Decorative wall panels are all the rage
Every so often, something new comes along that utterly transforms the world of interior design. In the past, we’ve seen vinyl flooring, blinds instead of curtains, and, of course, skylights all have a massive impact on how we collectively style our homes.
But now we’re entering a new era in which decorative wall panels are king. People are finally recognising the tremendous value they offer and want them in their homes.
But what are these mysterious objects? Essentially, they’re manufactured panels that mimic the aesthetics of real materials. And because of their versatility, they can copy pretty much anything, from brickwork to wood.
Recently, the technology to fabricate these panels came of age. Ten years ago, manufacturers were only able to create basic designs. And some of their attempts looked quite ersatz. But today, printing and 3D technology has come along so much that it is often hard to tell the difference between a plastic-based option and the real thing.
Ultimately, most homeowners aren’t concerned about the physical material itself. Yes, it would be nice for all rooms to be wood paneled. But getting that kind of a setup is expensive. Thanks to our options,homeowners can create whatever aesthetic they want at a fraction of the cost of the real thing.
Panelling was popular in the past. But today it’s enjoying a resurgence in stylish bedrooms, hallways, cloakrooms and bathrooms. It’s even showing up in garages as people seize the opportunity to use robust materials to transform the aesthetics of their functional rooms.
The Range Of Styles Available
Panelling helps to easily and quickly bring a variety of atmospheres to homes. Instead of painstakingly installing natural materials over many weeks, you can immediately fix panels to your walls to get the detailing and texturing that you want. They can totally transform how your rooms feel, giving you - the occupant - sensations you never had before from your interiors.
Panelling, for instance, can make small rooms feel wider and more spacious. It can also make big rooms more warm and cosy - a nice replacement to regular white paint. They’re particularly effective in decorative hallways and living rooms where the sheer volume of the space can make things feel a little sparse. Panelling is one of the most impactful choices that people are making, adding gravitas to spaces that would otherwise be lacking.
Opportunities For Experimentation
It’s not just whole rooms, though, that are benefiting. We’re seeing people use panelling in all kinds of innovative ways and settings that you wouldn’t expect. For instance, some homeowners are using panelling on the headrest at the back of their beds to make it more textured. Others are using it to enhance the appearance of interior doors or on the backs of their wardrobe doors to make choosing clothes a more beautiful experience.
Homeowners who feel that their homes are “lacking in character” also stand to gain. Modern properties are clean and tidy, but they tend to lack those artistic flourishes that so dominated architectural thinking in the past. Instead of putting up with the status quo, many homeowners are taking the opportunity to use panelling to dramatically enhance their interior aesthetics. And they’re having a blast. Experimentation is teaching them that there are so many options to use wall panels that they’re almost spoiled for choice.
And the best bit? Panels look just as good as the real equivalents.
Economic Drivers
Of course, there are economic drivers that are fuelling the current movements towards decorative panels as well. Installing regular wood or tiled panels with patterns is notoriously expensive - way outside of the budget of most people. But wall panels that mimic them are not expensive at all. In fact, they’re among the most affordable options out there.
Prices are being driven lower because of two factors. First, wall panels are becoming more popular as people start to understand the benefits. And that means that manufacturers can lower the price by scaling up production. The more they produce, the lower the per-unit cost of each panel.
The second factor driving down prices is improvements in fabrication. So much of the design and production process is now automated that creating high-quality panels is no longer as expensive as it once was.
All this activity is adding up to the perfect storm. Homeowners are looking for inexpensive ways to upgrade their interiors. And wall panel production and technology just so happens to be at a point where it can fulfill their needs right now.
Remember, in the past, panelling used to be a specialist process, requiring the help of skilled joiners who made products from solid pieces of wood. A lot of effort went into making sure that everything was even and symmetrical. But now, with clever modular systems and machine-based production methods, accessibility is increasing. Even homeowners of modest means are able to afford them.
The Practicality
Lastly, decorative wall panels are also big winners on the practicality front.
Think about how hard it is to install mosaics or patterned tiles in your rooms. It takes an eternity.
But wall panels are incredibly simple to install. It’s just a matter of fitting them to the walls and then allowing them to shine.
This is a world away from panelling options in the past. The amount of effort it took to install was tremendous. Homeowners often had to pass over control of their properties to renovators for weeks at a time, leading to substantial disruption.
But that’s not the case at all with our wall panels. Compared to installing the traditional wall coverings they represent, they require hardly any effort at all.
The Bottom Line
In summary, decorative wall panels are all the rage right now. And, as you can see, there are some very good reasons for this. Wall panels allow regular people to access practically any style of wall they want, without having to go to the expense and trouble of installing it. It’s opening up the market and allowing those on modest budgets to be more creative with their interior designs.
