Creative Decorative Wooden Wall Panel Ideas to Try in Your Home
Written by Milan Jara on 20th Aug 2022
Want to add visual dimension to any space of your house? Consider these ideas for decorative wooden wall panels.
People often think about wainscoting when they want wooden wall panels, and while this option is still trending, there are many other ways to implement wooden panels when upgrading your design. These panels integrate well no matter your style, from farmhouse to contemporary. Here are some creative alternatives for decorative wooden wall panels.
When you picture wall panels, your mind may revert to 70s walls, wainscoting, or stuffy molding. However, installing wall paneling doesn’t need to result in a dated or bland look. This option provides a beautiful way to add personality to your decors and brings texture and style to any area.
Creative Ideas for Decorative Wooden Wall Panels
There are creative ways to incorporate wooden wall panels, so your room doesn’t look old or too traditional. You can mix them into modern design looks to provide a fresh, new look to any home style.
Use Color or Create an Accent
You don’t have to be stuck with a natural wood finish if you love color and wood. You have the option to use wood panels and paint them to complement the décor of the room. Wood wall panels can go horizontally or vertically, depending on the room’s architecture and design elements. To add or accent height, the panels should go vertically. Place them horizontally to create the illusion of width or make the room look visually more spacious.
You can also use color or wood wall panels to create a feature wall. There are many configurations you can use.
Go Beyond the Traditional Farmhouse Appeal
Many homeowners use wainscoting for a dining room , a look that is a little dated. The other option is creating a farmhouse vibe using shiplap or traditional wood paneling. Decorative wooden wall panels can create a look far beyond conventional farmhouse interior design staples.
By using a thick, seamless wood panel, you can extend it from your walls to your ceiling. Crisp white paint provides a fresh take on this type of paneling, and it also works in the bedroom or living room.
Whitewash Wall Panels
By whitewashing your decorative wall panels, you can keep the wood grain texture of the walls but lighten the deep wood color. Begin by watering down your paint color. Then, brush it onto the wood and immediately wipe. Keep repeating this until you get your desired color and appearance.
Try a Unique Wood Type
Soften crisp white walls and edgy concrete floors with custom wood paneling. This look creates visual interest. In a dining room, pair it with banquette-style seating and plush material and run a cozy border along the wall for a pop of color.
You can also use it in a bathroom with a deep modern tub and wooden floors. The crispness of a white bathtub, light flooring, and crisp white walls make a wooden, dimensional wall panel add 3D interest to the area.
Incorporate It as an Accent on Furniture
Add this type of wood panel as an accent to a desk to tie into the rest of the room's look. You can also add it to kitchen islands, especially in farmhouse design or shabby chic home decor, or the front of a bar, or anywhere else you want to add visual interest. Decorative wall panels aren’t confined to wall decor but can be incorporated into any area of a room.
You can also add wooden panels to furniture in a bedroom. By incorporating it into a headboard, you can upgrade a room without spending much money. You can extend it up a wall to add height to a room or aesthetic appeal.
Create a Whimsical Bedroom
To provide a magical experience, add wood paneling to sections of the bedroom. You can localize it to a specific area using a unique cut-out, center it along the back of a door, or add something new around an old fireplace.
Additionally, you can place wooden panels at the back of the wall with a floating bookshelf, window seating, or any other architectural element. This look involves placing only three or more large wood panels strategically in a room to add a whimsical element and works great for kids’ rooms.
Pair Your Panels with Warmer Tones
For a cabin, you can balance a cool appearance or cool-toned walls with warm, wooden accents. For a room with predominantly blue furniture, you can add raspberry pillows, tan walls, and wood paneling to the ceiling. This combination will warm the room, make it look spacious, and keep that modern farmhouse appeal, creating an inviting, homey appearance.
Paint the Panels Black or a Darker Color
While dark colors are usually prohibited in small rooms because they make them look tiny, they can work in a bathroom with an odd-shaped ceiling or high ceilings. Painting smaller rooms a darker color can make the room appear larger and more intimate simultaneously. It is also an excellent way to upgrade older paneling.
Spread Out Your Panels
To create a modern, luxurious bathroom, consider using deep slate grey paint as a border around panels painted in a brighter hue to remove the emphasis on ridges while adding dimension to the room. This idea works well with paneling that has a boxed appearance. Homeowners can paint the borders a darker color and the inside a lighter grey.
Consider adding a marble tiling to the shower stall for a luxurious touch.
Decorative wooden wall panels are a great way to become creative with your space. You don’t have to settle for a dated wooden look. Adding paint will easily incorporate it into any style while still using the wooden texture to add visual interest. Depending on your selected panels, you can easily add dimension to any room.
