Wood Accent Wall Ideas

Wood accent walls are a unique way to add warmth and personality to any room in your home. They can create a focal point or add texture to a wall, and they can even change the tone of the room. 

We’ve pulled together our favorite wood accent wall ideas to help you find the best look for your home. From shiplap panels to plywood, the possibilities are endless— so read on to learn more!

Install a Slat Wall

For a more modern take on a wooden accent wall, why not try a slat wall? Slat walls are a chic and sophisticated way to use long wooden slats to add texture and a natural feel to a more elegant home design. Whether your style is midcentury modern, boho, or natural contemporary, slat walls fit right in. 

Another big perk of this accent wall style? It’s incredibly DIY-friendly! If you’re not afraid of a little work, you can easily create your own slat wall in the span of a weekend. Just cut your wooden slats to fit the height of your wall from floor to ceiling, and then measure out where you want the slats to go. Then, simply drill, staple, or nail them in place!

The color of your wooden slats can dramatically change the look of your home, so it’s important to consider how you’ll treat the slats before hanging them. Darker stained or painted slats have a much more polished, formal, and modern look, while untreated natural slats feel more casual and connected to the outdoors. 

Warm Up Your Room with Wood Panels

What comes to mind when you think of wood panels? Often, we think of dated 70’s homes with dark panels and shag carpet. But wood panels still deserve a second look, even if you’re going for a more contemporary home design. The trick is to give your wood panel wall a high-end and fresh feel. 

For starters, the color of your wood is important. If you want to make a big impact that stands out against the rest of your room, choose a very dark or very warm-toned wood like you see in this example. You can get this effect by purchasing wood panels that naturally have a rich, warm color, though these tend to be more expensive, or you can go with cheaper wood and stain them any shade you like!

One other way to update the classic wooden panel style for your accent wall is to install your panels horizontally, instead of vertically. This will help make the panels look more like a trendy and of-the-moment shiplap style, rather than a leftover from decades past.  

Plywood is Contemporary and Fresh

Are you looking for something completely different and modern to spice up your home? Try adding a plywood accent wall! Plywood is an unexpected material to use for accent walls, but you’d be surprised how beautiful it can look in a modern home. And the best part? It’s inexpensive and easy to install yourself. 

Sheets of plywood can be sourced from your local hardware store and cut into custom pieces to fit your accent wall. And installing them is a breeze— simply line them up and use a nail gun or drill to attach them. It’s also a good idea to sand down your plywood to make sure the surface is even and to avoid any splinters. 

You can choose to leave your plywood wall unfinished as you see in this example, or you can choose to cover it in a coat of paint, stain, or varnish for a more finished look. Unfinished plywood gives the room a relaxed and edgy look, while a stained plywood wall can add rich color. 

Rustic Loose Wood Panels

If you like the idea of a wooden wall panel for your accent wall, but you don’t like the polished and high-end looks of traditional wall panels, then why not consider a more traditional option like loose panels instead? 

What do I mean by loose wood panels? Simply that the panels are installed directly to the wall or leaned up against the wall, rather than installed with joints into one another. It’s a more relaxed take on a classic wooden wall panel design, with a rustic and old-world feel. 

One big advantage of this accent wall style is that it’s highly customizable. You can use any kind of wood for this look, from reclaimed pieces to brand-new timber and anything in between. You can also choose how much of your accent wall you want to cover if you want a specific part of your room to be highlighted. 

Use Lighting in a Creative Way

You don’t have to have an expensive or intricate accent wall design to make a big impact. A basic wood accent wall can be transformed with the right lighting. Try taking a few ideas from this example and consider how you can use unique lighting to spruce up your accent wall. 

So what kinds of lighting can you use to illuminate your accent wall? One easy and relatively inexpensive option is LED strips. They’re easy to install, and even better, many of them come with multiple color options so you can create a custom lighting effect.

Lighting is a great way to dress up a somewhat plain wood panel wall, but it’s important to balance the light against the pattern of the wood. Make sure that you position the lights so that they run parallel to the wood grain of your panels so that the wood is lit up in a flattering way. 

