How to style wall panelling

There are loads of different types of wall panelling and endless ways to arrange them. Whether you want to go traditional with Wainscotting, or even put some panels on the ceiling, here are some top panelling styling tips.

What are the benefits of wall panelling?

Panels can have both visual and practical benefits.

Visual:

Panels add textural interest to a room and draw your eye to a particular space.
Unpainted wooden panels bring nature indoors and create a warm and inviting environment.

Practical:

Acoustic panels are designed to reduce noise by capturing and absorbing sound, so you can enjoy peace in your home.
Panelling can cover up uneven or damaged walls and help to protect the walls in high-traffic areas like hallways.

What are the different types of wall panelling?

Wainscotting - this is probably the image you have in your mind when you think of wall panelling. Wainscotting is the traditional box panelling made from wooden moulding. This can cover a wall from bottom to top, or just run along the bottom half of the wall in one strip. It usually consists of a Dado rail and wood trim arranged into squares or rectangles.

Slatted - slatted panelling is a collection of planks placed parallel to one another. These can be arranged either vertically or horizontally. When left unpainted, this style of panelling fits in perfectly with Scandinavian interior design which aims to creates an airy, minimal, and clean looking space. Acoustic panelling falls into this category.

Geometric – if you’re looking for something a bit more out-there, geometric panelling really makes a statement. It’s available in all sorts of styles and shapes, or you could even design something unique for yourself.

Beadboard – beadboard panelling may look like a row of individual planks of wood but is actually one solid piece of wood with grooves to create the look of planks.

Shiplap – inspired by old ship exteriors, the shiplap trend brings a modern rustic vibe to your interior. It consists of horizontal flat planks that are designed to overlap, and can be installed on walls and ceilings.

Panel placement

Next, you’ll need to decide how to arrange your panelling. You can either fill the entire wall with your panel design or create a feature on a part of the wall. For example, Wainscotting is often used on the bottom third of the wall, leaving the top two thirds blank, and slatted panelling can be used to create a faux headboard behind your bed. Some panelling is even light enough to install on the ceiling, giving you the option to create a canopy.

Panel colour

Once installed, it’s also worth considering how you’ll paint your panelling. You could either make it a focal point in your room, opting for a stand-out shade, or you could simplify its impact, instead opting to make it a textural accent by painting it the same colour as your wall.

For colour tips, see our wall panelling painting tips.