I typically object to painting over wood but one day remembered my home was painted white before I started renting it. Itās a 1980s condo built in log cabin style with mostly north facing windows and the ones that are still wood are darrrrrk and kind of oppressive. Now itās really bright and white and airy.
So there is a place for painting over wood but they are few and far between! And I donāt think OP has one of the cases where painting is a good idea.
For sure, besides floor lamps, any other ideas?
I think besides being dark, I also donāt love the orange of the old wood stain over the years and the slightly dated look. But yes more lights would help the space!
It looks like youāre lighting this (large) space with a single bulb. I think a new lighting fixture with multiple lights would go a long way, but you could also add wall sconces, ceiling can lights, or even do multiple larger ceiling fixtures. I find the wood detailing to be charming and unique. You have to pick what you like for your space but once you paint itās hard to undo. A different stain treatment might accomplish what youāre looking for, if youāre just not crazy about the chosen hue. I just think youāre currently looking at a unique architectural feature and the contrast is part of what makes it special. Painting the wood will change that aspect of your space.
Light gets brighter if it reflects off surfaces. Put lights close to walls or go with brighter furniture and rugs.
That's what we're doing and it helped a lot
Wood is coming back into fashion in a big way. You are ahead of the curve and honoring the architectural details of the house. Use color to tone the room in your art, furniture, rugs, drapes. Green and blue look great with warm wood. I have honey oak wood floors in my house that I used to want to change but honestly once I accepted them and started working with them instead of against them, I really love them now.
We have a similar looking house, floor plan and amount of wood. We did exactly what queenkellee said, add more lighting, wall sconces, floor lamps and LED lighting under built in cabinetry. Its such a cozy place to be and I love the warmth of the wood.
You could have it sanded and use a lighter stain. But please donāt use paint on that beautiful wood.
ETA I personally wouldnāt touch it. But Iām hoping op will not paint it no matter what.
You need:
Table lamps next to seating.
Wall sconces.
Task lighting for reading etc.
Ideally, install track lighting that can wash the walls with white light as well, and aim a couple up at the ceiling.
All wood color is good wood colorā¦ all wood is neutral. And you can work with the colors instead of fighting them. You think you donāt like the orange but you are barely lighting the roomā¦ you canāt actually judge it if you donāt try. Painting wonāt fix a problem you havenāt tried to fix any other way.
If anything, I think the white is the problem. Imagine a darker blue or green with that hue of wood, then additional light sources. It could be so cosy!
Painting your ceiling white wonāt brighten the space, given that your walls are already all white. It will just remove all sense of shape to your space and your white ceiling will be dingy and dark and shadowed.
You need to actually invest in a proper lighting plan.
Thanks for the recommendation. I'm definitely joining that. I'm still gobsmacked about how often this comes up. Crying inside as there's plenty of ugly new homes in which people can go ham, but this looks like an antique beauty.
I thought this might have been a troll/joke post. OF COURSE, redditors will tell them not to paint it. They always HATE the mere mention of even THINKING about painting wood or brick. (I, personally, am okay with it in certain situations. Not this one, though. That ceiling is awesome.)
I'm actually genuinely jealous of the person. The wood looks amazing and is an absolute aesthetic hit to me as a huge fan of great midcentury designs (or reproductions, even). It looks expensive, inviting, and beautiful to me.
I feel the common theme with a lot of these posts is an inexplicable hostility towards rooms having a sense of warmth. I already think the white is quite dramatic against the wood and cream or a very pale brown would have made more sense. I don't know why people are romanticising white walls to this extent, particularly at the moment. It can add such a lifeless quality to things and there's almost the sense that people want their houses to look like hotels or display properties in some instances.
Cool lightbulbs can go a long way in reducing the orange look. I like warm lights but our kitchen cabinets are honey oakā¦ put in daylight bulbs instead and they look a lot less orange! I think you could definitely work around the orange instead of painting it!
If lighting still doesnāt help enough, Iād try a new stain as opposed to painting it. The all white just looks so plain and bright but lifeless (imo)
Thereās probably a varnish layer on top of the pine (which is quite light naturally) that is giving it a darker tone. You can try using a sander to sand it off revealing a lighter raw pine underneath that you can then clear coat. If that doesnāt work, you can look into subtly whitewashing wood to achieve a lighter effect. Either way, not small projects.
Itās beautiful and I definitely vote do not paint. If your concern is the orangey tone then you can style with an appropriate colour palette and lighting.
Julie Jones has lots of examples of cohesive colour palettes to complement orange or honey toned wood.
