Most interior design trends come back into fashion eventually, albeit you might come across a home where a particular feature isn’t a trendy stab at retro chic, but an outdated legacy from the first time around.
Occasionally a feature can be re-installed, un-covered or reproduced, with new patterns or cheaper, more durable materials, but whether it’s Artex roofing, space-saving pocket doors or loud, patterned wallpaper it is only a matter of time before the glossy magazines will be pushing this as the latest thing. And there is no doubt that Dado rails have received that treatment.
Some interior design trends simply have an enduring quality; a classic, timeless feel. But still they have to be done right and they have to suit your particular home, and Dado rails are a period feature that in the right setting can still produce an eye-catching effect and really transform the home.
Our range of traditional Dado rails
Traditional Dado rails are a waist-high timber mounting that runs around the wall like a decorative border but owe their origins to functionality..They were developed to stop chairs damaging the walls or décor but proved such an aestic hit that they were usecd throughout the house most often on staircases. They can be relatively plain, or like our Bonville, Colswain, Conyers and Mulgrave rails can have decorative edging that creates an elegant, regal look that can really finish off a room.
Many years ago, the fashion was to wallpaper the ‘Dado’ section below a Dado rail, and often you would see dark wooden panelling used as an alternative. Each style could still work in some homes, but even in a period home, a Dado rail coloured appropriately can create a fresh, modern feel with contrasting colours that can either attract the light or allow you to complement new or existing internal furnishings or furniture.
Typically you would use a Dado rail in a taller and larger room, otherwise the wall space can look cluttered. But a Dado rail on a large wall space can break up an otherwise quite dull room and add both a feature and a method to introduce more colour. Period homes often have picture rails, architraves or skirting boards and a Dado rail can complement them perfectly if you have an accompanying style and colour range.
Stylish and contemporary Dado rails
Dado rails are now mainly an aesthetic feature, but they retain a classic charm and can add character to a room, which means now they are back in fashion, and not dismissed as a fussy, non-essential attribute in a room, we can begin to see how their shape and style can be incorporated to mix retro ideas with contemporary colours.
This so often works with today’s penchant for taking inspiration from different eras, seeing what works and somehow making everything look very much ‘now’. So yes, Dado rails are definitely back in fashion, and the latest classic feature to get the retro treatment. Take a look at your rooms in a different way and see how a Dado rail can transform them and really enhance the feel and style of the home.
