How to Use Wall Panelling in Your Home

From living rooms and bedrooms to bathrooms and kitchens, interior walls can often be plain or uninteresting.

Wall panelling is a great way of updating the inside of your home without spending thousands on remodelling. There was a time when wall panelling was almost exclusively for period homes, but in 2022 more people are choosing the style than ever before. 

Using wall panels is a great way to enhance the look and feel of interior spaces with a wide range of styles and designs available. DIY wall panelling has been THE breakout trend of the 2020’s so far. 

At Skirting 4 U, we have a wide range of MDF wall panelling kits to choose from, which will give your home a much-needed facelift. From Jacobean Style to tongue and groove (farmhouse) panelling, you can channel your inner interior designer and add some character to your home. 

Our latest blog looks at the wall panelling styles we think you should consider for your home.

Create a feature wall

When it comes to renovating your home, one of the simplest ways to transform your home is to use wall panelling to create a feature wall. The versatility of wall panelling means that it doesn’t need to be used around a whole room. This allows you to be creative in any room, from kitchens and bedrooms to living rooms and study areas.

Bedrooms work particularly well when creating a feature wall. Adding panelling to one part of the bedroom wall will create a backdrop for your bed, helping it stand out as a central feature. Geometric wall panels are great if you’re looking to create a quirky feature wall in any area of your home.

Using our MDF Geometric Modern Wall Panelling Strips, it’ll enable you to create a modern-looking feature wall that looks incredible. To make your feature wall stand out, we recommend painting it in a dark colour, adding character and depth to your wall.

If you’re looking to create a feature wall that has a more traditional look, then it’s worth going down the Shaker Style panelling route. Whether you decide to go with a feature wall behind your sofa or media unit, our MDF Wall Panelling Strips can help you create a space that your family can enjoy.

Add panelled walls to your bathroom

Rather than go for a tiled bathroom, why not add wall panelling to your bathroom? No matter how big or small the space, wall panels will add both character and warmth to your bathroom. 

Before adding panelling to your bathroom walls, you need to make sure the wood panel material is suitable for damp or humid spaces. Our MDF wall panel kits come fully moisture resistant, so can handle temperature changes and occasional splashes. Farmhouse style and board and batten are both popular styles for bathrooms.

If the bathroom you have has a large window, it’s worth using Jacobean wall panelling to mimic its shape. By using our Promenade MDF Wall Panel Moulding, you can easily fake the panel look in your bathroom. Once you’ve figured out how you want to space the strips out, you can paint the panelling in one colour to achieve that framed look.

Use panelling as an alternative to a headboard

If you’re looking to create a boutique hotel look in your bedroom, you can use panelling as an alternative to a headboard. By combining flat wall panels with a divan bed, it’ll create a space where you can get a good night’s sleep.

Using wall panelling up to the ceiling will make your bedroom stand out from the other rooms in your home. Sleeping without a headboard can be uncomfortable, which is why you should have plenty of cushions placed on the back of your bed. It makes those weekend lie-ins all the sweeter!

It’s important that the headboard you create with wall panels fits the overall style you want to achieve. Super-tall headboards are a popular trend at the moment. If you want to create a maximalist look in your bedroom, we recommend Shaker Style wall panels as they add panelling right up to the ceiling.

Add character to your dining room 

Moving into the 21st century, wall panelling in dining rooms is a trend that is experiencing a resurgence, with panelling being featured in dining rooms of all shapes and sizes. If you have a small dining room, then it’s worth having panelling fitted into the room as it can protect the room from wear and tear as well as looking great.

You can paint the panels in a soft colour tone to create a relaxed atmosphere for your family and friends to gather around the dining room table. Alternatively, you could paint them the same colour as your hallway, helping with continuity throughout the house.

Jacobean and Shaker Style wall panels have become particularly popular styles in dining rooms. These panelling styles add a touch of elegance to a space that’s typically overlooked in any home. Alternatively, you could add raised panels for a more traditional look. 

Be creative with the colour of your wall panelling

While most colours will work when painting your panelling, you can get creative with how you paint them in certain areas of your home. Sometimes, people paint the insides of styles like Shaker a different colour or shade - this contrast can help emphasise the texture they bring to a room.

If you have half a wall that’s panelled, then it’s worth painting it in a different colour shade to the other half. To maximise this style, it’s worth using a shade that’s pale and slightly darker than the wall. It’s also worth having any radiators and pipework visible painted in the same colour as the panelling to help them blend into the room.

We hope some of our wall panelling ideas will give you some inspiration for updating your home’s interior. If you have any questions about finding the right type of wall panelling kit to install in your home, you can contact one of our expert sales team members today.