what a great room!

I personally think painted paneling just looks like paneling with paint on it so if it goes I would remove or cover rather than painting.

I would keep the exposed wood beams as well! Get rid of the asbestos ceiling tiles between the beams though. Then paint the paneled walls a creamy tan that accentuates your beautiful stone fireplace. Get rid of the paneling if you can or painting it can substitute. It's a room with lovely bones and a fabulous porch and view, that you can't buy!

Keep all your beautiful beams, posts and railings as they are, but you'll be happier if you replace the paneling with drywall. If the wood beams and such are not the quality you want, you might take a look at rustoleumtransformations.com for a solution that is working for cabinetry and wood furniture. It is getting raves. Might search this site for it because I know some users have tried it. Also have seen good results pics at "Rate My Space" from HGTV. You could freshen and deepen the color or change it.

I found one room with white beams: If you painted all the wood white, it would radically change the look of the room. The wood banister might not look good and you might have to change it to a more streamline metal and glass.

Here is a room that has very light wood in their beams: Bit I don't know if it would work for you.

What would you do with the double front doors if you changed out the paneling of sheet rock?

I like the creamy yellow white of these walls with the dark beams:

I'd replace the parquet with a tile or stone.

I would paint the paneling and doors and leave the beams, posts and railings as they are. Then in five to ten years, if I don't like the paneling painted and would prefer sheetrock, I'd change it. I do think it could be cool to paint the interior doors and trim a deep brownish green.

The beamed ceiling and rock fireplace are beautiful, but lost in the existing space, as is the importance of the indoor-outdoor space. Paint out the paneling (or, depending on the budget, replace it with wallboard) a warm, light tan that pulls color from the fireplace. The ceiling color could be the darker tan from the fireplace and give the room a more intimate feeling and continuity with the outdoors. I would also either capitalize on the light fixtures by changing the banisters in the railing to a wrought iron or if you have a transitional bent, to glass to echo the doors beyond. I'm not sure what the white "wrapping" is by the window wall or what the lighting on the fireplace wall is, but the white goes and I think the wall washers should be updated. Lastly, change the artwork so that what is over the fireplace is the same size as the fireplace for balance and weight and that the colors pull the outside in. Repeat those outdoor colors in the furnishings or accessories in the rest of the room.

Really helpful post. We are moving into a 1970's family home that really needs an update. Very similar issues and are enlisting an interior designer. We are planning to keep the beams but will put drywall over the cinder block and trying to decide whether to paint the wood panelling or just what. Perfect timing to read some thoughts as such similar features and age.

This is what we do. We are interior designers, redesigners and stagers, so suggestions really hinge on project intentions, room usage and/or traffic and, of course, budget. We are currently doing the same to a 1970's ranch in California. For budget reasons we are painting the paneling in a living room/family room area. If you like the effect, then I would suggest removing the paneling when it gets tired and replacing it. I can't see your fireplace very well, but it appears to need cleaning. Is the hearth raised? If so, go with it and raise it to fireplace height and deepen as a seat. You may want to lighten the beams--not by staining but with painted "weathering" to match the fireplace wall. The room is narrow, so simplify your furnishings to focus on the fireplace wall. Is the paneled wall part of the same room?

Remove the paneling if that's your leaning. Otherwise, paint the walls and woodwork the same neutral up to the ceiling. This would allow a less congested view outside while maintaining the texture ifrom the wood in the room. Keep the ceiling beams stained while using a paint on the ceiling sheetrock two shades darker than the walls. Perhaps that will showcase the amazing ceiling lines, and bring the ceiling down in appearancea for a warmer feel.