When starting an interior design project, one of the first things you need to settle on is a style. These days, there are plenty of interior design trends to choose from, with everything from abstract architecture to parisian romance constituting a stylish design plan but, long before we introduced these more obscure trends to our homes, we were choosing between the two goliaths: contemporary or traditional.
Functioning as umbrella terms for a wide variety of styles, ‘contemporary or traditional’ are two of the most popular aesthetics that people frequently aim to replicate in their homes. For the most part, these styles are also incredibly easy to create but, before you go spending money on modern furniture or order any antique rugs, you’ll have to figure out which style best suits your home.
In this blog we’ll be going through our top styling tips for the contemporary and traditional styles, discussing which room they’re best suited to and helping you decide which direction to go in for your own home decorating.
The Stone Effect
A favourite for kitchens and bathrooms, stone effect wall panels are a beautiful alternative to tile cladding and, depending on the style, they can create eye catching styles that will tie a room together.
Contemporary Stone Cladding
If you’re looking to create a sleek, modern looking kitchen, there’s no better choice than our Vox Motivo Piedra wall panels. Not only do these panels have a realistic stone look that is the perfect fit for a contemporary home, but they also provide the opportunity to express a little creative flair as every panel is unique. Play around during installation - try them vertically or horizontally and see which orientation works best for you or, if you really want to get creative, you can mix and match them with other contemporary cladding in the same range.
To complete the look in your kitchen, pair the stone-effect wall panels with gloss-finish cabinets, metal appliances and, if you’re going all out, you could even take a look at our range of luxury vinyl flooring.
Traditional Masonry Wall Panels
While kitchens are most often designed to reflect a contemporary style, there are plenty of ways to bring a more traditional feel to the room. Our Dumapan SMP Masonry Grey wall panels, for example, have an old fashioned, rough hewn look that, with the 3D effect, is perfect for transforming a kitchen.
Don’t think that to achieve this style you’ll have to sacrifice your modern appliances, traditional kitchens aren’t always dish-washer less, all you’ll need to complete the look is some wooden tabletops, cabinets and maybe even throw in some country themed decor. 
Wood Grain PVC Panels
Often used to decorate living rooms and bedrooms, our wood grain PVC wall panels are available in both contemporary and traditional styles of cladding, to ensure your home has a touch of nature inspired design, despite your decorative preferences.
Contemporary Wood Wall Panels
For a contemporary bedroom that exudes sleek sophistication, look no further than our Vox Vilo Motivo Modern Blue Plank Wall Panels. An exciting and non-characteristic take on the contemporary style, which is most often associated with monochrome colour palettes, these plank PVC panels have a blue hue to them that we love. Complete the look with modern furnishings and play around with your colour scheme - the blue wall panels work well with light tones in our opinion, but you could easily go off-book with this effortlessly stylish cladding.
Traditional Wood Wall Panels
For a more traditional look, the best choices for wood wall panels are those that either have a rustic, heavy grain pattern or are a beautifully natural colour or, if you want to lean fully into the traditional interior design trend, you can find both traits in our Decorwall Wood Grain Dark French Oak wall panels.
Made to perfectly imitate a rich coloured oak wood, these traditional panels are extremely versatile and can be used to decorate any room in the house. Whether you’re aiming to create a cosy study, elegant bathroom or a classic bedroom, these dark wood effect panels will be your saviour.
Brick Effect
Traditionally, brick wall interior design has been geared towards traditional decorating but, recently, the trend has been reimagined with a contemporary twist and, with our extensive range at The Panel Company, you’ll be able to create either style in your own home.
Contemporary Brick Cladding
Get ahead of the trend with our Vox Vilo Modern White Brick wall panels which, beyond being the perfect style for a modern bathroom, can also be used in the kitchen as a stylish backsplash or accent wall. The organised, repeated design and clean white imitation bricks qualify these panels for the contemporary interior design trend while also being something a little unique. However you style these wall panels, they’re sure to impress.
Traditional Faux Brick Wall Panels
Of course, while the contemporary style is definitely growing in popularity, the traditional faux-brick wall remains a great choice for those that prefer a more rustic style. At The Panel Company, we have a number of brick effect cladding to choose from, but one of our favourites are our Vox Motivo Modern 3D Red Brick wall panels. These traditional style wall panels are the perfect way to create a cosy, old fashioned feel in any room. Pair with dark furniture and plenty of soft furnishings to create a cosy room to snuggle in with a blanket and a book - you won’t want to leave.
Find Contemporary and Traditional Wall Panels at The Panel Company
No matter what room you’re decorating, or if you prefer a modern or old fashioned feel in your home, The Panel Company has the stunning contemporary and traditional wall panels you need. Browse our dedicated categories of stone, wood grain and brick-effect wall panels or, if you prefer to seek your own inspiration, take a look at our full range of high-quality, professional cladding and see what catches your eye.
