Wood-effect wallpapers – the best designs to suit every style

There are lots of easy-to-hang wood-effect wallpaper designs available, in a range of different colours and styles. Whether you want to re-create an atmospheric panelled library, a rustic lodge or a coastal dwelling, there's a wallpaper to match.

Related: These are the key wallpaper trends set to dress walls this season

Wooden panelling fitted by a professional may look fabulous, but it's an expensive job that requires a lot of work. It's also a long term commitment. If you change your mind a while down the line think how difficult it might be to put the walls right once it's removed? A realistic wood-effect wallpaper can create the look of wood clad walls, at a fraction of the cost of floor-to-ceiling coverage in the real thing. Plus it's easy to remove.

Remember you don't have to fill an entire room, especially with a statement design like wood-effect. You can create a wood feature wall, a cosy corner or a bold chimney breast for a fraction to make the paper stand out. . The remaining walls can be decorated with contrasting or accent colours, depending on the look you want to create.

Best wood-effect wallpapers

Create an authentic log cabin feel with this large-scale wood print. There's no trickery with this design, it's simply emulating the look of a country lodge, so if that's the look you're after from your wood-effect wallpaper – this is the one for you.

This cool design is perfect for adding a touch of designer style to your living room, on a budget. It's also washable, making it ideal for high-traffic rooms such as hallways and cloakrooms. With a wipeable design, this wallpaper can always retain its freshness.

Buy now: Fine Decor Cambria Wood Brown, £14.99 a roll, Homebase

A modern take on wood panelling, this smart design features interlocking wooden blocks that create a chevron pattern.

The richly detailed wood-effect wallpaper design has a decidedly Scandinavian feel to it – it is named Hygge too! The distressed grey and white finish can help your home give off a Sandi-meets-country vibe.

Buy now: Hygge Wood, £12 a roll, Wallpaper Direct

This stunningly realistic wood-effect wallpaper feels reminiscent of wood salvaged from sail boats and stray driftwood. The washed out red and teal colours are the perfect balance between bold and beautifully aged.

Celebrating the beauty of wood in its raw state is a key design feature for the industrial style. If you love industrial style this is a timeless design, perfect to create a feature wall in any room.

The overall look for this design is whitewashed, ideal for adding a coastal-inspired touch to the look. This design is a quirky way to clad walls with salvaged wood.

Buy now: Industrial Wood Wallpaper, £10 a roll, Wilko

This incredibly realistic looking panel effect wallpaper serves as an inexpensive way to transform walls. Having bespoke wooden panelling of this nature, fitted by a professional may look great but it's an expensive job that requires a lot of work. That's where a clever trompe l'oeil wallpaper is a great choice.

This rich wood design is perfect to turn your home into a stylish country house. This polished looking design is great for adding depth and interest to any room, particularly a study or hallyway – where wooden panelling is a popular choice. Classic wooden panelling is effective for emulating the walls of historical palaces and period buildings.

Buy now: Fine Decor Choc Wood Panel Wallpaper, £14 a roll, B&Q

This design is perfect if you're looking to inject a little shabby-chic charm to your interior scheme.

The white-washed boards feature an overlay pattern of faded pink and green faded florals, script and a fleur-de-lis pattern. On paper that may sound a bit full-on but in reality it works beautifully. The distressed finish achieves a perfect balance between being decorative and subtle.

This wallpaper is from the Superfresco range of non-woven papers by wallpaper experts Graham & Brown.

Buy now: Fresco Distressed Wood Floral Wallpaper, £11.99 a roll, Graham & Brown at Very

The Anthology collection by Harlequin is slick and cool. This Stucco design is a fine example. It's not cheap, but it is fabulous.

The effortlessly stylish design combines different surface elements, such as wood and metal layered together to create a distressed texture. Despite the mixed materials to the uniformed lines in the finish give the wood element the upper hand. This wide width design can be hung vertically or horizontally.

