Home Improvement Series - Wall Panel & Slat Wall Research

Still preparing for the BTO to be ready and doing research.
One of the items that I've been keen on installing on several walls of my home, would be Wall Panels.

Here's one that looks like the #4 Dice.


From what I can gather, Wall Panels are normally pre-made in sections.
 Thereafter, cut or assembled to be glued onto or drilled to the wall of the room,
depending on the wall dimensions and etc.

Here's one that been made to look like a stone wall.  

Most of the ones I've seen on Instagram, P-Interest, Magazines and Websites
 are normally done on a single wall of a room, to make it a "Feature Wall". 

Such that the single wall becomes the focal point.

I guess if it's done on all sides, it would look a bit heavy.

In this picture below, for example, the "Feature Wall" is the one behind the clothing display.
Diagonal wooden planks that creates a rustic and worn-in feel. 

Here are some other examples of Wall Panels or Wall Paper that brings texture and depth to a room and invokes a different feel and mood instantly.

    

 

 The ones that I particularly like are the white wooden looking ones.
Something like these pictures below.
I've seen them at the Crate & Barrel store displays and fallen in love with the look.





I love how clean, neat, crisp it i looks when it's put together with the rest of the furniture.
Simple and nice. It also makes the rooms look more cosy and lived in. Makes it feel like home. 

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It's not a highly sought after design or look in Singapore.

 I've difficulty finding similar walls in local interior design magazines.
But a quick search on the net and visits to the library showed that its more prevalent overseas. 

I wonder how much it would cost just to buy the panel and have a contractor to set it up.

Could it be destroyed by termites? Would I put my house in jeopardy?? Haa... 

Could I D-I-Y it?
More info at:  http://www.thriftyandchic.com/2012/03/white-cedar-planked-walls.html

And so my little wall panel adventure began. 

I started to look around at wall panels at the retails shops of shopping malls 

during my weekend shopping trips with a real purpose.
They were little mini display rooms of interior design showrooms to me.

I also frequented blogs like: http://retaildesignblog.net/tag/wall-panels/

I was looking for more examples of what I had seen at Crate & Barrel. 

One day, I saw what I thought was a similar wall panel design at a accessory shop and walked in to take a closer look. I got a nice surprise. I realise that it sort of looked like what I wanted, yet it had an additional function.

 It was a wall panel that also had a metal groove in between each of the panels to allow hooks to be placed and removed easily. I was stunned! Happy in fact.


Here's how it looks up-close:

 

They come in different colours as well. Cool! 

This discovery opened up so many possibilities!
For the Service Yard, Kitchen, Utility Area, Home Office Area and Toilet!
For Pots and Pans, Fruits, Garlic.. Onion.. Stationary, Keys, Tools, Cups, Clothes.. etc. :)

The best part about it is, I can simply remove the accessories and shift them around!
Or just simply remove all the accessories when I need to make the space look clean for entertaining. 

The accessories to be attached to the wall panel or "Slatwalls" are very versatile.
Here are some samples.

Next: To find out more on where to get the slat wall and how much it costs.

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Update 1: 26 May 2013:


Just went to a furniture exhibition at Expo. One of the exhibitors showcasing wall panels was there.
I asked for a quotation, and he said it was roughly about S$980 for a 3meter x 1 meter panel.
Steep!

Find out more at:  www.msdpanels.com

They also charge separately for installations, like about S$350 per panel.
And discount to up to S$200 for bulk installations.
You can opt to buy the panels and install it yourself.


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Update 2: 31 May 2013
I can't find any websites that sells slat walls in Singapore yet.
Found a handful on Amazon though.
They range from US$50 to US$176, depending on the width and height.



Here are some samples:

Flow Wall FWS-4812-6W-B Wall Panel Pack, White covers 24 sq ft

Jifram Easy Living 01000734 Easy Wall 32-Inch by 36-Inch Slatwall Kit, Light Gray

Jifram Easy Living 01000252 Easy Wall 4-Feet by 4-Feet or 8-Feet by 2-Feet Slatwall Kit, Light Gray

Gladiator GarageWorks GAWP082PMY GearWall Panels, 2-Pack

Update: 2 November 2015

So I FINALLY! found a SLATWALL manufacturer and supplier in Singapore.
They can custom make the actual size you need for your wall.

TAHAO METAL INDUSTRY
Blk 4015
Ang Mo Kio Industrial Park 1
#01-498
Singapore 569631
Tel: 6459 8013

We asked for a quote for about half a wall and it was less than S$500.
The Lady in Charge was very nice and easy to talk to.

She said she had been having some homeowners with slatwall installations recently.
Most of her customers are commercial retailers.

If you're visiting the place, do not wear heels.
Lot of furniture and carpentry stuff around.

She also said she sells the accessories to be used on the slatwall as well.
You can choose the color of the laminate you want.

When we visited, there were 2 slatwalls that were being prepped for other customers.
One was all white. The other was dark brown.