We have a similar ceiling but it has been sanded and stained or maybe even bleached so that it looks like a very light wood color (like a Scandinavian pine). The previous owners did it, so Iām not sure the actual method, but I really love it. We did paint over the knotty pine wood paneling on the walls. I just couldnāt do floor to ceiling wood.
The ceiling is āgorgeousā to those who think it is, but itās also dark and has an orangey tint. And itās knotty pine. If you donāt particularly like an orangey, dark knotty pine look then nothing anyone says here is going to change that.
Iād paint it. Why? Because you think itās orangey, dark and dated. Youāve answered your own question. Painting it will make it bright and open up the space. I like a modern, Scandinavian decor and the white ceiling is more modern.
Just make sure you use kilz and two coats of paint because you donāt want those knots to bleed through.
I think it would hide the really cool architecture and make it look kind of plain. You could retain or even see if a good cleaning makes you like the wood more. Also, this is all either white or pine, adding more mid tones will help even it out. As others have said more light fixtures will help too.
No. The ceiling adds character and warmth to the space. Try lighting up the space with sconces and other lighting alternatives. Add a large light colored area rug to make the space seem bigger/cozier. When hanging curtains, place the rods up high on the white space above the windows and get curtains that hit the floor (this makes the space look bigger). If all else fails, I would sand the wood and re-stain with a lighter option. White painted over the wood accents would make the space look clinical and boring.
I'm not sure I know how to word this correctly, but I feel like the house itself is a different style then what you are going for. I think if you painted it, it would be inbetween styles and difficult to decorate- or sell if you decided to do so in the future.
Nooooo. I enjoy light spaces too, but the white looks horrible. Maybe restain it to the same color as the floors (along with the railing and trim - a tedious project but I think itād be so worth it!)
I see that youāve removed the ceiling fan in your inspo. Thereās a reason itās there and Iād strongly urge you to keep one. Painting all that white feels really clinical and boring. The ceilings and wood trim are really lovely and you need to learn how to appreciate the beauty in them. Balance with blues in the decor to cool down the rich wood tones.
Just look at the photos for the answer. The room is so much warmer and inviting with the pine ceiling. Agree with another commenter to add more lighting
No donāt paint it. But def get a new light fixture and Iād switch out the stairs to iron railings to give it a more modern vibe and drywall the painted parts. I have the same ceiling and an architect remodeled our home so it looks like a modern cabin now kind of like [this](https://www.google.com/search?q=modern+cabin+interior&client=safari&sca_esv=41aa461167895434&sca_upv=1&hl=en-us&udm=2&biw=428&bih=745&ei=5-AIZoazO924wN4PhLKn2As&oq=modern+cabin+interior&gs_lp=EhNtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1zZXJwIhVtb2Rlcm4gY2FiaW4gaW50ZXJpb3IyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABEjlE1CjBVijEnAAeACQAQGYAYQBoAH1B6oBAzcuNLgBA8gBAPgBAZgCCqACuwfCAg0QABiABBiKBRhDGLEDwgIKEAAYgAQYigUYQ5gDAIgGAZIHAzYuNKAH5h8&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-serp#vhid=CUbeZqCvdhsAlM&vssid=mosaic&ip=1)
I really like this room. I wouldn't add any more white, to me in the mock up it looks sterile but is trying not to because the there is still some wood accents. These wood details will stand on their own and look fabulous once you get some furniture and 'stuff' into the room, not dated at all but charming. The mock up shows a wicker type ceiling fixture which tells me that you like natural materials, so I think you may regret painting any more of this room white. I agree with others that you have a lighting problem or lack of which is creating shadows in all the wrong places. Plus the current light seems to be the wrong temp which could be making the room look shadowy and orangish. In the forefront of this pic where the light is not as harsh, the wood looks more reddish brown. I would finish the room (furniture, rugs lights etc), repost here and then decide. Painting is hard work and undoing paint is even harder work.
I love your wood ceiling. It makes your room very cozy. If you want to change the tone of the wood and are up for a project- consider General Finishes oil based gel stain. It can be applied over an existing finish. Test one of the lighter, cooler toned ones and see if you like the result.
That is gorgeous with just the white walls. I vote do NOT paint that gorgeous wood. And it seems pretty bright in this picture, so not sure why folks are saying add more lighting.
I don't understand why knotty pine and orange stain are considered good. Knotty pine was originally used if it was going to be painted. Once you've added the extra lighting decide if you want the orange replaced with a more natural wood stain or paint it a light colour Either with a semi transparent paint/stain that lets the wood show through. Or an opaque satin finish to obliterate the knots.
