Not Wallpapers and Not Paint: 13 New Wall Decoration Ideas

Tired of paint and wallpapers and looking for fresh wall decoration solutions? We've selected 13 interesting ideas for every taste and budget.

1. Wood

Natural, practical and environmentally clean material. Modern manufacturers offer special wooden panels for wall decoration. You can also consider more unconventional solutions — wall cladding with sawn planks or boards.

There is also another elegant solution — wooden mosaic.

2. Laminate

The main drawback of wall cladding with wood is the high cost of natural material and significant load on the wall. Choosing laminate as a finishing material allows you to bypass both of these issues.

3. Cork

Despite some drawbacks (not the cheapest covering, "afraid" of sharp objects, requires time to restore dents and skill for wall cladding), cork is becoming increasingly popular. The reason — ecological properties of the material, unique texture, ease of maintenance and durability.

There are cork wall panels, as well as cork wallpapers — both non-woven and paper or felt-based.

4. Pebbles

Pebbles — another environmentally clean and durable material. Especially suitable for wall cladding with pebbles in "wet zones" (bathroom, hallway, kitchen). The process of decorating a pebble wall is quite laborious, but the result is worth it.

5. Leather Panels

Wall panels covered with natural or artificial leather — a material most suitable for decorating an accent wall. Caring for such a surface is not difficult, and as a bonus — additional thermal and sound insulation.

Drawback — high price (especially for panels made of natural leather). In addition, this material will not always fit stylistically in every interior.

6. Fabric Panels

Another option for creating a soft volumetric wall is panels covered with fabric. Depending on the selected material, the cost of such decoration can be quite high.

Just like leather panels, fabric covering is most suitable for creating an accent wall or zone.

7. Gypsum Tile

Gypsum tile has gained popularity due to the trend toward Loft style. This material has many advantages.

Decorating walls with natural stone is an expensive idea, and due to the weight of the material — not always feasible. Gypsum tile that looks like stone (or brick) is stylish, lightweight and less costly alternative.

8. Vintage Brick

For those who appreciate real bricklaying, there is another solution — wall cladding with vintage or artificially aged brick. Note that this type of finishing is not cheap at all, and working with the material requires serious skills.

9. Full-Wall Fresco

Decorative stucco is no longer a surprise for anyone. However, full-wall frescoes are experiencing a "second birth". Moreover, manufacturers now offer more extensive opportunities for their use — you can now buy a ready-made "painting" and install it on the wall yourself.

10. Photo Wallpapers

Photo wallpapers have found their "second life" — and are actively used by interior designers again. If desired, you can paint your own image on the wall.

11. Metal

Metal is a strong and expressive finishing material. It's unlikely to suit all walls in a room, but it’s very appropriate for creating an accent wall.

Wall cladding with metal is especially suitable in the kitchen work zone. By the way, metal looks contrastingly with wood and stone.

12. 3D Panels

This finishing material became popular relatively recently but quickly gained recognition among a wide audience. There are both expensive variants — made of wood, glass, gypsum — and more budget-friendly ones — made from PVC or crushed bamboo shoots.

The 3D panel market is quite wide: manufacturers offer materials with various patterns and any shades.

Design: Natalia Bazenova

13. Plants

The trend toward eco-friendly interiors is increasingly prompting designers to look toward more "green" solutions.

On one hand, living plants are a fresh and unexplored option for wall decoration. On the other hand, there are already quite a few companies offering help in creating a plant wall (fytostena), and there won't be any problems with its setup.

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