Most people appreciate woodwork, few people appreciate dark woodwork however. It is a big investment to properly prep and paint the trim. I think it's worth the investment. It would help you sell your home faster.

Thanks!

It is oak with shellac & in pretty good shape. The lighting is a bit dark so it appears darker than it is. It's a bit too orange for my taste but I do think keeping it as is will attract more buyers as few houses in the neighbourhood (very entry level) have been maintained as well. The floors are oak as well & are in pretty good condition. Also, our kitchen is pretty dated so we're planning to spend the little bit we want to spend on that & a new front door so trim will have to stay as is.

I'm mostly looking for ideas for wall colour / window treatments / sconces & maybe ideas for brightening the brick fireplace (paint?). Obviously the sofas were a mistake but the kids are still young & dirty :) so we won't swap those out yet.

I'm glad you see the future benefit of keeping the woodwork as is. But, painting the brick will not fit with the craftsman look. If the brick themselves can be lightened by cleaning, good, if not leave them as is for the next owner to do. Since you have a craftsman style, keep it craftsman as much as you can. It may be just what someone is looking for in an entry level/downsizing house.

I totally agree with Al!

Wall paint...go for it. Wood or fireplace...Please no no no!!

All the original unpainted trim was a huge factor for me when I bought my place!

If it had been painted, I might have kept looking.

Thanks Al & bungalowmo. My thoughts were definitely to not paint trim & likely not the fireplace either. I'm still looking for wall colour / window treatments / sconces ideas if anyone has any!

Definitely has a lot of character.
You could probably feel the space a little smaller cos of all the dark colour of woodwork & of course the clutter!
You could probably consider a much more lighter or whiter wall paint to add some freshness.
That way you could feel the space more brighter & open as well.
Letting them be the focal point & 'wall art' for your space & lighten everything else including the furniture & accessories will definitely help.
& so does having storage organizers for kids toys!
Not for painting the wood work or fire place...infact it could be a selling feature.
Keep the charm of the existing & make everything else minimalistic
Good luck!

Telly....check Ebay for sconces. They have a ton of antique sets. You could go with anything from a craftsman look to Art Deco to Art Nouveau. My place is considered a Craftsman Bungalow, but all my original lighting & hardware is Deco. Mine is ca 1916

I'd steer away from anything "new".

Personally I wouldn't do much. You already know that it will need to be decluttered. Inexpensive white window shades and clean white walls will show off the interesting details. If your furniture is dark, lighten it up with lamps, light colored pillows and light artwork. The more you remove the bigger the space will appear to be and the more a buyer will allow their imagination to take over.

Thanks Jeffrey...all good recommendations / reminders. As far as window shades, would you recommend individual inside mounts? What about a valence / cornice? Light coloured pillows & artwork are great suggestions I hadn't thought of. DH & I are both engineers...neither of us has a lot of vision when it comes to decorating!

Still looking for some window treatment advice if anyone has any. :). Thanks!

Do those little windows open? Are they casements??

No, they don't open.

I think a valance would detract from the window trim. Since you already have wood blinds on the windows -- to soften the look you may want to hang a stationary drapery panel on either side of the windows - floor to ceiling. (Use 2 short rods). Pick a large scale geometric design with a creme background....OR skip the drape panels and hang art on either side of the windows and put throw pillows with bright patterns on the sofa.

I'm actually looking to detract from the window trim & am looking to replace the blinds as they are just too dark. We added layered sheer panels to our dining room windows which are similar & like the look but not sure they'd work well on this wall because the sofa sits against the window. If we moved this sofa to another wall (the only other wall available), that might work! It's a small room with an entrance door from the foyer & glass French doors opposite the large window walls which leads to the dining room.

I used BM Georgian Green and simple white curtains. It might work for you. I'd take down the blinds

Center your sofa under the window.

If the chest is in the way of that move it or turn it into your coffee table.

Look at this clever way to hide the TV.

This would look great if done in your same wood.

@leelee - I really love the idea of the cabinets over the fireplace but I'm really trying to minimize the wood as the room is quite small & there's not a lot of natural lights.

As far the sofa goes, the area where the chest is is also where the door from the foyer opens up so the sofa is positioned for door clearance.

Forget the cabinets over the fireplace, but do get rid of the TV and all associated stuff over/on the fireplace. It's detracting from the craftsman style and woodwork. Hang an appropriate picture.

Craftsman style requires minimalism. Less is more. Do not paint woodwork or fireplace. Remove the blinds. I like the suggestion for an old pair of sconces. You might find them at a salvage yard.

I like using the trunk? for a coffee table. Make simple gathered (not too full) off-white linen curtains. Hang them about 1/2 way down from the top of the window and end them at top of window sill. Leave windows bare to the sides of the fireplace. Use an ivory paint for the walls. If you can pick up an ivory or white slipcover for the sofa, it will help lighten the room up. Do everything to lighten the rooms up. Table lamps & floor lamps all around.

If you do any kind of needle work, use some coral and green thread & do some light minimal embroidery near the bottom of the curtains. You can decorate the dining room the same way. You could do light embroidery on an 18"-24" strip of linen to drape over your dining table. Craftsman style uses copper accessories, small picture frames, candle holders. Try to stay in that period & lighten, lighten, lighten rooms.

Just to update...

We did very little. Left the blinds in place but really cleared things in the entire house. It sold after only 2 days on the market!! So I'll be back asking for advice on the new home. :)

Thanks to everyone for all your help!

YAY for you! It was an amazing home I am sure you enjoyed.