Modern wood wall coverings are not for everybody.  And although you may think they don’t have room in a contemporary interior, I beg to differ: Imagine a Richard Meier white box residence with the living room highlighted by the simple yet rich wallpaper from Winfield Thybony (images 3 and 4 below)? Or just take a peek at the reclaimed weathered wood enveloped lounge of the Public Hotel in Chicago – how incredibly cool and modern is this! Even the most traditional looking designs can be made modern.  A good example is the Beckwith tiled kitchen backsplash above.

Nashville darling Jamie Beckwith (images 1 and 2 above) has a wonderful collection of wood tiles for treating every surface in a room – the ceiling included – though for the practical purposes of this post, I’ll focus on the walls. Her hardwood tiles are unique and are the perfect alternative for a truly custom work on surfaces. One has the option to mix colors and patterns (she offers about 17 shapes).  You’re unlikely to see anything like these modern wood wall coverings in your neighbor’s home, no matter how rich!

A company offering impeccable and equally high-end modern wood wall coverings – amongst other types of amazing surface coverings – is Winfield Thybony sold through Kravet.  Their paper backed flexible wood veneer coverings are beyond elegant and can add the perfect amount of warmth to an otherwise cold room. It’s literally wallpaper made of wood, so you do need a professional installer for best results.

At a more economical level, but equally cool for modern wood wall coverings, is Stikwood, a product from California that consists of a thin yet solid real wood plank with a peel and stick backing perfect for the DIY crowd, though your contractor could also install it in a heartbeat. I saw this product at a trade show and can vouch that it’s 100% real wood.  You can choose reclaimed weathered wood in an array of colors or in 12 sustainable woods so it’s easy to get the look on your walls you really want  – from contemporary to rough luxe.  If you want to learn more about this product, Todd Vendituoli of the BuildingBlox blog wrote an informative post you can check out.

It’s incredible the amount of modern wood wall coverings in the market today.  Technology has really improved the offerings from the days of solid planks for your log cabin.  Here I’ve selected those sources I would consider first for any project – they are singular and beautiful, each with their own distinct look.

richard rabel
principal
richard rabel: interiors + art
interior design and art advising
new york city

image credits from top to bottom: Jamie Beckwith; Winfield Thybony; Adam Holtzie (Stikwood)