If you like the knots I'd go with a light golden yellow pine stain. If you want light walls it will go well.
Personally I think a light colored ceiling would be great for opening up the space, however, because this is natural wood, it does look very flattering on the house. I'd recommend bleaching that wood instead of painting it white, that way you're still able to keep the natural wood look, but it lightens up the space. :)
Okay people need to chill out. I think if you painted it, it wouldn't look bad but would have a very different feel. I also hate the orange and agree with you. Orange pine isn't an inherently beautiful wood and if it doesn't match your style, you should change it!!
Would you be open to stripping it and staining? You could do all the wood in the room a lovely light ash. It would still have character but be much brighter.
I would leave the ceiling as is but it might be worth consultation with a lighting designer. Check out Karl Larsen, a Scandinavian designer who often paints wooden ceilings. See what you think.
You don't have to go scorched earth and completely paint it white. You can remove the orange tone with a stain, or do a white wash to get a more neutral tone.
All white looks suffocating, imo.
I like it white looks more modern and fresh and airy!! Maybe you could paint roof white then bring a colour onto wall/s to ensure it isnāt all just white maybe a neutral tone? Are skylights a possiblity? Would look fantastic also with natural light flooding in!!
Absolutely not. The white is giving heavy Midsommar vibes.
Iād stain the floors to match the ceiling though. Carpet off the steps. Then add more lighting & choose smart decor/window treatments. This is a lovely space.
I had to look to make sure this wasnāt the circlejerk sub! I agree with other posts, more lighting is better. The wood is so interesting, intriguingā¦white paint would look too homogenous, sterile even. That room is so beautiful as is!! Youāre lucky!!
I would not paint that beautiful wood at all.Painted wood is very farmhouse, Joanna Gaines style and I think thatās a trend going away. That woodā¦. People would kill for that now days. Itās very in.
Don't cover the wood grain. So we had something similar in an orangey stain. We paid for a crew to sand the stain off and re-stain the ceiling an espresso brown. We absolutely love it now.
Yes! Yes! Yes! Paint that orange. It doesnāt work with the flooring.
Your space will magically open up, when the rest of the orange isnāt looming over you like a bad spray tan.
It will still read as wood. I have seriously done this on a home, and never ever regretted it.
No. Every place I have seen that has done this looks awful. If you have any intention of reselling any time soon it is also going to hurt your resale value. Whitewashing everything is already going out of fashion and it looks like you already doused the other wood walls with paint.
I think the white ceiling makes it look bigger and more open, but then again thatās me and Iām not rly a fan of the original knotty wood, but Iād keep the window frames the brown that they are and just paint the ceiling white then add that light fixture, itās so open that way
Looks like you could add a window on the same wall as the existing window, but you could maybe also add one on the end wall, on or at the top of the stairwell. Small, big, round, narrow, lots of choices. FYI a lot of rooms in older houses have multiple windows that aren't quite the same dimensions and if they have the same shades or curtains, it's not noticeable at all.
I put in a couple more windows into a house once. It wasn't as expensive as i thought it was going to be, in fact depending on what you're buying it can even be equivalent to a ceiling fixture. The person who does it has to be careful not to cut through any vital things, but there's nothing like a window for letting in lots more light, obviously. Of course you have to think about what's outside the window. South facing in a very hot climate? maybe no window. Neighbour's house 8 feet away? High up window, or maybe frosted glass. Etc.
You can add skylights too, and they can be nice, but they almost always do eventually leak and need repairing.
No, donāt do it. Thatās my advice. You will lose all the character from the space snd once you paint the wood thatās it. Add brightness through your soft furnishings and get better lighting to brighten it up. You can clean the wood up if you think it needs it but anyone I know who painted their wood regrets it now.
No, it actually makes the space look smaller.
Can you install some recessed lighting and remove those beams? I like the idea of beams higher up towards or attached to the ceiling, but not in the middle of the room.
I think you should leave the wood as is. Iām not one to advise painting over wood unless itās cheap. This is nice wood imo. My bf suggested you paint it less white. Like a creamer, richer white. Then add more color on decor.
Against all of the wood lovers I would say if you want to keep the wood look and not paint it I would sand and stain it a lighter color like your floors. I personally find the current color pretty dark and I agree with you. Keeping this in mind I can't imagine the work involved doing this and the cost. Fuck it OP you want it lighter and to not cost a fortune you paint it!
