Texture and light: A designer’s guide to architectural linings

Ridges of timber, gently rising and falling, guiding you along a wall as the light catches the grain... Our spaces are undoubtedly more welcoming when they borrow from nature: organic forms, textures, surfaces and colours. We gravitate towards these surfaces that feel warm and tactile underhand, colours that echo the palette beyond the walls.

In homes, offices, kitchens and the in-between spaces we move through every day, the desire for this connection to the outdoors has reshaped how we think about even the quietest parts of a room. Wall and ceiling linings, once chosen merely for function, have evolved into expressive design elements, bringing atmosphere, rhythm, verticality and texture. From subtle shadow lines to sculptural profiles, easycraft’s decorative wall and ceiling linings add depth and character to spaces where other surfaces simply can’t.

Versatile and designed to deliver visual impact, the brand’s products are widely specified across homes, workplaces, educational environments, stadiums, apartment developments and more.

Shaun Storck, easycraft’s Product Manager, spends much of his time helping designers choose the right product. “Our architectural linings are used in projects like schools and office fit-outs, stadiums and apartment developments. In homes, people often install the linings under their kitchen counters or as feature walls,” he says. With this versatility, it’s no surprise these boards continue to appear in such a wide range of projects across multiple environments.

The Contours range

A series of rhythmic timber profiles crafted from a range of sustainably sourced timbers, the Contours range is designed to elevate interiors with ease.

Choose from Tasmanian oak, engineered American oak, New Zealand pine and a cost-effective finger-jointed primed option, and finish with a clear, stained or painted coating.

“The Contours range of timber lining boards also has matching beadings for selected profiles that allow them to be used around curves,” says Shaun.

Engineered American oak veneer

This stunning North American hardwood, known for its hardwearing and versatile properties, offers warmth and provides an inviting neutral backdrop.

Tasmanian oak

When choosing Contours lining in this beautiful Australian hardwood, ‘Select Grade’ is best for a clean, uniform finish with minimal marks in the lining, while ‘Feature Grade’ celebrates the timber’s natural characteristics such as knots and veins for a more expressive, rustic look.

Clear pine

A light softwood that is typically a cream to light-straw in colour, ideal for staining, waxing and colour-washing.

Primed FJ pine

Ready to paint, this product is pre-coated with two coats of a specially developed water-based primer in a matte white finish.

easyLINING boards

Easycraft’s easyLINING lining boards add character and allure for those looking to effortlessly upgrade their living or working spaces. Crafted to be lightweight, easy to handle and quick to install, these boards offer a refined, smooth finish.

Traditional and contemporary styles can be specified to transform walls and ceilings in home renovations, extensions, new builds and commercial projects

Portaline boards

Crafted from ready-to-paint primed FJ pine or versatile spruce, Portaline’s five profiles suit a wide range of design styles, can be installed horizontally or vertically, and curved wall beads allow for smooth curves down to a 300mm radius.

With so many profiles and finishes to choose from, a key consideration is deciding where a lining is going to live. How will it be experienced in the space and how will it behave once it’s part of the environment’s everyday rhythm? After all, timber itself is alive.

“Timber is a natural product,” reminds Shaun. “It expands and contracts over time depending on the moisture content of the air. For spaces with humidity, we have ultra moisture-resistant MDF, which can be used in wet areas, and our external substrate is a semi-exterior product made of compressed hardwood.”

Each has its own way of settling into a room.