When I was little, the term "wood paneling" was said with a scrunched-up nose. Yuck. It hadn't done anything wrong, per se, it was just old-fashioned and dark and begging to be removed.
Well, those days are over. Wood paneling can be absolutely gorgeous, and works surprisingly well in modern homes.
But looks fab in all kinds of settings:
Some people prefer the "knotty" wood look:
While others are content with simple 1X, as Joel calls it. (as in "One (inch) By Six (feet)").
There's a growing trend where people are installing it on both the ceiling and the wall:
I really like the "reclaimed wood" look of these next two:
Companies are taking note of the trend and developing faux peel-and-stick wood panels that can be easily applied to ceilings or walls:
There's even faux wood wallpaper(!), as seen here:
So there you have it. It's happening. Wood paneling is back and it's hipper than ever. Do you dare? :)