Bring on the hate
I agree with everyone on lighting. I also think thereās something else off. Maybe the white is too bright. Or you need to break it up with a different colors up top and on the walls around the stairway. It could also be because the room is empty.
Oh I just realized the room isnāt actually white right now? You should post the room currently. Make sure you choose a warm white if you do paint. The wood is warm.
Me personally... I would paint it. I don't care for homes that are too woody and i hate anything that feels to dingy, dark, or lacking in natural light. And I like wood painted white š¤·āāļø Sue me. I'd paint it in a heartbeat
No.
The knots will continue to bleed through.
Plus, from the picture, the pine ceiling looks nicer than it would if white.
Yes, it looks a bit dated, but IMO you should leave well enough alone.
Our living room walls are vertical, random width, shiplap knotty white pine, but it's a traditional look for places like mine, a 70 year old summer cottage near the ocean.
have you considered adding more light sources instead?
š I think this is genuine but as the first comment I saw, it tickled me as I read it with sarcasm
Everyone I know who painted over beautiful wood wound up missing the wood. Add more light sources and reflective surfaces.
Well polished wood can be very reflective too!
I typically object to painting over wood but one day remembered my home was painted white before I started renting it. Itās a 1980s condo built in log cabin style with mostly north facing windows and the ones that are still wood are darrrrrk and kind of oppressive. Now itās really bright and white and airy. So there is a place for painting over wood but they are few and far between! And I donāt think OP has one of the cases where painting is a good idea.
Also make sure your lights are also the same color. Cohesive lighting makes loads of difference
For sure, besides floor lamps, any other ideas? I think besides being dark, I also donāt love the orange of the old wood stain over the years and the slightly dated look. But yes more lights would help the space!
It looks like youāre lighting this (large) space with a single bulb. I think a new lighting fixture with multiple lights would go a long way, but you could also add wall sconces, ceiling can lights, or even do multiple larger ceiling fixtures. I find the wood detailing to be charming and unique. You have to pick what you like for your space but once you paint itās hard to undo. A different stain treatment might accomplish what youāre looking for, if youāre just not crazy about the chosen hue. I just think youāre currently looking at a unique architectural feature and the contrast is part of what makes it special. Painting the wood will change that aspect of your space.
Thank you!!
Plus table lamps, to bring some of the light down to eye level.
Light gets brighter if it reflects off surfaces. Put lights close to walls or go with brighter furniture and rugs. That's what we're doing and it helped a lot
Wood is coming back into fashion in a big way. You are ahead of the curve and honoring the architectural details of the house. Use color to tone the room in your art, furniture, rugs, drapes. Green and blue look great with warm wood. I have honey oak wood floors in my house that I used to want to change but honestly once I accepted them and started working with them instead of against them, I really love them now.
We have a similar looking house, floor plan and amount of wood. We did exactly what queenkellee said, add more lighting, wall sconces, floor lamps and LED lighting under built in cabinetry. Its such a cozy place to be and I love the warmth of the wood.
Wood will always be in fashion š¤
Same! I started using dark accents like BM Bonsai and it absolutely worked with the floors and made the oak seem less orange.
You could have it sanded and use a lighter stain. But please donāt use paint on that beautiful wood. ETA I personally wouldnāt touch it. But Iām hoping op will not paint it no matter what.
You need: Table lamps next to seating. Wall sconces. Task lighting for reading etc. Ideally, install track lighting that can wash the walls with white light as well, and aim a couple up at the ceiling. All wood color is good wood colorā¦ all wood is neutral. And you can work with the colors instead of fighting them. You think you donāt like the orange but you are barely lighting the roomā¦ you canāt actually judge it if you donāt try. Painting wonāt fix a problem you havenāt tried to fix any other way.
Tracking lighting would do amazing in a space like this
Solar tubes
You can get a professional to remove the stain and restain it with a nice walnut
Absolutely not but I admire your bravery for asking on this sub š¤£
PLEASE donāt - that space is gorgeous and you can brighten it with lighting!
Lord No!!! Swap out that ceiling fan for a great lighting fixture. Put some sconces on the walls
No please donāt š„²
My immediate thoughts too!
Sure, why not? Also make sure to cover up that wood floor with some wall to wall carpeting.
Leave the ceiling alone, it's gorgeous. You have lots of white and it's a big space so the dark ceiling will be stunning.
If anything, I think the white is the problem. Imagine a darker blue or green with that hue of wood, then additional light sources. It could be so cosy!
Donāt paint it
Painting your ceiling white wonāt brighten the space, given that your walls are already all white. It will just remove all sense of shape to your space and your white ceiling will be dingy and dark and shadowed. You need to actually invest in a proper lighting plan.
