the panels finishes the line.
Panelling can also go behind a TV, or form part of a media wall with the TV and fire built in.
See also: dado rail or full height panelling, panelling behind a TV, media walls.
Stair wall panelling
Panelling in a hallway or up the stairs has its rails set to follow the pitch of the stairs. It can carry on along the landing at the same height.
See also: hallway and staircase panelling, staircase transformations.
3D wall panels and sound
For a modern feature wall, 3D panels give the wall a sculpted texture. We fit those too, set out so the pattern runs straight across the wall.
Panelling can soften some echo in a room. It is not the same as soundproofing, and our guide explains what it can and cannot do.
See also: 3D wall panelling, soundproofing with panelling.
Talk to us about panelling
Panelling set out for the room it goes in, made and fitted by hand.
Panelling we have fitted
Questions about panelling
- Will panelling work in an old house with wonky walls?
- Yes. We measure and scribe on site, so the panels follow the wall as it is.
- Can panelling go around a radiator or light switch?
- Yes, we cut and fit around whatever is already on the wall.
- Do I need to decorate the panelling myself?
- No. We leave it filled and ready for paint, or we can arrange the decorating.
- How long does a feature wall take to fit?
- A single feature wall is usually a day or two once the design is agreed; a full room takes longer.
- Is wall panelling going out of fashion?
- Panelling has been used in British homes for centuries. Plain shaker and traditional frame styles tend to last, because they suit the shape of the room. A change of paint colour can update the look later.
- How high should wall panelling be?
- Dado height is about a third of the way up the wall. Mid height is around half to two thirds. Full height runs to the ceiling or a picture rail. The right choice depends on the ceiling height and the furniture in the room.
- Does panelling make a room look smaller?
- Not usually. Lighter colours keep a room feeling open, and dark full height panelling makes it feel cosier. We set out the panels to suit the proportions of the room.
Fitting panelling across Hampshire
Many terraces around the city centre have walls that are not straight. We scribe the panels on site to fit them.
Where we work
Based in Hampshire since 2007 and working across the county.
Houses we work in
- Victorian and Edwardian terraces
- 1930s semis
- modern estate homes
- flats and apartments
Worth reading first
- Wall panelling costs: what a panelled room really costs in 2026
What panelling actually costs, why quotes differ so much, and how to compare them.
- Shaker panelling: the complete guide to the most popular style in Britain
Proportions, materials, cost and the setting-out rules behind the classic shaker grid.
- Choosing a panelling fitter: what to ask before you book anyone
The questions to ask, the warning signs, and how to compare quotes honestly.
- MDF vs hardwood panelling: which to choose and why
The honest differences between paint-grade MDF and solid or veneered hardwood.
- Dado rail vs full-height panelling: how to choose
Proportions, ceiling heights, cost and which rooms suit each approach.
- Tongue and groove panelling: where it works and how to do it properly
Board choice, heights, moisture, fitting method and how to keep the joints tight.
- Wainscoting explained: what it is, what it costs and when it is right
The difference between wainscoting and other panelling, correct heights and period styles.
- Panelling for bathrooms: materials, moisture and getting it to last
Materials, sealing, ventilation and the detailing that stops bathroom panelling failing.
- Accent walls: how to choose the right wall and not regret it
Picking the right wall, choosing a style, colour and lighting so it looks deliberate.
- Painting panelling: the preparation, products and order of work
Filling, caulking, priming, choosing a finish and getting a flat result by brush or spray.
- Modern vs traditional panelling: which suits your house
Fluted and slatted versus classic mouldings, and how to decide by house and room.
- Bedroom wall panelling: headboard walls, wardrobes and getting it calm
Headboard wall heights, socket planning, upholstered options, colour and wardrobes.
- Hallway panelling ideas: narrow halls, stairs and hard wear
Heights for narrow halls, running panelling up the stairs, obstacles and durable finishes.
- Panelling over plaster: what your wall needs to be able to take it
Testing the wall, when to batten, lath and plaster, artex, wallpaper and damp.
- Soundproofing with panelling: what works and what does not
Absorption versus insulation, what slatted panels really do, and how to build a quieter wall.
- Media wall cost: what a media wall really costs to build
Real cost drivers behind a media wall, from a fitter who builds them every month.
- Panelling behind a TV: mounting, cables and heat
How to plan panelling behind a TV so the bracket, cables and heat are sorted before a single sheet is cut.
- Panelling around radiators, sockets and skirting
What happens to radiators, sockets, skirting and windows when a wall is panelled, the questions we get asked on almost every job.
- Wall panelling problems: cracks, gaps, damp and how to put them right
The common faults we get called out to fix, why they happen, and how to put them right.
- How long does wall panelling take? A realistic day-by-day timeline
From the first call to a finished, decorated room, what actually happens and when.
- Is wall panelling worth it? An honest look before you spend
Where panelling earns its keep, where it doesn't, and a straight answer for the rooms in between.
- What Happens on Fitting Day for Wall Panelling
A straightforward walk through of a typical wall panelling fitting day, so you know what to expect and how to prepare.
- Preparing a Room Before We Fit Your Wall Panelling
Practical advice on getting a room properly ready before panelling work begins, so the job goes smoothly and nothing needs redoing.
- Looking After Painted Panelling So It Stays Sharp
Practical guidance on cleaning painted panelling, repairing knocks and scuffs, and knowing when it needs a fresh coat.
- Cracks at Panelling Joints: Why They Happen and How to Fix Them
A look at why fine cracks open up at panelling joints and mitres, and the right way to fill and prevent them for good.
- Damp or Condensation Behind Panelling: What to Check First
A straightforward look at what causes damp and condensation behind panelling, how to check for it, and when panelling is not the right answer.
- TV Mounted Too High on a Media Wall: How to Get It Right
How to work out the correct seated eye height for a recessed TV, and what your options are if an existing media wall has already gone up too high.
- Tongue and Groove in a Bathroom
Where tongue and groove boarding works in a bathroom, where it does not, and the details that stop it swelling, staining or opening up at the joints.
- How High Should Panelling Be Behind a Bed?
How we decide the height of panelling behind a bed, using the headboard, the ceiling and the proportions of the wall rather than a single fixed figure.
- Panelling a Stairwell: Setting Out on the Rake
What is involved in panelling the wall beside a staircase, where the angle of the stairs, the landing and the hallway all have to agree.
- Wainscoting Panels: Choosing the Style, Height and Material
A practical buying and design guide to wainscoting panels: which style suits which room, how high to go, what to make them from, and when a kit falls short.
- Fitting Tongue and Groove Panelling Properly
How tongue and groove boards go on a wall so they stay straight and tight: preparation, battens, the first board, secret fixing, openings and finishing.
Other joinery we do
In short
Most people first call us about panelling. Send us a photograph of the wall and we can talk through the layout and what is already in the way.
Talk to us about panelling
Send us a photo of the wall and we will talk you through what is possible.