Wood Wall Designs to Match Any Living Room Style

Wood walls offer unlimited potential to make your living room uniquely yours with natural, cozy style. Whether your taste runs traditional or modern, the versatility of wood panels, planks and slabs adapts effortlessly. By understanding the array of wood wall options and expert tips for adding complementary accents, it's simple to create a custom living room oasis. Let your design vision run wild!

Keep reading and explore endless inspirational ways to mix and match wood materials, colors, arrangements and accessories for living spaces with character.

Different Wood Wall Design Options for Living Rooms

From a design perspective, wood walls check all the boxes. They provide beautiful texture, warmth and visual interest while still remaining neutral enough to fit diverse decors. Wood walls come in numerous styles, offering clever solutions to make them work in any room.

Horizontal Planks

For a traditional look, full walls covered in even rows of wide planks rarely disappoints. The continuity of horizontal lines feels clean, cohesive and unintimidating. Visually expand smaller spaces by selecting planks in lighter wood tones and finishes. Darker more rustic woods make a statement for larger living rooms. Pay attention to plank width - thinner more narrowly spaced boards conveyed relaxed cottage charm while thicker fewer planks feel sleek and contemporary.

Horizontal wood planks smartly disguise flaws, making them a practical choice for covering damaged walls. Just ensure properly installed furring strips for flat backing. Their simplicity also enables homeowners comfortable with DIY to install themselves. For flawless polished professional results, seek expert assistance.

Shiplap

Overlapping planks fastened closely together create popular shiplap wood walls. The subtle ridge detailing and visual seams add dimensional intrigue compared to basic flat planks. Appeals in light airy living rooms but adapts equally well to moody majestic spaces.

Perfect choice when aiming for farmhouse or industrial interiors. Master the details with expertly mitered crisp corners and decorative nail heads. Seek reclaimed boards for more aged historic character or painted finishes to suit. Not the easiest DIY but impact makes professional install worthwhile for on-trend style.

Abstract Wood Paneling

For contemporary living rooms with artistic edge, abstract wood panel installations make uniquely vibrant statements. Geometric arrangements catch they eye with triangles, diagonals or striking asymmetrical shapes. Pattern possibilities endless - herringbone, chevron, pixelated mixes or custom designs.

Modern chaotic installations feel energizing while balanced layouts encourage relaxation. Contrast against uniform walls or incorporate entire room. Mix wood types and combine complementary colors in one sculptural wall mural. Makes ordinary living rooms extraordinary.

Thick Wood Slabs

Massive solid wood slabs produce the boldest, most texturally intriguing feature walls. Their commanding presence instantly becomes living room focal point. Chunky planks offer satisfying depth and shadow lines that horizontally oriented boards cannot. Feel weighty, opulent and ultra modern while celebrating raw wood essence. Best balance thick slabs with lighter surrounding elements - white walls, glass, metal. Handle grand imposing installations by seeking expert fitting, mounting and finish.

Combining Wood Walls with Other Elements

While wood walls standalone beautifully, thoughtfully blending other materials and styles elevates the overall design. Cleverly combine wood with contrasting cabinetry, coloring and vertical components for stunning cohesion. Mix and match without overwhelming the space.

White Cabinetry and Wood Walls

Crisp white cabinetry nearby wood walls increases light and brightness, opening up smaller living rooms. Visually expands space while the pronounced difference in color and texture energizes. For light airy schemes use white-washed oak wood walls or painted panels. Pair with modern cabinets and furnishings. For dramatic but elegant contrast try deep walnut wood walls against antique white cabinets and traditional silhouettes. Sets sophisticated tone for transitional spaces.

Black Painted Accents

Some may avoid pairing bold black accents with dominating wood walls but if carefully balanced, the combination intrigues. Use black paint, distressed finishes or modern silhouettes in doses - lamp bases, side chairs, console tables, framed artwork. Keep remaining background light - painted drywall, neutral furniture, glass surfaces. Allows wood graining and black structures equal spotlighting. Overall vibe feels current and casually curated for city living rooms or sleek modern spaces.

Incorporating Vertical Elements

Wood walls tend to draw the eye horizontally. Cleverly contrast direction and break vast expanses by incorporating vertical components. Think floor-to-ceiling draperies flanking windows or wood framed glass partition screens. Add visual height and architectural interest with wood beam ceilings or exposed ventilation piping. Beyond built-ins, vertical wood details can shine through open shelving, tall entertainment consoles, artwork and slender statuary.

