10 Stylish Ways to Add Texture to Your Wall

There’s no faster way to bring interest to a room than with texture—but there’s no reason to limit that design trick to fur rugs or velvet sofas. While an artfully placed knit throw on an armchair makes a space feel more “finished,” and a sheepskin rug underneath a planter lend sophistication, those same principals can now be applied to walls.

There are plenty of genius ways to add texture to your walls, but be warned: they may not be for the faint of heart. This trend is all about maximalism, where whole kitchens are covered in subway tiles, breakfast nooks boast black crocodile wallpaper, dining rooms are wrapped in 1970s wood paneling, and terrazzo has made its way onto bedroom walls. Check out these inspiring examples below and get ready to rethink your walls.

This Palm Springs- and Tiki-inspired Portland home channels the mid-century in everything from its Hawaiian shirt-print sitting chairs to its round dining table. But the biggest standout is probably the original mahogany paneling in the dining room, which really fleshes out that authentic ’60s feel.

True, this New Orleans kitchen is found in a renovated 1982 Winnebago, but you can still use the same design concept in your own, more stationary place. The designer, Liz Kamarul proves you can pattern clash in a small space without making it feel claustrophobic, creating a DIY wooden triangle wall and contrasting it with a frond wallpaper ceiling and cactus print backsplash.

Subway tiles don’t have to stop at the backsplash, as this Cape Town Victorian Cottage illustrates. Wrap them around the entire kitchen for a bold, textured appearance.

This 1934 bungalow in Connecticut is the definition of eclectic-glam, where it channels a 1930s California aesthetic. The botanical dining room is the standout, where Jessica Brigham created the textured walls herself. She built the board and batten from scratch, and then accented it with frond-print wallpaper from Justina Blakeney.

Before Brittany Watson Jepsen remodeled this office, it was a simple white room with concrete flooring. In order to elevate the space, Jepsen upgraded the blank walls by installing panels and molding as a way to add a touch of sophistication, as well as to mirror the geometric floor. If you want to DIY a similar texture in your own home, you can check out her molding installation tutorial at The House That Lars Built.

If you’re looking to add just a subtle pop of texture, shiplap is a great direction to go in. You don’t have to make it wrap around an entire room; instead, use it as an accent wall, as shown in this home from Amber Interiors. It lends a subtle nautical feel without overpowering the space, especially since it’s placed vertically instead of horizontally.

Chances are you never thought to mix marble with shiplap before, but the end result is a creative contrast of textures. This California home from Amber Interiors uses a mix of smooth white walls, white shiplap paneling, and white marble to create a juxtaposition in its forest green kitchen.

Terrazzo is back in style, where it’s no longer just for old Art Deco government buildings and your grandparents’ bathroom floor. This Italian hotel in Lake Como proves that, using a grey-blue terrazzo wall and contrasting it against blue tiles and leather strapped lamps.

You might not immediately think of the word “cozy” when you hear crocodile-print walls, but designer Kellie Burke ahows that the textured look works for a family home when decorated carefully. Old wooden beams and plush breakfast nook sofas add warmth to the accent wall, while a brass chandelier and zebra rug reinforce that luxe touch.

Wood panelling isn’t just the stuff of old ’80s basements. It can actually be chic and retro if styled with a modern eye. Take this dizzying accent wall for example, where the panels alternate from vertical to horizontal, creating a playful design in a living room or den. Match it with a mid-century inspired sofa or armchair in order to bring the theme full circle.

From nautical shiplap to crocodile wallpaper to throwback terrazzo, textured walls could be the new design trick of the season.