Engineered timber: moving from floors to walls and beyond

Engineered timber is Australia’s most popular choice for floors, but in 2024 it’s making a dramatic shift from flooring to walls, ceilings and more.

Kustom Timber co-director Mark Chaz said it was part of the present trend for nature-inspired interiors.

“With the biophilic design movement, which encourages a connection to the natural world in full swing, and many of us looking to create a little calm in our lives, timber cladding in all its forms is back in vogue.

“Homeowners looking for that connection with nature are thinking beyond indoor plants – they want simple, beautifully designed spaces that draw the outdoor world into their homes and help them switch off.

“A material like timber is tactile and honest – the perfect antidote to all the time we’ve spent on mobile phones and tablets over the past couple of years.”

Engineered timber is cropping up in unexpected places in design-led homes across the globe, including walls, ceilings and even as features on furniture and joinery such as sideboards and wardrobes.

“Unlike the flimsy plywood cladding that was so popular back in the 1970s, engineered timber creates a solid and sophisticated look on walls and ceilings,” Mr Chaz said.

“Our engineered timber can be used horizontally or vertically, and also comes in chevron and parquetry formats so you can create a patterned look.

“It’s specially heat- and moisture-treated to suit Australian conditions, which means it won’t swell or warp and will look beautiful for decades.

“Plus, timber is ideal for sound and thermal insulation, helping muffle noise and keeping your home cooler in summer and warmer in winter.”

Engineered timber cladding is a great way to modernise a room without a mammoth renovation, being quick and easy to install and adding instant character and warmth to a room.

“You can even use it to disguise uneven walls and ceilings. And it goes beautifully with other popular natural materials of 2024, such as stone, brick and concrete,” he said.

Create a cohesive feel in a space by running the same engineered flooring from the floors to the walls and ceiling, or create a striking look by contrasting engineered timber floor boards with chevron or herringbone timber wall panelling in a different tone.

Highlight a dramatic pitched ceiling by lining it with engineered timber or go for a subtle sense of contrast by choosing wide boards for floors and walls and slender boards for the ceiling, all in the same timber colour.

Add interest to a dull bedroom by running a floor-to-ceiling strip of wall panelling behind the bed. Or design one-of-a-kind furniture or joinery pieces, such as a credenza in the dining room, a wardrobe in the bedroom or kitchen-island facing, with engineered timber boards or parquetry.

“Darker boards with plenty of contrast on your walls or ceiling will add a cosy, rustic feel to a space, while lighter boards with less grain will create a cleaner, more minimalist feel – ideal for a Scandi or modern coastal aesthetic.

“Really, the only limit to what you can achieve with engineered timber is your imagination.” Mr Chaz said.

For more information, head to kustomtimber.com.au