THE MARTIN HOUSE: When talking about wood paneling, you simply can’t leave out KC and Gina Martin’s recent build just outside of Holyoke. At right, the lighter colored horizontal planks are highlighting a feature wall at the main entrance of the home. The wood came from a falling-over barn that was located about a mile away from the house. The Martins used a bug bomb on it, just to make sure no insects make their way into the house, and then they whitewashed it. The barn wood is also used on other walls, the mudroom coatrack bench, the kitchen island and vent hood and as an accent to some ceilings, including a non-whitewashed variation on the master bedroom ceiling. The large, dark beams came from a potato shed in southern Colorado that the Martins had a connection to. They certainly make a statement while being utilized for the fireplace mantle, built-in shelves, the basement staircase and a custom light with funky Edison bulbs hung over the dining table using old farm machinery. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications
Wood you look at that? Wood paneling is back!
What goes around comes around, and believe it or not, wood paneling has come full circle and is making a huge comeback in the interior design world.
Don’t worry — this isn’t the wood paneling from your grandma’s basement. This is updated, upscale wood paneling that can put a modern twist on your favorite rooms.
Wood paneling was all the rage in the second half of the 20th century, hitting its peak in the 1970s. The vertical faux wood panels often covered an entire room — something that was easily done because it was inexpensive, simple to install and quite handy at covering up problem walls in a home or business.
Fast forward a couple of decades and wood paneling started to feel drab, gloomy and cramped, and it was often the first thing to be ripped out or painted over in a remodel.
Now, it’s 2020, and designers are going against the grain and putting wood paneling back into homes and offices — this time with a totally modern take.
Wood paneling can go just about anywhere: walls, ceilings, kitchen islands, built-in shelves, fireplaces and more. For bonus points, consider installing it along a ceiling to a wall and all the way down to the floor.
However, experts say it’s a good idea to use wood paneling sparingly. Put it on a feature wall, in a small nook, halfway up a wall or showcasing a specific feature in a room (like in place of a headboard in the bedroom). It can also be used to separate different spaces in open-concept rooms. And if you decide to go all-in, just make sure there’s lots of natural light so the room doesn’t feel dreary.
Unlike the always-vertical panels of the past, modern wood paneling can be hung in a variety of ways — horizontal, diagonal, herringbone patterns and more. What’s more, panels don’t even have to be packed together. Consider installing a small number of planks and spread them out for a 3D pattern.
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