Wallpaper trends can change quickly but there are some broad types of wallpaper that can stay popular for years - even decades. When people ask us about the hottest wallpaper trends at the moment there's a very obvious answer: panelling wallpaper.Panelling wallpaper covers a few types of wallpaper design, but in general it's a style that gives you the sense that a room has panels on its walls - either wood-effect panelling or a painted look.
Panelling wallpaper is proving highly popular because it works in any home. There are so many different designs on offer that they are perfect for modern homes, Georgian homes, Victorian homes… essentially, properties from any decade.
It’s a really big trend that’s on the up. Ideal Home have picked out just a few of the best panelling wallpapers and the range these days is huge. So where do you start? Well, we can help! Here’s how you can find the right panelling wallpaper for your home.
Panelling wallpaper for a Georgian home
Mineheart’s white panelling wallpaper was originally inspired by Georgian architectural details, where white decorative panels are a classic feature.
If you’re looking to restore your Georgian home to its former glory, panel wallpaper is a classy way to achieve it.
Go classic with white panelling or take a look at Georgian dot panelling for something with real authenticity.
Meanwhile, if your taste is a little more edgy, look at coloured panel wallpaper options, including petrol, charcoal, amethyst or even grey/pink.
Panelling wallpaper for a Victorian home
If your property hails from the Victorian era, there are many original designs that will reflect the history of your home. The Mineheart range of Victorian panel wallpapers are noticeably different from the Georgian designs, as they are based on a square 3D panel rather than a rectangular one.
Our range includes four colour options, Bleached Oak, Dark Oak and Charcoal. Remember that darker colours help make a room feel smaller and more cosy, while lighter shades give a sense of space.
Panelling wallpaper for a modern home
If your home is a little more modern, panelled wallpaper is a fantastic way of adding a touch of class to any space. It creates a cosy feel for a bedroom, a welcoming tone for a hallway, a touch of formality to a dining room, or a sense of calm in a study.
The first decision is the style of panelling that you’re interested in. We’ve already talked about Georgian and Victorian style panelling above, but there are lots of other options.
Wood effect panelling wallpaper is huge at the moment, which we’ll come onto in a moment, but the other big trend is panel outline wallpaper. Striking yet minimalistic, our ‘Outlines’ collection focuses on pastel colours, including blues, pinks and greys.
By combining a panelling design with a strong but appealing colour, you can make a really bold statement in your room of choice.
Wood panelling wallpaper
Wood panelling is a look that is loved by so many of us - partly because it is so versatile.
Architectural Digest has a fantastic article exploring how panelling can be used to great effect: 10 rooms that take wood paneling to the next level.
Of course, adding real wood panelling to our space is expensive and time consuming - which is why so many people are opting to create the same effect with wallpaper.
Our own range of wood effect panel wallpaper has grown through customer demand - starting off with the Georgian and Victorian styles which are available in authentic wood effects, and then moving into coloured versions and now a wider wood-effect range.
Our faux wood wallpaper now ranges from minimalistic patterns to fine wood texture detail. Whether your taste is influenced by vintage looks or clean modern lines, you can achieve your desired effect in any room.
Add a natural, Scandi feel to your living room, a country kitchen effect in your kitchen or grand elegance for your dining room.
Whether you like the shabby chic effect of our grey and brown wood effect wallpaper, the multi-tonal beige and cream wood wallpaper or a more subtle look like the cream wood effect wallpaper, you’ll achieve a striking yet homely feel in your living space.
Why is panelling wallpaper so popular?
Panelling wallpaper is on trend because it gives us a sense of history. If you’ve ever visited a stately home or castle you’re sure to have entered many rooms clad entirely in dark wood panelling. You won’t fail to sense opulence and grandeur in a room of this kind.
Yet at the other end of the scale, wood is a basic building material that has been used throughout the ages, and can convey cosiness, warmth and shelter. Think ski chalet, hunting lodge or even beach hut!
A brief history of wood panelling
Panelling is an art form in itself. Early panelling from around the 13th Century was usually plain vertical boards, but over time, wood panelling evolved and was often carved with beautiful designs.
Framed panelling became popular in the Middle Ages and was usually oak, either left plain or carved with decorative detail. By Tudor and Jacobean times the fashion was for small squares or rectangles, sometimes with the wood then treated with wax or varnish.
In the Georgian era, panelling took on a more classic appearance, with larger, simple panels. There also developed a new trend away from panelling an entire wall, instead moving towards panelling on the lower half of the wall only.
The Victorians continued this trend, moving towards simple oak designs and fitting them further up the wall, to around head height. For more detail, Vincent Reed has a great article on the history of the wall panel.
The popularity of panel wallpaper today is clearly rooted in human history, and using panel designs is a surefire way of creating a new look and feel for any space in your home.
