A wall may be a flat surface, but that doesn’t mean it has to be 2‑D.
In modern luxury design—where so much is about juxtaposing patina against the new—nothing is quite as suited for achieving unique contrasts of texture in sustainable architecture as wood wall treatments. With its deeply grooved character and multifaceted hues, bark rises toward the viewer’s point of view, reflecting the rich diversity that is a forest.
Think that bark and wood touches result in too much rustic aesthetic and not enough contemporary elegance? Think again. The endless possibilities when it comes to texture, color, and patterns lend themselves beautifully to any luxury layout.
“For a modern look, you could use very clean details or loud, strong colors and abrupt textures,” says G. Michael Merritt, CEO of Ohio‑based Merritt Interiors. “It has become common to see a bit of a whimsical twist applied. Use it as a focal point to drive the eye to an area, an art piece or a view.”
Wood Wall Treatment Idea #1: Bark as an Accent
Wood wall treatments, especially when used as a prominent accent wall, can be especially effective as a bespoke look to both ground a space and inject it with pizzazz. A polished‑bark finish can go magnificently with a minimalistic aesthetic. Meanwhile rough, unsanded bark, where you’re “just letting wood be wood,” can “feel raw and real,” Merritt said.
Wood Wall Treatment Idea #2: Bark as a Kaleidoscope
People tend to think of typical bark as just brown. But if you take the time to observe bark, there is a whole range of colors that make up the incredible variegation of a bark’s surface, especially with rougher barks. Depending on the type of tree, you can detect everything from shimmering gold and silver streaks to stark white and muted hues of red, brunette and grey. Add light to the mix, and you can really accentuate the depth and dimensions of bark.
Wood Wall Treatment Idea #3: Bark as a Landscape
Paint, which is strictly nondimensional, just can’t achieve the depth and interest of natural colors and composition that bark presents. And with so many types of wood wall treatment products, there’s no shortage of possibilities for enhancing the look of a modern home. Think of the dips and rises of bark as a mountainous landscape. Luxury bark and wood wall treatments truly bring a dramatic third dimension to any wall they’re applied to.
Wood Wall Treatment Idea #4: Bark as a Storyteller
They say that the best, truly effective art tells a rich story. And what could have more to tell than the skin of a tree, which has witnessed centuries of human and natural history? Observe where bark is lighter and also darker to gauge its exposure to the sun and the seasons. Distinctive graining can occur where the tree was visited by living animals out in the wild or where it was perhaps touched by adversity. There is a real‑life story to be found in any natural product.
And with bark panels, you’re also telling a story that stretches into the future, one of regenerative process and how bark lives on as a life‑sustaining building product, even at the end of its lifespan when it biodegrades back into the earth.