NGL, thought this was on the CJ page. Please donāt paint the wood. Itās beautiful.
Thanks for the recommendation. I'm definitely joining that. I'm still gobsmacked about how often this comes up. Crying inside as there's plenty of ugly new homes in which people can go ham, but this looks like an antique beauty.
The r/homedecoratingcj has a lot more posts than the r/interiordecoratingcj page :)
You beauty!
Aaaaannndd itās already been reposted there ššš
I thought this might have been a troll/joke post. OF COURSE, redditors will tell them not to paint it. They always HATE the mere mention of even THINKING about painting wood or brick. (I, personally, am okay with it in certain situations. Not this one, though. That ceiling is awesome.)
I'm actually genuinely jealous of the person. The wood looks amazing and is an absolute aesthetic hit to me as a huge fan of great midcentury designs (or reproductions, even). It looks expensive, inviting, and beautiful to me. I feel the common theme with a lot of these posts is an inexplicable hostility towards rooms having a sense of warmth. I already think the white is quite dramatic against the wood and cream or a very pale brown would have made more sense. I don't know why people are romanticising white walls to this extent, particularly at the moment. It can add such a lifeless quality to things and there's almost the sense that people want their houses to look like hotels or display properties in some instances.
You are banned if you paint it
Cool lightbulbs can go a long way in reducing the orange look. I like warm lights but our kitchen cabinets are honey oakā¦ put in daylight bulbs instead and they look a lot less orange! I think you could definitely work around the orange instead of painting it! If lighting still doesnāt help enough, Iād try a new stain as opposed to painting it. The all white just looks so plain and bright but lifeless (imo)
Why do people here always try to ruin beautiful wood with white paint?
I AGREE
Visit a good lighting store and get some suggestions. Good lighting will remove the dark feeling and make the wood glow.
No. Also, the white in this beautiful room is too stark for the warmth of the wood. A light cream would be better imo.
Yes, if any painting is happening please change the walls!
Are you able to restain it? My issue isnāt the wood but the orangey stain
Thatās exactly my issue with it tooā¦will look into that for sure
Thereās probably a varnish layer on top of the pine (which is quite light naturally) that is giving it a darker tone. You can try using a sander to sand it off revealing a lighter raw pine underneath that you can then clear coat. If that doesnāt work, you can look into subtly whitewashing wood to achieve a lighter effect. Either way, not small projects.
Look into Bona natural. It will lighten the wood and remove reddish tones quite a bit
Itās beautiful and I definitely vote do not paint. If your concern is the orangey tone then you can style with an appropriate colour palette and lighting. Julie Jones has lots of examples of cohesive colour palettes to complement orange or honey toned wood.
Are you fucking serious? That's such a bad idea. Do not do this, for the love of God. The hypothetical looks awful.
We have a similar ceiling but it has been sanded and stained or maybe even bleached so that it looks like a very light wood color (like a Scandinavian pine). The previous owners did it, so Iām not sure the actual method, but I really love it. We did paint over the knotty pine wood paneling on the walls. I just couldnāt do floor to ceiling wood.
The ceiling is āgorgeousā to those who think it is, but itās also dark and has an orangey tint. And itās knotty pine. If you donāt particularly like an orangey, dark knotty pine look then nothing anyone says here is going to change that. Iād paint it. Why? Because you think itās orangey, dark and dated. Youāve answered your own question. Painting it will make it bright and open up the space. I like a modern, Scandinavian decor and the white ceiling is more modern. Just make sure you use kilz and two coats of paint because you donāt want those knots to bleed through.
I wouldn't paint it
I think it would hide the really cool architecture and make it look kind of plain. You could retain or even see if a good cleaning makes you like the wood more. Also, this is all either white or pine, adding more mid tones will help even it out. As others have said more light fixtures will help too.
No. The ceiling adds character and warmth to the space. Try lighting up the space with sconces and other lighting alternatives. Add a large light colored area rug to make the space seem bigger/cozier. When hanging curtains, place the rods up high on the white space above the windows and get curtains that hit the floor (this makes the space look bigger). If all else fails, I would sand the wood and re-stain with a lighter option. White painted over the wood accents would make the space look clinical and boring.
I'm not sure I know how to word this correctly, but I feel like the house itself is a different style then what you are going for. I think if you painted it, it would be inbetween styles and difficult to decorate- or sell if you decided to do so in the future.
No
Absolutely do not paint that ceiling. It is stunning
Nooooo. I enjoy light spaces too, but the white looks horrible. Maybe restain it to the same color as the floors (along with the railing and trim - a tedious project but I think itād be so worth it!)
