Wood walls are back...or maybe they never left? Some may say wood paneling is just a holdover from the midcentury's material fancy, but today's designers continue to implement the material in innovative ways. "In the custom homes we’re building, we’re incorporating wood elements throughout various spaces, from offices and bar rooms to family rooms," shares designer Emily Del Bello. And when done right, the benefits are worth the investment. "Wood paneling isn’t limited to specific areas—it can transform any space by adding warmth, character and a touch of luxury," she adds.
In the end, it's all about the approach. "Wood walls can be integrated in a variety of ways, tailored to the homeowner’s vision and style," Dani Flax, interior designer at Pearson Design Group assures. From minimalist takes to modernist adaptations, see how designers are incorporating wood wall designs to elevate spaces across every aesthetic.
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Chic Wood Wall Design
Sophistication is the vibe in this Emily Del Bello-designed landing. "We designed a custom rift white oak wall veneer and applied it to all the walls in the landing," Del Bello says. "This treatment not only protects the walls from damage but also elevates them beyond standard drywall, adding depth and visual interest to the space." A red velvet bench completes the space.
"The wood wall enhances the space’s warmth and coziness while adding an extra layer of texture and sophistication," says designer Emily Del Bello of this elegant entryway.
Cozy Escape
This Vail, Colorado retreat designed by Jamie Nusser of J Designs features an exterior reminiscent of a Swiss chalet and interiors clad in white oak and plaster. A built-in nook serves as a sofa and daybed spot among the rich oak walls.
An existing built-in nook off the main living area features Pierre Frey wool on its cushion. Beside it are an Eero Saarinen side table and custom lounge chair sporting a Ralph Lauren Home ticking stripe.
Warm + Inviting
This family room's custom millwork is made from stained white oak. For maximum impact, designer Hilary Matt extended the piece to the ceiling. "This project was a new build so any opportunity we had to bring in some warmth and character, we did," Matt says. The wood wall helps add warmth to the stately space. "This specific design element gave the room a warm glow and kept it from feeling too stuffy, instead, it balances having some traditional elements (the millwork design itself) without being too formal for this family to hang out in and use."
Bathrooms With Wood Walls
In this contemporary bathroom, designer Kim Gordon makes a statement in contrasts. The wood wall surrounding the tub "softened the brutalist architecture of the home and warmed up the stone floors and white tub," Gordon shares. The warmth is a welcome reprieve in utilitarian spaces like bath and powder rooms. "With proper ventilation to prevent moisture, incorporating wood into typically cold spaces, like bathrooms, is an excellent way to add warmth. The natural wood not only softens the starkness of cold fixtures but also brings comfort and a cozy feel to a space that often feels more utilitarian," she notes.
Made of walnut, the wood wall surrounding the tub in this bathroom was custom-built to look like tamboured wall paneling. The space is designed by Kim Gordon.
Rustic Wood Design
In a Montana family home, Kelly Hohla brought the mountain aesthetic to new heights. Here, a breakfast nook is paneled in reclaimed wood and features a sitting area and additional windows that flood the space with natural light. She shares in the LUXE home tour here: “It’s a hangout spot and a place for the kids to eat when the adults are in the dining room,” Hohla explains.
Paneled in reclaimed wood, the breakfast nook is outfitted with a table from Big Daddy’s Antiques and a Merida rug. Above the de Le Cuona-upholstered A. Rudin armchair is artwork by Terry St. John.
Retro Wood Walls
The 1970s are calling in this groovy living room, part of a modern farmhouse with contemporary edge in Connecticut. Designer Vanessa Rome played off the room's existing wall paneling when revamping the home. Building up textured layers, an expansive, high-pile green rug provides a strong visual connection to the grassy landscape beyond, while shapely armchairs with patterned upholstery play up the retro feel. In the LUXE home tour of the space, Rome notes: “Modern homes need to be furnished with texture and color to avoid feeling cold.” The room's mixed materials hit the mark.
Playing off the wall-paneling, the living room embraces a 1970s vibe with its high-pile rug from Fayette Studio. Furnishings include Edra’s On the Rocks sectional, armchairs from Craft Associates, a Thayer Coggin accent chair and Pierre Augustin Rose coffee tables. The pendant is Coco Flip.
Au Naturale
Wood's ability to shift and transform makes it a clever addition to a variety of design styles. "A room with entirely wood-paneled walls can create a striking rustic or Scandinavian aesthetic. The overall effect will vary depending on the wood species, whether it’s reclaimed with a textured finish or clear from knots and imperfections, and the stain or sealant applied," Dani Flax, interior designer at Pearson Design Group says. In the lake house living room featured here, the result is a space rich with personality and character. "This project illustrates how different wood textures and finishes can shift the atmosphere from clean and contemporary to rustic and well-worn," she says.