Customizing Wood Walls

Generic big box store wood planks work but customizing to your unique vision satisfies more. Invent truly one-of-a-kind living rooms with these wood wall personalization ideas.

Bookshelves

For book lovers, incorporating shelves directly into wood wall designs conveniently clears tabletops and displays collections beautifully. Design shelving recessed between exposed beams or make shelving the beams themselves for fun industrial edge. Frame lower wall shelving with vertical wood tongue and groove paneling above for a coordinated built-in look. For privacy mount shelves on room dividers or use to display treasured travel mementos and family heirlooms.

Adding Wood Cladding

Overlay additional wood cladding onto basic walls with adhesive or furring strips to double the rustic charm. Mix contrasting wood types - lighter oak boards over weathered barn siding - for visual interest. Go crazy with diagonal cladding, patchwork designs or checkerboard motifs. Perfect way to test drive wood walls without major mounting overhaul. Update rentals easily before moving on to your forever home projects.

Making Wood Stripe Accents

Wood walls feel fabulously festive when adorned with contrasting vertical planks or metal strips. Make stripes functional as storage nooks or conceal lighting strips. Stripes needn't match wall to wall, cluster impactfully as stand-alone installation behind sofa focal points, wet bars or reading nooks. Coordinate metals and woods in finish - oil rubbed bronze and espresso tone woods for instance. Crisp modern cabinets keep look from becoming too countrified.

Wood Framing Focal Points

Guide attention in open concept living rooms with custom wood framing surrounding fireplace mantels or built-in media units. Frame room entryways with reclaimed barn beams for rustic drama. Outline entire accent walls or artwork in wide framing planks painted bold contrasting colors to define. For removable impact without fasteners, lean oversized frames against walls or mount with mechanical arms. Allows freedom to relocate anytime.

Tips for Choosing Wood

With living room walls enduring everyday wear, appropriately choosing wood type matters immensely for long-term durability and enjoyment. Determine primary goals - budget, maintenance expectations, aesthetic vision - then select best option addressing concerns.

For casual high traffic family living opt for knotty pine, redwood or cedar - naturally hardy, budget-friendly soft woods supporting active lower-fuss lifestyles. Seek character grade boards indicating natural imperfections like mineral streaks and pin knots. Finishes should withstand occasional scuffing - satin polyurethane or penetrating oil. Install diagonal planks tricking the eye away from inevitable nail holes.

In formal living rooms and adult home entertaining spaces invest in higher-end hardwoods like oak, maple, cherry or hickory offering supreme durability decades beyond trends. Choosing grade A quality lumber guarantees flawless uninterrupted planking perfect for sleek modern designs. Match with hand rubbed oil finishes easily reapplied when occasion use does eventually wear. Check precise wood flooring remnants for best grain consistency at lower costs.

The unmatched beauty of wood walls adapts effortlessly as stunning living room focal points or full room installations. Tailor reclaimed, painted, whitewashed, rustic raw or polished woods to match personal style perfectly. Experiment with arrangement patterns, built-ins, storage solutions and eye-catching framing. Wood's flexibility complements both vintage and modern furniture seamlessly..

Before installation, carefully match goals to appropriate wood type, grade and finish. Proper mounting and care ensures enduring enjoyment for generations. With an abundance of inspiring ideas now at your fingertips, unfold possibilities creating warm luxurious living rooms wood walls were made for.

(Image credit: @jennakutcher)

Take a cue from lifestyle entrepreneur, Jenna Kutcher, and create a wood accent wall in your living room. She says, 'We did a wood accent wall in our living room and it's become my favorite feature of the whole space. It's a great way to create a focal point and add texture and warmth to your space.'

Kutcher used reclaimed wood from her local hardware store, cut it into planks and nailed it to the wall. She then sanded it, stained it and finished it with a polyurethane sealant to protect it from wear and tear.

(Image credit: @paintedhouses)

Wood is a great material to pair with other textures, like brick or stone. Designer, Cassandra Elaine, did just that when she created this modern-meets-rustic living room design.

She says, 'I love mixing textures and materials, and I think wood pairs beautifully with brick or stone. I've always loved how raw wood looks against a distressed brick wall.'

To make this work in your home, use wood in organic shapes and unfinished looks layered over brick, cement or stone. The key is contrasting the tactile elements while allowing the textures to shine.