Raw, Rustic Wood: One of the hottest trends in decor in 2016, and one I see continuing with its inherent qualities, provided of course that you stick to reclaimed or sustainably sourced materials and keep it the 'green' thing to do. Use wood paneling to add warmth, provide contrast, introduce texture or create your wow factor; add a barn door for design impact and for the space saving element.
Barn door kits are readily available now, but if you want something a little off the beaten track, opt for something custom from reclaimed wood. That way you're guaranteed to get a perfect piece that fits your space and your style to a T. Try sourcing some vintage hardware, adding some color (a whitewash looks stunning and works really well in eclectic, farmhouse, rustic or boho settings. For beach rustic, distressed blues and greens are perfect, or you could go for a grey toned driftwood stain to replicate the silvery hues of sun bleached, wave washed and wind scoured hardwoods.
The featured door above was a custom design by E.R.O.S.24, LLC with reclaimed boards left unstained to show off the natural color variations in the wood.
A wood paneled feature wall can add some serious oomph to your decor, drawing the eye and creating a focus that can highlight a good feature, or take the emphasis off one that is less than appealing. Stikwood and Timberwall both have some beautiful self-adhesive options if you want the simplest installation, but die-hard DIYers can opt for using deconstructed pallets (please make sure they're not chemically treated before you go that route), reclaimed lumber or even plywood (yes, I've seen some amazing panel walls and faux shiplap done with plywood and paint - here's one example by a fellow blogger, "Life Crafts & Whatever" that i adore). Just a side note though, plywood can be fickle with stain - get the best quality plywood you can and prepare it well before you pull out the staining sponge!
Plywood can also be quite eye-catching using square panels instead of the usual wood strips - definitely makes an impact, but I find the larger panels tend to work better on commercial spaces with large wall spaces with high ceilings than in the average residential home.
Whatever you choose to do, make it work for you! Your space should be a reflection of you, should fit your lifestyle and your personality...and in an ideal world, be a selling point if the time should come that your current home needs to become someone else's.
Happy designing!