Decorative and Dramatic Drywall

Think outside of plain boxy shapes and you'll energize your rooms with interesting angles or the classic great looks of raised-panel construction. Drywall construction techniques put these great effects and many other imaginative solutions well within your reach.

A fireplace makes an interesting case study because the usual impulse is to center it along a wall. Although it's sometimes an acceptable solution, that thinking is a holdover from the days when the hearth was the primary source of heat as well as the cook's headquarters.

Relocating the hearth to the corner of the room is an imaginative solution that definitely puts a fireplace in its place. It remains architecturally important in the room without completely overwhelming your decorating options. Lighting built in above the artwork casts a soft glow without drawing attention to its source.

Drywall and its framing weigh a fraction of a brick and mortar fireplace, so that eliminates the need for expensive structural supports. And if you tackle the project yourself, you can also save a ton of money.

Because of the high cost of materials and especially the highly skilled labor required, raised-panel walls have always been limited to upscale homes. Until now.

An innovative drywall product with a molded pattern eliminates the need for fancy carpentry work. Instead, you provide basic drywall installation and finishing techniques.

You'll find raised-panel drywall that's scaled for installation on upper walls, wainscots, stairways, and even ceilings. Although you'll be tempted to fill every square foot of your room with these great-looking panels, it's a good idea to control your enthusiasm. Too much of a good thing can simply be too much.