Whether you want to create a focal point in your room with an accent wall or breathe new life into all four walls, the materials you choose can make or break your project. Color and texture have a dramatic impact on the room’s overall feel, so it’s important to carefully select materials that support the overall look and style you’re hoping to achieve.
Two of the most popular choices for adding texture to walls are brick and wood. Both elements work well in a variety of settings — including rustic, industrial and mid-century modern rooms — and when paired with the right fixtures and furnishings, they create an environment that is warm, welcoming and personal.
It used to be that having a brick or wooden wall (or walls) meant that you either had the good fortune of having them in the home to begin with or being able to afford to add them. Now, with faux wood and faux brick wall panels, that look can be achieved in virtually any space for a fraction of the cost. Plus, they can be installed in just a few hours instead of a few days. Best of all, faux panels are easy enough to install that even a novice DIY-er can tackle the project, saving you the money of hiring a professional.
Toying With Texture
Once you decide to update your room with brick or wood, you’ll need to decide which element will look best in your space. As you narrow down your choices and determine whether to go with faux wood or faux brick, you’ll first want to think about the role it’s going to play in the room and what you want it to achieve. Do you want to warm up the room? Soften the existing feel? Both brick and wood can help do that, but you want to consider the existing features and furniture in the room as you make your decisions.
Brick and wood are effective ways to add more texture wherever they’re used — indoors or out. Texture adds that something extra to a room to make it pop. Whether it’s a thick, shaggy sheepskin rug or a rough brick or rustic wooden wall, texture keeps the room from feeling flat. That’s why, in a room painted in a monochromatic color scheme, a single brick or wood accent wall can make a startling difference in both the look and feel of the space.
In contemporary design schemes, there’s a tendency toward all things sleek and smooth, which can sometimes make homes feel a bit sterile and cold. But in recent years, designers have started warming up these spaces by adding elements like exposed brick walls. While the idea of mixing rough brick with gleaming chrome and sparkling glass might sound incongruent at first, it turns out they complement each other well. The combination allows each to bring out the other’s best attributes, emphasizing the welcoming texture of the brick while showcasing the sleekness of contemporary furniture and accessories.
As another example, in a modern bathroom, a brick or stone wall offers a pleasant contrast to the otherwise smooth lines of the room and fixtures, and can make it a more inviting place for that evening soak in the tub.
Roughing It With Faux Brick and Wood
Although contemporary rooms pair surprisingly well with rough elements such as brick and wood, other design formats are more commonly associated with their use. Brick works particularly well in industrial and rustic environments because it adds a cozy feel to the room. For industrial spaces, the appearance of an exposed whitewashed brick wall adds immediate character and interest; implementing heavy wooden beams in industrial environments can help frame the space and create a chic, loft-like feel.
While brick walls work well with hardwood floors, wood can also be a welcome complement to the walls. It’s particularly effective in rustic environments, either as a single accent wall or as a way to reinvent the entire space. Wood also pairs well with tile floors, and is an excellent addition for bathrooms that feature either a French country or modern farmhouse vibe.
Of course, you don’t want to rule out the combination of using brick and wood together. They can complement one another in several types of spaces, including industrial, mid-century modern and even thoughtfully designed contemporary rooms. Reclaimed wood walls, for example, are particularly popular in modern spaces, where they add a trendy-but-timeless aesthetic.
Whatever your home style and design preferences, chances are there’s a space that can be updated and reinvented with brick or wood.
Working with the Right Materials
After you’ve decided whether you want brick or wood for your room, you’ll need to decide which materials you want to work with.
Lightweight polyurethane faux panels from Barron Designs can help you achieve the look that you want without the cost or hassles associated with “the real thing.” Because all our panels are made in molds cast from real, natural products, our wood and brick panels have the exact texture and imperfections that you’d find in the natural materials. (For example, our reclaimed barnboard panels have all the nicks, nail holes and grains you’d find in vintage wood.)
Because we offer so many different colors and styles, you are sure to find faux wood or brick panels that are a great fit for your project. If you’re not sure which one is best for you, order samples to “try on” different looks in your home to help you decide — or call our design support team at 800-651-4223 to talk about your options.