Expert: Rikki Nyman - 7/8/2009

Question
Hi there! I'm a realtor and have clients interested in a 1931 cottage, ship-lap wood exterior home that has been renovated. My question is that the living and bedroom walls are just plain, unvarnished wood...what finish would a house of that age normally have on inside walls? Lathe & plaster? What suggestions for finishing the inside would you make, short of lathe & plaster(and first time homebuyers without ALOT of cash!) Thanks!

Answer
Though lath and plaster was common, drywall was available to home builders in the late 1920s. Plaster walls were common flat and smooth or a variety of textures, however, newer products like various types of wallboard were advertised in all the home magazines. I can't see any reason that your home buyers shouldn't use drywall, then paint or wallpaper, both of which were common interior wall finishes. There are dozens of images at my websites as well as my Flickr account (http://www.flickr.com/photos/americanvintagehome/) that are taken from period publications that should provide some inspiration for further remodeling.

It's possible that they could do something with the wood, but I'd need to see what they have to work with before I could give any kind of useful suggestion.

Hope this helps!

Rikki Nyman
www.antiquehomestyle.com
www.midcenturyhomestyle.com