puncuz I think you should redo the floor apart from tearing down that ugly wood.Add lots of french windows or one with the louver.Add indoor plants and create a focus wall,with fancy big mirror in the center.

Carolina Photo To Go LLC If you have the budget, definitely dry wall after removing the paneling. You might want to pull a piece off. There might even be dry wall under the paneling. At one time, it was the style and people put it over dry wall. The nail holes are an easy fix with spackling. It will increase the value of your home and you will enjoy it more. Always get at least 3 estimates in writing and find out from friends who will do a good job.Some good contractors dont advertise b/c they operate via word of mouth. Realtors sometimes know people to who do repairs and remodels. Do not pay until the job is finished. We used to have rentals and flip property. If you decide you want to paint it, use kilz first and then paint. Kilz covers the brown the best. Good luck with your new home.

marvinone It's hard to tell from the photos what type of wood paneling you have. Is it the cheap flimsy kind or the more solid kind? I'd be in favor of keeping it because it works with your ceiling beams. What needs to go are the things which are much easier to take out...the old window air conditioner (update it with something more energy efficient), the sagging curtain rods, 80s style track lights and dented chimney pipe. Use a bright colored fabric for drapes that coordinate with the color of the wood. I'm not a fan of the floor, but that is also a big investment in time and money. If it's in decent shape, I'd just invest in some great area rugs to help ground various areas of the room (it looks a bit large from the pictures). I'd consult with an interior designer or even paint consultant (try a professional paint store...not Home Depot). Consider the wood as if it were a paint color and select coordinating colors to go with that, then use those colors in your furniture/drapes/pillows and rugs.
There are tons of resources out there right now for mid century homes - check the store magazine racks, type in "mid century" in the search bar here on Houzz.com and check out retrorenovation.com. To save yourself, time, money and some headaches, try to work with what you've got rather than default to just ripping it out. There are so many resources today, you're bound to find some pictures that will help you move a little further along.
That said...consider replacing any materials that are damaged or no longer working properly.

decoenthusiaste If it is real wood, clean with TSP (tri sodium phosphate) rinse, dry, sand lightly, tack off, prime with Kilz or other oil base primer (hold your nose) and paint with 2 coats of your favorite color (oil or latex.) If it is faux or paper replicated wood look, pull it out.

houssaon The benefit of taking it down is that you might be able to upgrade the wiring, the heating and cooling and the insulation.

But the panel is paintable in any color you wish. Think about painting the ceiling too, rather than leaving it stark white. This is a nice warm treatment: Montana mix Or: Casablanca Sien Even: great room addition

The floor looks good, I wouldn't change that.

stara You already have white between the ceiling rafters so painting the walls will cool the space. If this is a tropics house fine but if it is in a winter area--then be sure you do not have bright window light or the place will bleach out with no warmth. New windows often require new headers above for support and can be $ but will bring in light if you don't have enough! worth it! I got windows from lowes/H.Depot sales that were special ordered and rejected. Got a gorgeous 2k garden window for 300.00 (you can haggle!) and opened up the dark space, plus a deck and sliders would be nice here too.

I had a place similar in NC mts.; I painted over the old wood paneling but light from the east blazed on the walls! I went thru several colors and ended up with a deep burgundy/chinese maroon which softened and warmed on one accent wall and an earthy stucco effect on the others over drywall.

If this is cedar siding it is hard to paint because it isn't really smooth. Here in Hawaii we use an enamel paint over rough wood to seal it and make a sleek cover. Kilz is anti mold too so it is a good first coat. Drywall may not go with the house--is this a rustic place or a 50's rambler?

You can do great things with joint compound over drywall to create a stucco look by just using a wide spatula spreader and making whatever stucco design you like. then paint several colors and wipe as you go to creat a faux old stucco look. would look nice with the beamed ceilings--but again--depends where this place is.

margaeg If you will be removing the air-conditioner, it makes sense to remove the paneling. There was paneling in our kitchen when we bought the house in California. We decided to remove the paneling; and it turned out that it was nailed to the studs, no dry wall and no insulation. As houssaon indicates, this is now an opportunity to upgrade your property. Adding doorway and window casings, baseboards and ceiling molding will dress up the room. Good luck!

eztia This room has good size, and looks like it has a relatively new floor. It has large expanses of glass on three sides for natural light.

I suggest that you take down a piece of paneling in a place where you know there is electrical wiring behind it. Double points if the piece of paneling is up against a window. Then you can assess several things:

* Is there drywall behind the paneling?
* What is the quality of the paneling?
* Will you need to bring the wiring up to code?
* Will it be possible to improve heating, ventilation, and air conditioning with the paneling removed?
* What is the condition of the insulation on the outside wall?
* Will it be efficient to upgrade the single-pane glass windows?
(If you do remove all the paneling, please donate it to Habitat for Humanity.)

With these questions answered, you can make better plans.

Please keep us posted on your thoughts and progress.
Best wishes.

stara totally agree. Wiring and insulation are very important and there is no point in removing anything unless you are ready to bring what's under up to code. That can be $$$ too--so prepare, plan and use a good contractor. Not all licensed guys are GOOD--get references and look at old jobs BEFORE you decide! (not their portfolios)
I went thru several and ended up with an unlicensed guy (we did owner/contractor) who wasn't good at test taking to pass the exam but had hands of gold. He fixed all their ERRORS and shoddy work.
So pick wisely!
Aloha

decoratorlady I would paint the paneling and ceiling in a light, soft color, leave the beams dark or paint them white. Replace the sliding doors with newer sliding doors or french doors. Wood floors would look nice or if its to costly, use some large area rugs to soften and warm it up. Have fun, you have a nice room.

KILZ Brands Hello!

Before you start any paint project, you want to ensure that the surface is clean, dry, and dull. When painting over finished paneling, prep is a very important first step. First, rough up the surface of the paneling with a pole sander that has been fitted with a sanding screen (rather than paper). Next, apply an interior oil-based undercoat primer like KILZ Original. It is important not to use a latex base because it would allow moisture to get underneath the paint, causing the paneling to swell and mildew to grow. For the grooves in the paneling, use spackle to fill in gaps and allow it to dry about two hours before sanding. Finish the wall with another coat of oil-based sealer and allow it to dry.
Now the surface can be treated like drywall so you can proceed with applying your preferred top coat.

If you live in an area where products that contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as solvents and alkyds, are banned you will have to find a substitute. We would recommend our newest product KILZ MAX as a substitute to an oil-based primer. It is a water-based primer, sealer and stainblocker developed with new technology that’s formulated to perform like an oil-based product. Currently, KILZ MAX Primer can be found at The Home Depot and Lowe’s stores in California and The Home Depot in Philadelphia, PA.

We hope this helps. Please let us know how it goes, we always love to see before and after photos!