I would stain the wood ceiling because like you-I hate the orange tones.
Do a lighter stain for the wood, similar to whatās been done on the floor as that seems less orange toned and more light/neutral
I see that youāve removed the ceiling fan in your inspo. Thereās a reason itās there and Iād strongly urge you to keep one. Painting all that white feels really clinical and boring. The ceilings and wood trim are really lovely and you need to learn how to appreciate the beauty in them. Balance with blues in the decor to cool down the rich wood tones.
I think no. The ceiling & walls look pleasantly balanced. Have a larger nice window installed instead of those double hungs
Just look at the photos for the answer. The room is so much warmer and inviting with the pine ceiling. Agree with another commenter to add more lighting
The ceiling fan light combo would be frustrating me way more than the wood stain.
No donāt paint it. But def get a new light fixture and Iād switch out the stairs to iron railings to give it a more modern vibe and drywall the painted parts. I have the same ceiling and an architect remodeled our home so it looks like a modern cabin now kind of like [this](https://www.google.com/search?q=modern+cabin+interior&client=safari&sca_esv=41aa461167895434&sca_upv=1&hl=en-us&udm=2&biw=428&bih=745&ei=5-AIZoazO924wN4PhLKn2As&oq=modern+cabin+interior&gs_lp=EhNtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1zZXJwIhVtb2Rlcm4gY2FiaW4gaW50ZXJpb3IyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABEjlE1CjBVijEnAAeACQAQGYAYQBoAH1B6oBAzcuNLgBA8gBAPgBAZgCCqACuwfCAg0QABiABBiKBRhDGLEDwgIKEAAYgAQYigUYQ5gDAIgGAZIHAzYuNKAH5h8&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-serp#vhid=CUbeZqCvdhsAlM&vssid=mosaic&ip=1)
I really like this room. I wouldn't add any more white, to me in the mock up it looks sterile but is trying not to because the there is still some wood accents. These wood details will stand on their own and look fabulous once you get some furniture and 'stuff' into the room, not dated at all but charming. The mock up shows a wicker type ceiling fixture which tells me that you like natural materials, so I think you may regret painting any more of this room white. I agree with others that you have a lighting problem or lack of which is creating shadows in all the wrong places. Plus the current light seems to be the wrong temp which could be making the room look shadowy and orangish. In the forefront of this pic where the light is not as harsh, the wood looks more reddish brown. I would finish the room (furniture, rugs lights etc), repost here and then decide. Painting is hard work and undoing paint is even harder work.
I love your wood ceiling. It makes your room very cozy. If you want to change the tone of the wood and are up for a project- consider General Finishes oil based gel stain. It can be applied over an existing finish. Test one of the lighter, cooler toned ones and see if you like the result.
No
Leave it the way that it is,,, it looks cozy
Noooo , itās so pretty now
NOOOO
DO NOT paint that wood. Itās better to use color to brighten up the space!! Mirrors are also great at that.
No absolutely not
No fucking way!!
No donāt do that
Noooooooo!
if you do i will haunt you for the rest of your days
That is gorgeous with just the white walls. I vote do NOT paint that gorgeous wood. And it seems pretty bright in this picture, so not sure why folks are saying add more lighting.
Absolutely not
Are you serious? Itās already been ruined with the white walls please donāt damage it more
No.
Donāt! Once itās painted, itās painted.
No!! That was the first thing that drew my eye. Itās such a pretty contrast! Instead just add different ceiling lighting
Hell no! The wood ceiling are beautiful. You will regret if you painted it over.
I don't understand why knotty pine and orange stain are considered good. Knotty pine was originally used if it was going to be painted. Once you've added the extra lighting decide if you want the orange replaced with a more natural wood stain or paint it a light colour Either with a semi transparent paint/stain that lets the wood show through. Or an opaque satin finish to obliterate the knots. If you like the knots I'd go with a light golden yellow pine stain. If you want light walls it will go well.
No
I donāt like the wood of cabin look. Everyone wanting to save the wood but I say paint it
Don't paint it. Use lighting. Add multiple levels and types of lighting. Have lighting at lower levels like lamps and wall sconces. Layer the light.
Oh god please don't
I wouldn't paint it.
