#Product Trends
Wood cladding and LED lighting
The interior design trend
Archi and design, one of the key interior design trends for 2025 is wood cladding. Interior cladding, panelling, wood cladding, wood partitions, wooden slatted walls, ... Do these terms ring a bell? You've undoubtedly heard them used by architects, designers, interior architects, interior planners and engineering consultants...
The 14th edition of the Forum Bois et Construction 2025, held in Paris, reaffirmed the central role of wood in interior design. Wood is a natural, sustainable and renewable material. A star bio-sourced material in the construction and renovation sector, it boasts a host of new innovations, including :
- Biobased composites: combined with flax, wool or hemp, we're seeing the emergence of lighter, stronger structures with improved acoustic performance.
- BMT: Thermally Modified Wood is a Finnish process that does not use chemicals. Its aim is to improve the durability and dimensional stability of wood. It is an environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional woods.
- FSC- or PEFC-certified wood from sustainably managed forests. These certifications attest to the origin of the wood and validate its journey from the forest to the end user.
- Recycled or reused wood is derived from industrial materials. Recovered, cleaned and reworked, it gives a second life to new architectural projects.
Ceiling or wall, wood takes on new heights
As a false ceiling, partition or wall made of wood, interior woodwork is making a strong comeback and reinventing itself in interior design.
A veritable architectural sculpture, they structure spaces by creating a visual separation between areas without partitioning them, and produce a space-enlarging effect.
- In an authentic style, wood cladding is made from natural woods such as walnut, oak, pine, ash, cherry, cherry...
- In a more contemporary style, wood is stained in very light or very dark tones, such as burnt wood, to contrast with the room's decor.
Design and acoustics with wood
Why use wood as a decorative acoustic panel? Whether for ceilings or walls, wood panelling is both aesthetic and acoustic. Wood offers interesting soundproofing and acoustic absorption properties.
It is widely used in open spaces, particularly large public areas. This is the case in meeting rooms, co-working spaces, offices, open spaces, lobbies or waiting rooms, restaurants...
It provides excellent insulation against ambient noise when combined with an acoustic felt placed behind the wood slats. This absorbs vibrations and sound reflections.
Wood cladding illuminated with LEDs
Lighting plays a key role in highlighting wood cladding on walls or ceilings. The role of light is central, as it takes over when natural light is weak or non-existent. LED lighting manufacturer ACTiLED offers a wide range of solutions for integrating lighting into wood cladding.
- Linear LED lighting enhances graphic lines, sometimes vertical, sometimes horizontal
- The light emphasizes volumes and accentuates the relief of architectural woodwork
- Indirect lighting in interstices provides a subdued, elegant ambience.
- The integration of lighting into wood panelling creates a play of light and shadow
In addition, lighting combined with wood creates an architectural ambience: muted, soft, warm, reassuring or even dynamic and rhythmic.
ACTiLED LED linear lights, designed and manufactured in France, adapt to all types of wood ceiling and wall cladding, and to different interior design styles. Whatever the size of the slats and the spacing between the wood strips, the luminaires are integrated in parallel and perfectly centered. The luminous lines match any type of wood installation: with striated, grooved, openwork or even curved effects! ACTiLED lighting is flush and homogeneous along the entire length of the luminaires, making it ideal for all types of bespoke architectural projects.
