Hot take: That 'rustic' reclaimed wood wall trend looks awful in person

I was at a friend's house in Denver last weekend and they had just put up one of those walls with old barn wood. Up close, it was full of splinters, dust, and smelled like a wet dog. They said it cost over $800 for the wood alone and took two full days to install. I get the idea but the reality is just a dirty, rough mess on your living room wall. Has anyone else seen one of these in real life and thought it looked bad?

3 comments

3 Comments

joseph_adams6613d ago

Okay but "smelled like a wet dog" is sending me. That's a pretty bad sign. I see what @the_tyler is saying about prep work, but who has the time? It just seems like a ton of effort and money for what is basically a wall of old dirty boards. Is it really that much better than a nice paint color or some art?

the_tyler13d ago

Man, I totally disagree. My cousin did one in her place and it looks amazing. She cleaned and sealed the wood so it's smooth and doesn't smell. It adds so much warmth to the room, way better than just plain drywall. It's all about doing the prep work right.

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theasmith5d ago

Yeah, that whole "it's all about the prep" thing is everywhere now. Like people will spend a whole weekend just cleaning and sanding old boards, then act surprised when it turns out nice. It's the same with refinishing old furniture or even painting a room. The final look gets all the credit, but the boring, dusty work beforehand is what actually makes it work.