4 interior content creators share their favourite panelling ideas for small spaces
Small room? That doesn’t mean panelling is off the table. There are so many ways to utilise clever design to make the perfect dining space, cosy bedroom, or even a reading nook.
Small spaces are big opportunities if you know how to style them.
Forget another list of small-space decorating rules. We turned to four interior content creators to see how they’ve actually used panelling to make tricky corners, tiny rooms and awkward spaces work harder.
01
POPPY
Create a built-in dining bench for an awkward space
All you need is a bit of Taylor Swift to get you in the DIY groove; at least, that’s the case for Poppy from @homepoppylane, who transformed an awkward dining corner into something far more useful.
A traditional table and chairs never quite worked in the space, so Poppy took a different approach, DIYing a built-in dining booth with bench storage underneath. It makes much better use of the available floor space while squeezing in some valuable extra storage.
She then used ribbed wood panelling from Panels by Sofia to bring the whole area together. Used across the booth and as a decorative feature on the wall, the repeated lines make the DIY addition feel cohesive rather than something simply squeezed into an unused corner.
02
LAURA DELLER
The ultimate book-nook
Small spaces don't always need to feel bigger. Sometimes, leaning into their proportions can make them much more inviting, as Laura Deller of @houseprojectuk shows with her DIY book nook.
Laura transformed an underused corner into a cosy reading spot using a clever mix of pre-fab IKEA pieces, thrifted finds and DIY. Rather than keeping the space light and minimal, she embraced its cosiness with calming grey-blue paint and plenty of texture.
Using ribbed panels for the shelves and leftover tongue and groove wall panels from Panels by Sofia add another layer of interest, while giving the DIY structure a more bespoke finish. It's a great example of how panelling can be used in small doses: you don't necessarily need an entire feature wall to make an impact.
Laura's project is also a reminder to look differently at the awkward pockets of space around your home. An alcove, corner or unused section of a landing could become a reading nook, compact desk or built-in bench with a little imagination.
03
JOJO BARR
Be bold in the smallest room in the house
For Jojo from House Nine Design, the downstairs loo is one small space where playing it safe simply isn’t necessary. It’s self-contained, relatively inexpensive to decorate and, as she puts it, “the room that should make your guests smile.”
Her advice is to embrace rich, characterful colours rather than automatically reaching for something light. Two of her go-tos are Spanked, a warm, tarred terracotta from the House Nine Design x COAT collection, and Jojo’s Green, a muddy, timeless green.
But colour is only part of the idea. Jojo recommends half-height panelling below dado height, bringing character to a small bathroom while doing the rather less glamorous job of protecting the lower walls from splashy hands (and, in Jojo’s words, “questionable aim”). A wipeable, bathroom-suitable paint is a must.
“The downstairs loo should never be an afterthought,” says Jojo. “It might be the smallest room in the house, but it has every right to be the most memorable.”
[Image credit: Downstairs loo video by HouseNineDesign, via Instagram]
04
Kim
Small bedrooms don’t have to feel cramped
When decorating a small bedroom, the temptation can be to keep everything white and minimal. But Kim from @our_rosebury_home shows that adding more detail can actually make a compact room feel warmer and more inviting.
Kim used wooden bead and butt panels on the bedroom walls, creating a traditional backdrop that makes the space feel deliberately cosy rather than cramped. The simple rectangular detailing adds character without being too visually busy, an important balance when you're working with a smaller room.
She paired the panelling with Bare Birch and Moonlight by Rust-Oleum, alongside Eckbacka 14000 wallpaper by Galerie, layering subtle colour and pattern to create a soft, cohesive scheme.
Decorating a small bedroom doesn't have to be about making it look as big as possible. Sometimes, embracing its proportions and adding texture, colour and detail can make it feel much more inviting.
Ready to make more of your small space?
If there’s one thing these four homes prove, it’s that you don’t need acres of wall space to make an impact with panelling. From turning an awkward corner into built-in seating to giving a forgotten hallway wall a purpose, sometimes the smallest spaces are where you can have the most fun.
Feeling inspired? Explore the Panels by Sofia collection to find Shaker, ribbed, reeded and other wall panelling styles for your next small-space project.