In arraying shades of brown, this wood-effect wallpaper is a perfect juxtaposition for living rooms furnished with shades of white and cream. This stylish walnut design is perfect to create a modern feel with a classic touch.

Buy now: Stucco Wallpaper, £110 a roll, Anthology by Harlequin at Style Library

Looking for a more natural background to add warmth and visual texture to a room? This simple, yet stylish Andrew Martin wallpaper will bring a rustic edge to any interior space. The distressed timber plank design in 'Oak' is just the thing to recreate the famous Soho Farmhouse wood-clad walls in your own home.

Available in three additional colourways of 'Driftwood', 'White' and 'Limed', there's a shade to cover any mood and style of decor.

Buy now: Oka Timber Wallpaper, £77.90 a roll, Andrew Martin at John Lewis

The reigning champions of statement wallpaper, you can always rely on Cole & Son to add a quirky edge to any design.

With the wood-effect wallpaper the quirky twist comes in the form of 'Zebrawood'. This characterful design fuses a traditional wood grain with a zebra pattern.

With animal prints being everywhere right now, this is the most trendy of all the wood-effect wallpaper designs we've seen. This is a paste the wall paper.

Buy now: Zebrawood Wallpaper, £85 a roll, Cole & Son at Wallpaper Direct

This contemporary design is the wooden equivalent of a geometric print. The blended shades and the patchwork layout gives this design the look of a tiled wooden floor.

Shown in the oak colourway it has a beautifully traditional feel, that stops the pattern from feeling overwhelming. Paired here with clean-lined Scandi furniture this design is the perfect mix of country modern design.

Buy now: Apex Wood Grain, £14.50 a roll, Albany at Wallpaper Direct

Things to know

What is a pattern repeat?

A pattern repeat is the length of roll until the pattern is repeat. This determines how many rolls you will need to match the pattern the length of a wall. Always check the pattern repeat as you will need to factor any wastage into your cost. More often than not a pattern repeat is a straight match. This simply means the pattern matches across the width of the wallpaper, making it easy to continue the pattern as you hang the width of the wall.

The label will indicate how often the pattern matches (most commonly 53cm). An offset repeat design, often called a half drop in the trade, requires more paper because its requires halving the repeat to match. This enviably produces more waste.

Thanks to these clever designs, cladding walls has never been so easy and cost-effective.

Which is better – paste the paper, paste the wall and self-adhesive?

The difference between these types of wallpaper is the method of applying the paste before hanging the paper.

When using the paste the paper wallpapers, the paste is applied to the back of the wallpaper before hanging. This method is the more traditional, lengthier process whereby the pasted paper requires time to rest before hanging the strip.

When using paste the wall wallpaper, the paste is applied directly to the surface of the wall rather than the back of the paper. This type of wallpaper is made using a non-woven backing, that does not expand when wet; therefore, it does not need time to to soak into the paper before hanging. Non- woven wallpaper requires a different paste to that you use on traditional paper – be sure to ask in your local DIY shop.

As the name suggests self-adhesive wallpaper is a pre-pasted paper. There is already an adhesive on the backside of the paper which is activated by dipping the wallpaper into a tray of water. These papers also require a rest time before they can hung.

Why do we love Wood-effect wallpaper?

If you’re after the look and feel of naturally beautiful wood finishes, but can’t work with the real thing, then faux nishes in wallpapers are the perfect choice. Thanks to the latest 3D effects and high-definition digital printing techniques, you can achieve the illusion of wood on walls instantly.

Where best to use wood-effect wallpaper?

In a living room or dining room, wood-effect wallpaper and modern streamlined furniture will give an urban, industrial vibe. The unfinished appearance also works well in a kitchen, creating a rustic look when teamed with
wooden units.

In the bedroom, the modern neutral patterns can add a calming feel. Textured fabrics including velvet, and natural materials will soften any hardness associated with wood.