Vertical siding style with wide boards and narrow battens (covering seams) used on exteriors or interior accent walls, surging 2016-2020 as farmhouse aesthetic detail and sophisticated alternative to shiplap.
Exterior Farmhouse Signature
Board-and-batten siding—traditional agricultural building style—became modern farmhouse’s exterior signature. “Fixer Upper” (2013-2018) featured it on renovated homes: white board-and-batten contrasting with brick or horizontal siding. The vertical lines created height illusion and broke up plain facades.
Instagram documented exterior transformations: dated horizontal siding → fresh board-and-batten (often just on gables/dormers for accent), or mixed materials (lap siding body + board-and-batten gables). The look said “farmhouse” without actual farm context. By 2018, suburban builders offered board-and-batten upgrades on new construction.
Interior Accent Wall Trend
The style migrated indoors 2017-2019: DIY accent walls using MDF boards and trim battens, painted white/gray/navy. TikTok tutorials showed $100-300 DIY board-and-batten walls transforming boring bedrooms/dining rooms. The technique offered texture and architectural interest cheaper than shiplap or wainscoting.
By 2021, board-and-batten faced shiplap’s fate: everywhere = dated. But its traditional roots gave it more longevity than pure trend details—the style existed for 200+ years, unlike invented modern farmhouse elements.
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