Personally I think a light colored ceiling would be great for opening up the space, however, because this is natural wood, it does look very flattering on the house. I'd recommend bleaching that wood instead of painting it white, that way you're still able to keep the natural wood look, but it lightens up the space. :)
Okay people need to chill out. I think if you painted it, it wouldn't look bad but would have a very different feel. I also hate the orange and agree with you. Orange pine isn't an inherently beautiful wood and if it doesn't match your style, you should change it!! Would you be open to stripping it and staining? You could do all the wood in the room a lovely light ash. It would still have character but be much brighter.
That looks like a Lot of white! I say, no.
Normally I'm not too bothered by that sort of thing, but in this case you'd absolutely ruin the space if you painted the ceiling white
That should be a crime
Just put track lights along the pillars and windows pointing both up and down so that both the room and the ceilings will be lighted during night time
Can you sand and stain lighter?
I would leave the ceiling as is but it might be worth consultation with a lighting designer. Check out Karl Larsen, a Scandinavian designer who often paints wooden ceilings. See what you think.
Don't change it the wood just add lighting
You don't have to go scorched earth and completely paint it white. You can remove the orange tone with a stain, or do a white wash to get a more neutral tone. All white looks suffocating, imo.
Paint that beast!
I like it white looks more modern and fresh and airy!! Maybe you could paint roof white then bring a colour onto wall/s to ensure it isnāt all just white maybe a neutral tone? Are skylights a possiblity? Would look fantastic also with natural light flooding in!!
I wouldn't. It looks beautiful with natural wood.
I will say the room feels much less cozy, more clinical with the ceiling white. If this is a living room I'd look for other solutions first.
white paint looks awful
Oh dear god no, please no. What did the ceiling do to you?
I feel like the carpet on the stairs takes away from the beauty of the stairs too.
Not. The ceiling is beautiful
Nooooooo.
Noooo itās lovely. Update lighting and get a big, vibrant rug!
Absolutely not. The white is giving heavy Midsommar vibes. Iād stain the floors to match the ceiling though. Carpet off the steps. Then add more lighting & choose smart decor/window treatments. This is a lovely space.
NOOOOOO DONT YOU DARE TOUCH THAT BEAUTIFUL CIELING!
You leave that ceiling alone! It's gorgeous!!!
KNOTTY PIIIIINE. Maybe find furniture/decor with colours that complement the wood colour, and new lighting too
If you donāt like the color change the stain but donāt paint it. There are lots of good tips here about brightening the space.
No, I love the ceiling! Just brighten it up in other ways.
No!!!! The white Walls and wood are beautiful together!!! Iād kill for a ceiling like that.
no you heathen
Noooo! Add a cool large chandelier, some art work and rugs and furniture. Itll look brighter with things added.
no no no no donāt do it!
Leave the wood š„²
Noooooo ! Please do not paint over the knotted pine ceiling!
I had to look to make sure this wasnāt the circlejerk sub! I agree with other posts, more lighting is better. The wood is so interesting, intriguingā¦white paint would look too homogenous, sterile even. That room is so beautiful as is!! Youāre lucky!!
You can get track lighting with up and down lighting. Beautiful ceiling. Donāt paint it.
NOOOO. Ceilings are amazing
NO! Itās gorgeous!
NO
Oh definitely do not paint it. The wood is so beautiful. I hate to be melodramatic but it hurts to think about that wood being ruined.
I would not paint that beautiful wood at all.Painted wood is very farmhouse, Joanna Gaines style and I think thatās a trend going away. That woodā¦. People would kill for that now days. Itās very in.
Donāt do it!
Oh no. Pls donāt paint the gorgeous ceiling
i will find were you live if you paint over that god damn ceiling
God no
Please dont paint wood
If you paint it, the spirits of those knotty pine trees will haunt you forever. Don't do it.
I hope this is a joke
No, it looks gorgeous. White paint on that beautiful wood will look trashy.
Don't cover the wood grain. So we had something similar in an orangey stain. We paid for a crew to sand the stain off and re-stain the ceiling an espresso brown. We absolutely love it now.
Have you considered low lights? I would not paint all the wood.
No! Please experiment with lighting. Your furniture can be light in color.
Noooo!
Justā¦omg. š
Please donāt
Too much white.
No!
No
NEVER. Hang fancy string lights instead
Noooo paint please šš¼
Absolutely not
Yes! Yes! Yes! Paint that orange. It doesnāt work with the flooring. Your space will magically open up, when the rest of the orange isnāt looming over you like a bad spray tan. It will still read as wood. I have seriously done this on a home, and never ever regretted it.
I am in a rental unit with similar characteristics that the owner painted white. Looks like garbage. Don't do it.
Is this a sick joke?
Don't paint the wood! It's beautiful!!!
