Rustic Interiors: How to Incorporate Wood Panelling Into Your Kitchen

Last Updated on September 12, 2024

Long gone is the alpine log cabin or Swedish sauna look that was always associated with wood panelling. Modern reincarnations of wood panelling make it a much more popular design choice now than it has ever been. Its versatility knows no bounds, and your kitchen can be transformed in so many ways, with just a bit of design knowhow.

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box when considering ways to incorporate wood panelling into your kitchen. Walls are the obvious choice, but there are many options available to you to make your kitchen stand out for all the right reasons.

Splashbacks

A highly used design choice for modern kitchens with rustic interiors is to have wood panelling used as a splashback, instead of the more traditional tiles. It needs to be heat and water resistant, and easy to clean due to its very nature. 

Tongue and groove wood panelling is the best choice here, as the boards can be easily installed and are hard-wearing. If you plan to paint the wood a different colour, make sure you opt for paints that will withstand the natural steam and grease residues that you will get from the hob.

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Kitchen islands

Having a kitchen island is particularly practical nowadays, as the kitchen is used for socialising and quick meals, as well as potentially for many people working from home, or kids doing their homework.

Help to make your island a design feature by adding wood panelling to the base. Mix and match with a wooden worktop to achieve a stylish and desirable finish. The dark colours and wavy pattern of walnut worktops can provide a good contrast to the straight lines of the wood panelling.

Floor-to-ceiling walls

For a really dramatic impact, clad all the walls in wood panelling, and paint it to match or complement the cabinets and worktops, depending on the look you want to achieve. This stylish approach is far more design-led than standard painted or papered walls and can give your kitchen a real wow factor.

Feature wall

If you don’t want to go all-out and affix wood panelling on all your walls, especially if you have a smaller kitchen, then choosing a wall to feature it with is the next best thing. 

Much like having a feature wall in any other room in your house, a change in dynamic for one area can help bring the kitchen to life. Go off-piste with a totally different colour scheme, or just a lighter or darker shade of your chosen colours, to add genuine interest. Or, use the same wood as your kitchen worktops for a coherent design.

Extension of cabinetry

If you don’t want kitchen cabinets lining your entire wall space, opting to extend the look and feel of the cupboards by using wood panelling at the same height and dimensions, and in the same colour, can really add something to the design, but without taking up space and feeling as overbearing.

By using wood panelling on the cabinets themselves, this will provide a seamless design aesthetic that lends itself nicely to the space. Choose solid wood panels for a smooth approach, or smaller timber boards to create a unique design that is specific to you.

Room zoning

A great way to divide parts of your kitchen into zones is by using wood panelling just in a certain area. The obvious choice here is, if you have a dining kitchen, to demarcate the dining area with wood panelling on the walls, whilst keeping the cooking and food preparation area separate.

This will automatically make the kitchen appear bigger, as well as giving off the impression of the dining area being a separate room in an open-plan space. Because the dining area is unlikely to be as susceptible to grease and grime, and other kitchen mishaps, the choice of wood panelling available to use increases, as it doesn’t need to be as durable. This means you can go to town on the design aspect without needing to think as much about the practicalities.

Alternatively, use vertical wood panels to literally divide a room, but with the beauty of being able to see through the gaps, so that the space is still light and airy and social interaction is not compromised.

Alcoves and shelving

For a more subtle approach to incorporating wood panelling into your kitchen, use it as a backboard for open shelves or display alcoves, to add a touch of the rustic without committing to a fully rustic interior. This nod to the use of wood panelling can be just as effective as cladding your entire kitchen, and adds a focal point to the room.

Small touches like this are inexpensive and easy to install, meaning your kitchen won’t be out of action for any length of time, which is an area that needs to be considered with any renovation.

Colour blocking

The beauty of wood panelling is that it can be painted, stained or varnished in any colour.  You can really let your creativity fly and colour block areas of your kitchen accordingly, to make a fascinating space that draws the eye in all sorts of different directions.

Match it to your worktops or kitchen cabinets, accent it with coloured toasters and kettles, use contrasting colours, or just choose colours that you like. The choice is yours and the only limit is your own imagination.

Final thoughts

Whether you go for horizontal or vertical wood panelling, your kitchen will benefit from the clean lines that it automatically affords. Weathered planks can give a coastal or rustic feel, while narrow boards lift the design into something modern and upmarket. Dark colours such as navy blue or slate grey are fashionable and timeless, ideal for bigger kitchens. However, for a smaller kitchen, choosing whites and yellows can add the feeling of brightness and space, but are tougher to keep looking fresh. Wipe-clean wood panelling is the perfect choice; better than painted walls and keeping them hygienic and free from the mess that naturally occurs in kitchens.