Integrating Wood Panelling & Wood Mouldings into Open-Concept Designs

Open-concept layouts produce spacious and airy living environments that people love. However, they also come with a few challenges. For example, runaway sound causes issues in large, open spaces. This has actually become one of the biggest arguments against open-concept homes. Additionally, creating a desirable aesthetic is more difficult because there’s less to work with. Fortunately, wood panelling and wood mouldings solve both of these problems. Here’s how to do it.

Wood panelling sound enhancement & aesthetic design

Wood is a porous and fibrous material. Both of these qualities work together to improve sound quality. You may be familiar with this already if you play wooden instruments or enjoy concerts in wood auditoriums.

In addition to this, wood absorbs sounds which has the effect of limiting how much it bounces around an open space. So, in essence, when sound hits wood, it sounds better to our ears.

Wood panelling is perfectly suited to open-concept home floor plans. In fact, acoustic walls are designed expressly for this purpose. Use them as perimeter walls or as decorative dividers to add dimension and structure to a large, open space. They can be combined with materials like glass to maintain the unobstructed line-of-sight beloved of open-concept designs, but also limit unwanted sound propagation at the same time.

Wood panelling adds the capacity for endless visual interest. The natural colour pallet is extensive, and stains only add more options. Different grains of wood, as well as sizing of panels give homeowners plenty of exciting design choices for adding texture and depth. In actuality, open-concept designs are the optimal places to feature statement walls–a decorative option that’s been treasured in homes for centuries.

Wood mouldings

Open-concept layouts run the risk of looking more like large storage rooms with furniture than family living quarters. So it takes some creativity to turn them into charming, comfortable areas within our homes. Wood moulding offers unique opportunities to do just that.

Wood, itself, lends warmth and comfort, and wood mouldings add definition to spaces with few boundaries. It gives a room shape, substance and grounding, which contrasts exceptionally well with airy atmospheres in an open-concept home.

There’s a lot of room to set the tone and mood with your choice of moulding. For instance, simple mouldings with smooth finishes create clean, sleek lines, expressing elegance. More elaborate mouldings add sophistication and culture. Choosing wood mouldings is a chance to express your personality and style.

Alpine Mouldings is more than happy to help you choose the right wood panelling and wood moulding for your project. Give us a call, or come visit to see products you’ll love, in person! 403-627-8873