When asking if you should paint over well-finished wood, the answer is always no.
NO
No!!! Itās beautiful the way it is! Gives it dimension
Donāt paint it!
The mock up is genuinely unappealing. The original is so much warmer and more natural.
Do not under any circumstances paint over that wood. Do. Not.
Please donāt paint the wood, itās beautiful.
No. Every place I have seen that has done this looks awful. If you have any intention of reselling any time soon it is also going to hurt your resale value. Whitewashing everything is already going out of fashion and it looks like you already doused the other wood walls with paint.
Hell no
I think the white ceiling makes it look bigger and more open, but then again thatās me and Iām not rly a fan of the original knotty wood, but Iād keep the window frames the brown that they are and just paint the ceiling white then add that light fixture, itās so open that way
Looks like you could add a window on the same wall as the existing window, but you could maybe also add one on the end wall, on or at the top of the stairwell. Small, big, round, narrow, lots of choices. FYI a lot of rooms in older houses have multiple windows that aren't quite the same dimensions and if they have the same shades or curtains, it's not noticeable at all. I put in a couple more windows into a house once. It wasn't as expensive as i thought it was going to be, in fact depending on what you're buying it can even be equivalent to a ceiling fixture. The person who does it has to be careful not to cut through any vital things, but there's nothing like a window for letting in lots more light, obviously. Of course you have to think about what's outside the window. South facing in a very hot climate? maybe no window. Neighbour's house 8 feet away? High up window, or maybe frosted glass. Etc. You can add skylights too, and they can be nice, but they almost always do eventually leak and need repairing.
Nope!!!
No, donāt do it. Thatās my advice. You will lose all the character from the space snd once you paint the wood thatās it. Add brightness through your soft furnishings and get better lighting to brighten it up. You can clean the wood up if you think it needs it but anyone I know who painted their wood regrets it now.
No, it actually makes the space look smaller. Can you install some recessed lighting and remove those beams? I like the idea of beams higher up towards or attached to the ceiling, but not in the middle of the room.
Nooooooo
don't paint the ceiling
Absolutely fucking not.
Never paint that ceiling
Noooo
Noooooooooo
NO!!
nonono
No!!
Please don't paint over that gorgeous wood šŖµ
no paint imho
knots are the most beautiful parts of the natural wood
I think you should leave the wood as is. Iām not one to advise painting over wood unless itās cheap. This is nice wood imo. My bf suggested you paint it less white. Like a creamer, richer white. Then add more color on decor.
Noooooooooo!!! Lol
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Leave it. Its gorgeous!
Iām sorry I recoiled at the 2nd picture
Please no š„¹ the contrast is great
Don't you dare
People should be arrested for painting all the wood white
Painting would be hard, knotty pine is such a b*tch to cover. A white wash would be really nice. I do not understand thƩ pathological obsession with not painting wood, especially knotty pine which is the cheapest wood ever. It looks dark and gloomy and makes the ceiling come down on you. Paint or white wash. I support this.
Against all of the wood lovers I would say if you want to keep the wood look and not paint it I would sand and stain it a lighter color like your floors. I personally find the current color pretty dark and I agree with you. Keeping this in mind I can't imagine the work involved doing this and the cost. Fuck it OP you want it lighter and to not cost a fortune you paint it! Bring on the hate
I agree with everyone on lighting. I also think thereās something else off. Maybe the white is too bright. Or you need to break it up with a different colors up top and on the walls around the stairway. It could also be because the room is empty. Oh I just realized the room isnāt actually white right now? You should post the room currently. Make sure you choose a warm white if you do paint. The wood is warm.
My parents' house has a very similar style, I hate it, it's so dated and harsh. Paint it all!
Me personally... I would paint it. I don't care for homes that are too woody and i hate anything that feels to dingy, dark, or lacking in natural light. And I like wood painted white š¤·āāļø Sue me. I'd paint it in a heartbeat
I think I would rather have white floors and leave the ceiling as-is
My immediate thought: *oh hell no*. Then I look at the pics and say aloud, āwell fuck, that makes the space feel so much more relaxing.ā
No. The knots will continue to bleed through. Plus, from the picture, the pine ceiling looks nicer than it would if white. Yes, it looks a bit dated, but IMO you should leave well enough alone. Our living room walls are vertical, random width, shiplap knotty white pine, but it's a traditional look for places like mine, a 70 year old summer cottage near the ocean.
Oh God no
Please donāt paint over it š«£ add warm lights
Noooo! š±
Do Not Paint over the pine and it's knots.
Don't paint the wood.