10 Ways to Modernize a Living Room With Knotty Pine Walls | Hunker (2024)

Image Credit: Paul Anderson for Hunker

Knotty pine is a type of timber that gets its name from the inclusion of visible black and brown knots or spots in the wood. Aside from its distinct pattern, knotty pine wood has strong orange-brown undertones, both of which can make decorating with it a challenge. Using knotty pine on the walls of dens and basem*nts, or for kitchen cabinetry, was popular from the '40s to the '60s, thanks in part to its affordability.

The distinct-looking wood elicits strong feelings from interior design enthusiasts: While some people can't rip it out or paint over knotty pine fast enough, others embrace its unique retro vibe. But we're here to tell you that you can actually give a space with knotty pine walls a fresh and modern makeover. Don't believe us? Keep reading.

Some of the most important things to consider when working with knotty pine wood paneling are the elements that make it unique and inviting — its characteristic spotted pattern and the undeniable presence of color. Since knotty pine has an inherently rustic vibe that's impossible to ignore, it's important to temper that feeling with minimalist decor and the right color palette. Neutral shades — such as gray, beige, and white — balance the warm orange undertones by introducing contrast. Jewel tones like emerald green, ruby red, and sapphire blue impart energy and vibrancy that take the focus away from the walls.

Knotty pine rooms can feel busy and cluttered quickly: Be thoughtful about introducing additional patterns and keep things tidy by editing accessories and decor. Streamlined pieces are a welcome counterpoint to the vintage look that knotty pine imparts, and curtains can do wonders at breaking up wall-to-wall paneling. If you're looking to introduce other types of wood, limit yourself to one or two for cohesion and to minimize patterns.

While knotty pine paneling is notorious for gracing the walls of cavernous spaces like basem*nts and rec rooms, we're partial to using it in unexpected locales like modern living rooms. Read on for some hard-to-resist spaces that go full throttle on the organic feeling of knotty pine.

Image Credit: Anson Smart for Richard Unsworth

Knotty pine is flecked with eye-catching brown and black spots that inject a warm organic quality, but can visually overwhelm interiors. This considered living room in the home of Garden Life co-founder Richard Unsworth is filled with vintage treasures — such as rugs, furniture, and accessories — that, despite the mix of color and pattern, blend into the space seamlessly. An expanse of windows and a lone painted white wall, effectively break up the encompassing wood.

Image Credit: Rain On A Tin Roof

While your instinct might be to rely on neutrals to mellow a living room with knotty pine paneling, try using bold pops of color. Jewel tones, for example, can do wonders at drawing attention away from the wood's distinct look and feel, while also imparting a sense of glamour and energy into your space. Jenna from Rain On A Tin Roof dressed this cozy setup with a pair of emerald green lounge chairs and a vibrant blue rug — both of which add texture and softness to the space.

Image Credit: Instagram @backtothecabin

One quick and easy way to take some of the attention away from the intensity of knotty pine wood is to draw the eyes somewhere else. The tactic has been employed beautifully in this Scandi-inspired A-frame by Amber and Corey — while some of the knotty pine is left untouched, the rest has been painted white. Not only does the clever design idea highlight the lofty architecture, but it also tempers the warmth of the original wood paneling. The bleached wood flooring acts as a neutral base that blends in seamlessly and doesn't interfere with the rest of the room design.

Image Credit: Bean In Love

You'd never guess that this living room belonging to Sheena and Anthony of Bean In Love has knotty pine wall paneling, but in fact, it does. The creative duo chose to transform the once-dark-and-heavy space by painting the wood-clad walls in a crisp shade of white. The rest of the space also flaunts light colors to ensure the cozy space always feels open and airy. Potted plants, animal prints, and a green ottoman keep the space from feeling boring.

Image Credit: Sanford Creative

Investing in classic pieces of modern furniture is always a good design idea, but in a living room with knotty pine wood paneling, it's a surefire way to inject personality and a beloved vintage vibe. An Eames lounge chair is the pièce de résistance in this Midcentury-inspired setup and shares space with other grounding pieces like a black leather sofa and travertine-topped coffee table. A Moroccan-style area rug adds a bit of pattern and soft texture.

Image Credit: Lily Glass for SF Girl by Bay

Knotty pine walls can imbue interiors with unparalleled dimension and character, not to mention an overarching feeling of warmth. However, they can also make a space feel dark and heavy. The best way to counteract that problem is to lighten up the other finishes and reduce the amount of bulky furniture. For example, in this Malibu living room showcased on SF Girl by Bay, even though the walls and ceiling are both clad in knotty pine, the space still feels bright and airy. This is due to the light wood flooring topped with a white rug and the low-profile and minimal pieces of furniture that don't add visual weight to the overall design of the dream home.

Image Credit: Paul Anderson for Hunker

There's no denying knotty pine's rustic quality, which makes it an obvious choice for use in mountain retreats, like this one. Resist the temptation to go full cabin kitsch and complement the wood walls and ceiling with a combination of modern and bohemian pieces of decor. For example, a vintage fiberglass rocker and worn leather sofa add visual weight and are the perfect backdrop for boho touches like fringed pillows, a textured rug, and a woven wall hanging.

Image Credit: Laura Zender Design

Sure, knotty pine walls are warm and inviting, but if they're not balanced with proper furniture and accessories, they can make rooms feel dated and heavy. While it may not seem obvious at first, knotty pine walls actually work effortlessly in traditional homes. For example, in this well-appointed sitting room, Laura Zender anchored the knotty pine walls with a wall of built-in storage. Keeping the ceiling white and blanketing the floor with a tan rug adds instant contrast. Tight-back upholstered sofas keep the look tidy and buttoned up.

Image Credit: Whitney Sowles

If you want to lighten up your space but don't really love the idea of painting over your knotty pine walls, not to worry. Whitney Sowles gave this lakehouse family room a bright facelift by directing her paintbrush at the floor, window trim, and door trim. By simply focusing her attention on these elements, she was able to lighten up the space considerably. She also invested in a few new pieces of neutral-colored furniture and home decor to complement the modern scheme.

Image Credit: Sima Spaces

Surrounded by windows on three sides, sunrooms maximize outdoor views and are filled with natural light. Knotty pine paneling in this enclosed porch mimics the wooded landscape and creates a charming treehouse effect. A unique combination of modern, vintage, and soft upholstered pieces of room decor lend an irresistible cozy feeling to this cocoon-like space designed by Laura from Sima Spaces.