In the living room of this lake house designed by Dani Flax of Pearson Design Group, the walls are clad with pine and a delicate whitewash to allow knots and the natural character of the wood to come through. The dark wood accent wall is a rustic reclaimed mixture.
Reflecting The Landscape
Surrounded by forests and rolling hills, bringing in a natural element like wood was a no-brainer for Meagan Camp when it came to this Hudson Valley hotspot. "We used the wooden treatment on long hallways to add texture to areas where it wouldn't make sense to add art and it acts as an architectural detail," she says. "The horizontal planks draw the eyes up and down the stairs and also lead into the primary bedroom."
Related: The Landscape Inspires This Peaceful Sonoma County Retreat By Lindsay Gerber Northart
Camp used three different types of wood in this project; rich warm tones on accent walls, medium tones for the kitchen cabinetry and millwork, and a light oak flooring that acts as a neutral base for all the other elements.
Moody + Modernist
Stained knotless redwood flows along the walls of this modernist escape in Los Angeles. "These panels run throughout the ceilings and key walls to act as a continued effect in the space," shares Joel Wong of OWIU Design. Strategic accents like the design found here can lead the eye across the space. "It allows your eye to flow down to the dining table and where people would be."
Related Read: Amy Meier Leads A Modernist-Inspired Renovation For A West Coast Wonder
"Wood accents are beautiful; the color and grain alone act as unique pieces of art," says Joel Wong of OWIU Design. Here, stained knotless redwood flows across the ceiling and down the wall of a OWIU-designed modern dining room.
Wood Accent Wall
Implementing an accent wall can add visual interest to your space. In this contemporary dining room, designer Hillary Cohen went with a light wood in a herringbone pattern. "We chose a lightly brushed oak with a consistent grain and color, to give a refined, natural aesthetic," she shares. The accent wall's material might surprise you—it's engineered wood flooring. "The engineered wood provides the beauty of solid oak while being more stable for a vertical installation," Cohen notes.
Wood Wall Bedroom
"Tahoe is such a beautiful part of California, and we wanted to honor the forests and mountains by using plenty of wood detailing," Regan Baker notes of this woodsy West Coast cabin. "The cedar wall maintains the consistency of the wood throughout the home," she says. The wood's color contrasts against the bed's white linens, as well as a blue and white heirloom quilt from the client's grandmother.
Related Read: How Regan Baker Gave A 1922 Spanish-Style Abode New Life
An heirloom quilt from the client's grandmother drapes over the bed in this Tahoe home.
Wood Walls Elevate This Bathroom
Teak transforms the look of this primary bathroom. The wood placement surrounding the tub adds warmth and contrast to the room. "The other finishes in this space are cool toned," designer Jamie Ivey says. The gray large format porcelain tile, dark gray microcement walls and black tub are stark against the standout teak. "We needed something with warmth to help balance the room." By specifying a weather-friendly material in the right color family, "the teak accomplishes this, creating a frame to showcase the glorious views beyond," she says.
In this modern bathroom, Jamie Ivey utilizes contrast to make an impact.
Minimalist Wood Paneling
In this contemporary abode, Lauren Thomsen employed wood paneling that wraps around the corner of the kitchen and dining room, creating what she calls a soft but defined threshold between the two rooms. And its finessed form hides a special treat, functional concealed storage. "We designed custom wood pulls and finger pulls to keep the design as minimal as possible," Thomsen says. Crown molding runs along the top of the paneling, flush with the cabinet doors and scribed to the ceiling. "Running the cabinetry to the ceiling adds height and keeps the design modern and minimal," she notes.
Lauren Thomsen designed the minimalist kitchen and dining rooms seen here. The millwork was fabricated by Weavers Custom Woodworking in New Holland, Pennsylvania.
Balance Is Key
In this vintage-meets-modern bedroom, Hill Rondero uses a wood wall to shape the room’s overall design aesthetic through contrast and juxtaposition. "The rich, warm tones of the herringbone-patterned wood add depth and texture, creating a striking counterpoint to the crisp white bedding and modern furnishings," Rondero says. Combining elements that contrast help the space feel balanced. "The organic quality of the wood complements the sleek metallic accents, woven pendant lights and curated mix of vintage and contemporary elements. This interplay of textures and styles results in a space that feels sophisticated yet inviting, embodying my belief that design should be both elevated and approachable," she says.
The wood treatment in this Ro House Studio project features a herringbone-patterned wall crafted from white oak planks finished with a stain that enhances its organic grain and warmth.
