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Amber Lewis will be the first to acknowledge that she contributed to the rise in popularity of plaster. “I’m probably part to blame,” she recently shared in an Instagram reel. And still, she isn’t afraid to stop using it. In the video, the designer known for her California-cool aesthetic listed off the design details she thinks are overrated for 2026. Lewis shocked us when she brought up plaster—and shocked us again when she revealed it won’t be making an appearance in her new house. “Not one single wall will be plastered,” she says.
This neutral backdrop can often help create a sense of balance, character, and warmth, and while she still loves it in small doses, Lewis takes issue when everything is plaster. If the treatment is the default texture for walls, cabinets, and range hoods, as she describes, then it all tends to fall flat.
Lewis’s move away from plaster is pushing us to consider other textural wall treatments off the beaten path. Here are three solutions worth trying instead.
Cork
Soft, cozy, and a natural sound barrier, cork can be used to add an intriguing (and practical) layer to bedrooms, living areas, and even dining nooks. In Stephanie Savage’s L.A. home, for instance, cork walls allow the producer to get creative—after all, she can pin inspo to the surface with ease. You can even fake the look with wallpaper, like in this lounge (pictured above) by Huniford Design.
Wood Panelling
Unlike the mid-century basements this material is most often associated with, wood panelling can actually look fresh depending on its stain and application. In this former builder-grade bathroom, designer Sarah Weichel of studio Swike used leftover panels as DIY wainscoting for British-inspired results. Just make sure to give yourself 24 hours before having an opinion on the stain, she says.
Painted Stone
Dark stonework can be a common “before” feature of a project, and painting it can be a straightforward way to brighten a room. In this Scottish cottage, an existing stone wall was covered in white paint in the name of preservation and sustainability.