Accent on Modern Walls - Page 2

"It's kind of a shame for those people who want to be totally authentic," she noted sadly. Though other similar types of replacement wood paneling sheets can be found by those who don't mind hunting, "the original wood's just no longer available."

"Unfortunately," Kern reports, "the original lauan paneling installations also lacked insulation and posed a fire hazard. As a result, many homeowners chose to remove the paneling, install insulation batts behind the walls, and cover them with fireproof drywall. Others just painted right over the panels."

However, that's where 'Walls That Sing' comes in handy. Kern identifies numerous materials that, like the lauan, can "offer just the right amount of warmth and interest to a space."

One possibility is Weldtex, also called combed or striated wood, which was a popular pine paneling of the mid-century that is being produced today by the man who brought us the Eichler Siding product, Jeff Nichols.

"A lot of Eichler folks are trying to come up with ways to stay true to the mid-century period," says Nichols, whose paneling enterprise is called Vintage Plywood Millworks. Noting that the material is "far better [looking] painted than stained," he told Kern. "If [homeowners] can get past the idea of painting paneling, Weldtex is a great option."

"Jeff does a great job," Kern said by phone of Nichols. "He does a lot of research to create designs that are of the era."

In Tanja's eye, all ten paneling products featured in her story have a mid-century modern feel. Two are relatively new offerings from companies better known for flooring, Woodgrain laminate by Wilsonart and TimberCuts engineered wood by Armstrong Flooring.

One of the most environmentally sustainable choices in the story is Stikwood peel-and-stick wood planking, made from reclaimed and responsibly sourced woods grown in the U.S. Another is Archoterra panels, made from recycled paper and suitable for walls, ceilings, or furniture veneer.

Havwoods International uses either new or reclaimed wood in its hardwood planks, which likewise are appropriate for both walls and ceilings. Kern said she recently attended a celebration of the U.K.-based company's one-year anniversary in New York and was impressed with their many environmentally sensitive products, including the one recommended in her story, called Vertical.

Several other paneling selections in Tanja's story are textured to the point of being three-dimensional, such as those from WallArt and Architectural Systems.

To get a better feel for what type of accent wall might speak to you, lend an ear (and eye) to 'Walls That Sing' in the Fall '18 issue of CA-Modern, or by clicking here.