Small rooms in miners' cottages
The mine owners Barber and Walker built around 300 terraced cottages laid out in a grid around shared yards, on Scargill Street, Victoria Street, Princes Street, Albert Street and Wellington Street. Known as The Buildings, they are among the earliest company housing in the country, were saved from demolition by a council scheme, and now form part of the Eastwood conservation area. D. H. Lawrence was born at 8a Victoria Street, now the D. H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum, and the Blue Line Trail links three of his homes.
Rooms in cottages like these tend to be modest, so panelling needs to suit the scale. Half-height panelling or slim picture-frame moulding keeps a small room light, while bulky frames or a dark full-height wall can make it feel boxed in. Lighter colours, and frames sized to your own wall rather than copied from a picture of a larger house, work well. In a small room, fewer and larger frames often look calmer than lots of little ones.
Listed buildings and old plaster
Several buildings in Eastwood are listed, all Grade II, including 36 to 39 Scargill Walk. If your home is listed, check with Broxtowe Borough Council before panelling, as internal changes can need listed building consent. In any older cottage the plaster may be original, and old plaster is often softer and less even than modern finishes. We check it carefully, repair loose patches and skim if needed, so the panelling has a firm, flat base. If your cottage is not listed, panelling is a straightforward way to add some period-style detail inside.
Larger houses on Church Street
The Church Street part of the conservation area has detached houses in their own grounds behind walls and trees. Bigger rooms open up more options: full-height shaker panelling, picture-frame moulding set out in pairs either side of a window or chimney breast, or panelling that follows a staircase up to the landing. Staircase panelling needs careful setting out so the frames run parallel with the stairs and line up with the hall and landing. Larger rooms can also carry a deeper colour, such as a dark green or blue, without feeling closed in.
How to book
The panelling is fixed with adhesive and pins, then filled, sanded and caulked so it is ready for you to prime and paint. If any electrics need moving first, that is a job for a qualified electrician. Send a photo of the room so we can talk about frame sizes before anything is cut. Call 07877 353120 or use the enquiry form to arrange a quote for wall panelling in Eastwood. We work seven days a week, 7am to 5pm.
