It’s been a bold few years for interiors. Rooms have swung back to a layered, textural sensibility, offering a clear departure from the Scandi minimalism that dominated the better part of the last decade. This shift isn’t just showing up in swaths of forest-green paint or pattern-drenched bedrooms, though—it’s also playing out in the architectural details and structural elements within the home, pointing to a renewed appetite for permanence within character-rich spaces. So it makes sense that wood-paneled walls are next on the list to make a resurgence.
Once synonymous with ’70s interiors—think warm wood-clad basements or rec centers—it was frequently stripped out in favor of brighter, more modern wall treatments. Now, designers say it’s making a return, with many of them seeing a surge of requests to incorporate wood paneling back into homes, or preserving spaces that prominently feature it.
“We’re seeing a broader cultural gravitation toward interiors that feel grounded and enduring,” shares Leann Conquer of San Francisco-based design firm Chroma. “Paneling brings architecture and narrative back at a time when people are craving substance,” she adds. It’s about a return to nostalgia and the years past, but it’s also a reaction to micro-trends and the quick-moving, algorithm-driven cycle of interior design. “I think there is a conscious move away from disposable trends,” Tiffany Howell of Los Angeles-based Night Palm shares.
Madelynn Hudson from M.H. Interiors agrees, “I think we’re seeing a return to architectural detail in general. After a decade of minimal, white-box spaces, people are craving warmth, craftsmanship, and character. Wood paneling provides all of it. It adds an instant sense of permanence and history, even in newer builds.”
Whether through flat panels, raised or traditional profiles, beadboard, or tongue-and-groove, there are countless ways to introduce the dimension and warmth paneled walls provide. But it all comes down to materiality. “Wood introduces an immediate depth—a richness of tone, texture, and shadow that feels elevated,” says Howell. “What makes it timeless is its inherent integrity. The way wood ages gracefully and never feels tied to a particular moment.”
Conquer adds that proportion is also key. “When the detailing is quiet, and the geometry is right, paneling becomes architectural rather than decorative. When the detailing becomes more intricate, it does so with intention and is ornamental, but deliberate,” she adds. And beyond anchoring the space, Hudson notes they are also “extremely cozy.”
So how do you take a storied architectural detail and bring it into 2026 without it reading as a direct flashback to the past? “When the profiles are clean, and the wood is treated with respect to its natural tone, paneling feels classic,” says Hudson. “It becomes a backdrop, not a stage set. The rooms that feel dated are usually the ones where the paneling is overworked or overly stylized.”
“The wood itself also matters—honest materials, visible grain, and finishes that age well tend to transcend any one decade,” Conquer adds. “Paneling will naturally reference history, and that’s the point. It’s interpreted, it evolves, and it becomes a marker of its moment, ready to be re-referenced in the future.” Howell agrees, adding that nuance is everything. “Color, finish and scale are what determine the emotional temperature of a paneled wall. Darker stains create a more moody and enveloping environment; they make the room feel richer and contemplative. When the tones are more pale-oak, bleached, or soft cream, the panels behave more like sculptural surfaces rather than mood setters.”
Another element is reinterpreting it for today through new approaches. “We’re seeing paneling loosen up. Rather than rigid historical references, clients are open to abstraction—playing with unexpected proportions, asymmetry, or extending panels beyond traditional heights,” adds Conquer.