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by Rachel Lyon, Editorial Director for The House Designers
If your design feels flat or plain, veneer could be the solution! Most people are familiar with stone-look veneer products—they come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and colors to complement any scheme, and because they’re lighter and easier to stack than real stone, they’re less expensive to buy and install. Stone may not provide the desired effect, though. Enter wood-look veneer, another beautiful accent suitable for practically any application. Here’s what it can do for your design!
Embrace Biophilic Features
In commercial and residential spaces alike, biophilic design is experiencing a surge in interest. People appreciate the calming effect of natural elements like wood, stone, and plants and have been incorporating them into more places. Whether you’d like the background of your spaces to bolster other natural accents or you need something simple to strike the right note, you can find some great tips in our article, Using Stone to Create a Biophilic Design.
But we’re here to talk about wood specifically! Similar to stone, wood-look veneer offers a way to add natural tones and textures to your design, but the overall effect is more homey and less formal. Just think of the difference between hardwood and stone tile flooring—they fill the same role but have completely different vibes. The variability of woodgrain texture and its presence across the whole plank provide a lot more visual interest when you look up close, but due to the relatively regular color overall, there isn’t as much contrast as you’d get with many types of stone. So, if you want something different that supports a warm, casual atmosphere, wood-look veneer could be the answer.
Add Rustic Charm
Whether used sparingly in a modern home or exclusively in a cabin or log house, wood design elements add rustic appeal that’s hard to achieve otherwise. No other material is as flexible or universal—that’s why you’ll find wood used everywhere from the floor to the ceilings, on the exterior and interior, and for built-in features like cabinetry and accents like furniture.
When it comes to using wood on walls, the vertical wood paneling popular in the 1970s is obviously dated nowadays. The uniformity, floor-to-ceiling planks, and often urethaned finish don’t do it for today’s aesthetic standards. Wood-look veneer, on the other hand, offers planks of various shapes and sizes, a range of color blends, and a matte surface that diffuses light beautifully. There’s no need to worry about applying wood to your walls when you purchase a balanced product made to coordinate with other design decisions. And if you want to add a rustic touch to your interior without relying too heavily on accent pieces, using wood-look veneer in the background makes a wonderful choice.
Install Wood Where You Shouldn’t
Natural wood has its limitations, but that doesn’t mean you need to settle. Wood-look veneer is often selected for areas where you wouldn’t dare use real wood, like bathrooms, kitchen backsplashes, and around fireplaces. Why? Because where an organic material might rot or burn, cement-based veneer will stand up to the challenge. You get the look of wood with the durability of concrete, so don’t be afraid to incorporate it wherever you’d like an extra biophilic or rustic touch.
If you’d like to explore wood-look veneer, Eldorado Stone offers great options for all types of designs! You can keep it chic and subtle with a whitewashed palette or rough and rustic with shades of brown and grey. Whatever your preference, you’ll love the style and practical benefits afforded by veneer. Not sure what will work best for your goals? Try their design concierge or find a local dealer to discuss the possibilities!