Get the Wood Look for Less with Veneer 

One major downside to wood wall panels as opposed to, say, paint, is that wood is often much more expensive. But you don’t have to break the bank to get a rich and luxurious wood look in your own home. Try installing veneer to your walls instead that have a clear wood-grain finish.

Not only are veneer panels much less expensive than sourcing wood panels, but they’re also a snap to install— all you need is a little time and a staple or nail gun. Plus, veneer comes in all different kinds of wood grain designs, so you can find the wood look that works for your home, whether you prefer walnut, pine, or spruce. 

Once you have your wood-grain veneer installed, it will instantly draw the attention of your family and guests. Since this wall will instantly become the focal point of the room, decorate with that in mind. A large piece of artwork, a floor mirror, or a modern lighting fixture can all help highlight your beautiful new wall. 

Try a Reverse Wooden Accent Wall

If you can’t get enough of wooden walls and don’t want to settle for just one wood accent wall in your home, why not try the reverse— three wood-covered walls and one accent wall to contrast them? This can be a new and unexpected take on the classic wood panel accent wall, especially if you’re going for a more modern vibe. 

To begin, choose the design you want to create on your wooden walls. A classic wood panel wall or slats are popular choices, but you could also install wooden tiles or go for a shiplap design— it’s up to you! Keep your design simple if you want a more modern look, or go for an intricate wood tile pattern if you prefer something more old-fashioned. 

Once your wood walls are installed, you’ll want to pick a color for your reverse-accent wall. Neutrals and muted colors in cool tones, like grays, blues, and greens are great choices because they allow the warm tones in the wood walls to shine.

Use Shelving to Create a New Accent Wall

Accent walls don’t just look pretty— they’re also a fantastic opportunity for you to add some much-needed storage space to your home. A wall covered floor-to-ceiling with wooden shelves will not only help you keep your home neat, but it will also bring natural warmth to your space. 

Start by making sure that the rest of the walls in the room are painted in a soft neutral. White, cream, eggshell, light gray, or even a muted color like sage green would work well. Make sure that the color will contrast nicely against warmth in the wood tones. 

Then, install your floor-to-ceiling wooden shelving along the wall that you want to cover. You can source your wood and build the shelves yourself for a custom design, or you could install pre-made shelves to save time and money. Make sure that your shelves have lots of variety in height and width to give them visual interest. 

Go for Partial Coverage

While most wooden accent walls are completely covered in wooden panels, tiles, or slats, you can create a look that’s just as stylish, with less time, materials, and money. Simply create an accent wall that is only partially covered with wood, like the wood slat accent wall you see here. 

There are several reasons why you might want to only partially cover up your wall, rather than go all-out with a full wood accent wall design. For starters, partial coverage is much more rental-friendly and easy to install or remove. It also takes less time to create, and with fewer materials, it won’t cost as much as a full wood wall. 

Another fun perk with this design is that since the wall isn’t completely covered, you can arrange your tiles, panels, or slats in a way that accommodates your art, or you can even install shelves that fit right into the wall’s design. You can either make your shelves in the same wood and color as your wooden slats, or you could have them blend into the background by painting them the same base color as your wall. 

Create Your Own Modern Wooden Slat Wall

If you’re up for a project that will instantly give your room incredible impact, why not build a decorative abstract slat wall? While this may be a bit more of an advanced DIY project, it can be an effective way of transforming a space with a beautiful piece of modern art. 

This abstract slat wall can be created at home with just a few steps. First, plan out your design on paper and determine how long each wooden slat must be. Then, cut each slat down to size, or have them cut for you at a home improvement store. Finally, arrange the slates on the wall in the design you’ve chosen and attach them with nails. 

If you want to give your wooden slat wall an even more impactful look, consider staining each slat in a rich, bright shade before installing them. Or, you could choose to add some color by painting each slat in a variety of colors. 

Conclusion

It’s easy to think there’s only one way to do a wooden accent wall. Still, hopefully, this article has proven that your wooden accent wall is only limited by your imagination. From rough industrial walls to refined slat panels and stunning geometric statement pieces, there’s a wood wall accent to fit your home’s style. 

Remember to choose a wooden accent wall that will not just look great, but will compliment the rest of the room’s characteristics. Also, don’t be afraid to take a risk and try a wood accent wall style that’s out of your comfort zone— you may be surprised how much you love it!