San Francisco Bay Area - How should I paint these walls? Working around wood panelling.

by ktyd5

How should I paint these walls? Working around wood panelling.

So we close on our new home on Tuesday, yippee! I am in the middle of ordering a sectional for our 18 x 22 family room. It will be a 3 piece with a chaise. I haven't decided on the color but I am leaning towards a lighter grey (but beige or mushroom is a possibility). My style is more transitional. i plan on sticking neutral and adding a pop of color here and there.

My husband and I like the wood beams in the ceiling, and I am thankful the current owners painted the paneling on the lower half of the wall antique white, just as the wall/ceiling is. It's a fresh pallet. Yet as you see there is one wall with a bazillion doors and it is all wood (panelling and different colors...yuk) So, for my question(s)...

1. If I paint the walls a beige/taupe/grey should I leave the panelling on the lower half antique white? Or paint it a different color from the walls?
2. Should I paint the panelling on the "wall of wood"? How can I soften that wall?

Thanks in advance!

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orangecamera It's the center set of doors that's bothersome to me. It looks like everything else on that wall matches. What's behind door #2? Can they just be removed? Do you hate all the rest of the wood on that wall?

5 months ago · Like

ktyd5 Closet space which will most likely be used for toy storage. Hmmm? What if we remove the doors and put up cute curtains? Or is that just weird?

5 months ago · Like

ktyd5 Maybe I would be okay with the rest of the woodie those doors are gone? Also, the cabinets to the far right...most likely the top ones will come down and the TV will go above the bottom cabinets.

Note: in a few years this wall will be blown open and the kitchen and family room will be redone open concept. Until then, were just putting lipstick on a pig! :)

5 months ago · Like

karlasgo I think what makes the doors awkward is that they are not integrated with the rest of the room. Perhaps yo could either paint the wood white or in a grayish (that kind of a color scheme) or paint the rest of the room in matching earth tones. This way everything will look more in harmony

5 months ago · Like

karlasgo Actually i think if toys will be stored there you will NEED the doors, for in my experience with my daughter closing the door is a great way to not look at any kind of mess.

5 months ago · Like ·

houssaon I wouldn't paint the wood wall. You would be left with three wood sections for the Franch doors, the cloest doors and the built in cabinet. I would paint the walls all one color and think about a warm color for the ceiling.

This is a good example of a color palette: Zietlin with a light khaki color on the ceiling. This is a soft grey that really makes dark wood pop, the ceiling color is the same as the walls even thought it looks yellow: Cottage in the Trees. The same creamy color of the walls is on the ceiling: Tudor on the Point. Benjamin Moore's HC-79 Greenbriar Beige is on the walls and ceiling of this space: Great Room

5 months ago · Like

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design On the woody wall, I would paint everything white except the cabinets on the right. I would also paint the trim around the sliding glass doors white. I'd leave the white wainscoting white and put the gray on the walls above it.
Carolyn Albert-Kincl, ASID

5 months ago · Like ·

simplify52 Just by chance have you determined that there is not drywall behind that panelling? If so, you could take the panelling down and paint the walls.

5 months ago · Like

Darzy If you want a more transitional than traditional look, I'd keep the wainscotting and above walll color the same color. Two tone walls are pretty traditional looking. Then, the furniture more contemporary than traditional because the beams and wood are pretty traditional. I'm guessing since you love the beams you'll be keeping the wood trim. So, for the paneled wall, I'd paint the wall antique white as well, but leave the french door and the actual cabinets their natural color. There will be a wood "balance" on each side of the wall but relate to the trim and beams.

5 months ago · Like

orangecamera Carolyn's got the right idea with the paint.

You could remove the louvers from the doors, and just put fabric in the openings. Or you could replace the louvered areas with flat panels. (and paint the doors)

You could take the doors off completely, and install shelves to make a built-in bookcase.

Is that the kitchen behind the closet? Do you need more kitchen storage? Close up the closet from this side, and open it from the other side, to make a large pantry.

5 months ago · Like ·