maybe interlocking stone tiles would add more texture.

This is tricky. I actually love the way the wood looks, though I could see how it might be a little overwhelming. I vote for Spanish Red again.

Frankly, I really like the wood paneling; it brings the wood detailing on the very high ceiling down into the living space so the dark ceiling doesn't seem oppressive. I think a major design issue for this space is one of scale: very large spaces with very high ceilings, yet the attendant details and furnishings are all much too small or insignificant for the space. For example, robust doors without small inset panels would be more dramatic. Replacing the builders' standard wimpy oak ralings and balusters with oak beams and iron would really make a statement. The chandelier should be much larger and hung much lower (33 - 36" off the table surface). Wispy window scarves and dried florals do not enhance the space. You need full-length drapery positioned high above the windows and a more robust wall sculpture. Perhaps some silvery sage-y greens would work to highlight the warm colors of the wood tones. Accents of burnt orange would look great against the green.

I love the wood walls and I would paint both the gold and red walls a light color to contrast with the dark wood. Maybe a wheat or linen color and I like the idea of sage green too. I also agreee replacing the railing with a a more modern/bold wood and iron would be awesome!

I would consider painting the horizontal wood panels with a very pale turquoise, blue, or creamy sage green in a tone that complements the other colors. The railing could be painted too or replaced with an updated material and design.

Look at the HGTV Stowe househouse - it incorporates wood on the ceiling and walls.

I agree, the wood is more interesting than the painted colors. Definitely replace that dated railing. I also agree with painting more earth tones and forget the yellow and red except as accents and pops. Some portion of the ceiling could be painted or pickled. There seems to be a clutter of furniture and tables in the living room which don't match either scale or style.

Oh my goodness, I looked at these pics and wondered how they got in the advice column. The wood is GeOrGeOuS!!! If you absolutely have to break it up, I would recommend that the ceiling be painted white over the dining area, keeping the beams raw wood, as to create contrast. The wood is a keeper in my book.

rather than replacing the wood on ceiling perhaps think about painting out the dining set and cabinet (Maybe the kitchen cupboards too) so there aren't as many different wood tones going on...then the ceiling can be the highlight. definitely agree with a bigger and lower hung light fixture and replacing the railing (again that would take out that extra wood tone). You've got space with great potential....would love to see how it turns out!

I love the wood wall, ceiling and doors. They actually bring in an interesting note to this room. I would rather think of replacing the other wall colors with neutral colors (i.e beige, off white). The yellow is a hurting color to this room and the spanish bloody red does not compliment the nice wood. I would never use such strong colors in one room together. I would neutralize your furniture with off-white slip covers and simplify the furniture against the yellow wall. You can use colored pillows to create color splashes if you want.
The railing is very dated and I think the room should be hardwood floor, not carpet. Hang the fixture lower and add a floor lamp next to the yellow wall chair.

I tend to agree with Inkwitch in that wood dominates the space and your furnishings are out of scale and context. It seems that you may have lived in this space for a long time and your furniture and accents have been collected over a period of time without regard to their relationship to one another. My guess is the beautiful woods are what drew you to the house in the first place but have found living with them a bit overwhelming. I like the idea of lightening the stain of the wood --maybe even pickling it a light color giving it a driftwood effect. If nothing else, lighten up and neutralize the painted walls and ditch to turned-post railing replacing it with something more contemporary.

Wood is all about texture. Rather than fight it --maybe the key here is to run with it. Neutralize the colors and try adding some other textures like stacked stone as a wall accent and some touches of wrought iron maybe.

I love the wood walls and ceiling, but I would get rid of the oak rail that doesn't seem to go witht he richness/texture of the wood on the walls. I'd go with an black, wrought iron railing of simple design and a much larger iron chandelier. I like the sweeping red of the wavy wall, but think it looks too heavy being dark agains the dark furniture and kitchen cabinets. I'd also be inclined to paint the doors and trim- they look to dark and heavy in the wood walls. Any chance those are interior doors that you could swap out with glass doors- and bring in natural light from somewhere? (or, if they aren't solid panel doors, you can pry off the trim on one side, pop out the raised panel and pop in glass panels and reinstall the trim to secure the glass panes)

Two things to tackle first: The out dated railing and the light fixture over the dining table. The bar chairs in the kitchen could use an update as well. Tie all three of those things together with metal items in a black or pweter color. Make sure they are fussy looking , which means clean lines and no "cutsy" ruffles to them. As for the wooden walls: either stain them a light gray or a dark gray. Get rid of the china hutch and get a work of art, a very large work of art for that area. The walls in the living room need to be a light taupe or a pale gray. The gold color just isn't working. Go thru this area of your home and careful edit items. Remove the clutter and various chairs and tables that crowd this area.

I love the wood, but you have too much wood. I'd replace the existing wood handrail (which divides the rooms) with an iron type. A custom iron square gridded pattern made of re-bar would be great.

Replace the handrailing with built in low bookcases. Keep the wood...loose the furniture...lighten the palette of your furnishing...the house is great...really looks high end.

Echo "Love the wood".....and the wall colors are detracting from the beautiful colors in the wood. Maybe choosing a color from the sofa I see in the lower corner of the pic, something that would enhance the contrast between the painted walls and the wood walls and ceiling. I would carry the same wall color throughout so the focus will be on the strong shapes defined by the wood.

I love the wood too! If it is too overwhelming please do not remove all of it! I agree with earlier comment that the room would be most updated by removing the railing.

Leave the ceiling as it is, remove the railing - it divides the room. White-wash the wooden walls - you can still see the wood structure but it will appear much lighter and not so depresive. Your kitchen is soooo dark! Why not to white-wash it as well?

The wood is a wonderful and unusual design element! Plus, pulling it all down will cost you a mint! I agree with earlier comments about choosing a more neutral linen paint colourband relacing the wood railing with a clean lined and simlevrailing. I would choose a straight slat style and possibly paint it white. The lighting looks a little fluttery - I would choose a large drum pendant for over the dining room table , hung closervto the table and 3 clear glass pendants over the island. Your kitchen could use an update with taller cabinetry and I agree with the suggestion to paint the ceiling over the kitchen. Your couch is fighting with the style of the house. Choose a couch which is more square and a single, lighter colour. I like the brown chair in the corner, but the side table and book case are distracting. I would relace the book shelf with a single floor lamp. Best of luck!

I am not so sure the wood is the issue I like it. You have a great house it just needs some tweaking. Adding more contrast and pattern would make a big difference in the rooms. The colors you selected are different, but all of them are medium to deep rich colors red, deep gold and warm wood tones. You made brave color choices and now you need to take a few more bold steps. The addition of pops of very dark almost black colors similar to the doors and more white to break up the space and let the eye move around will liven the space.
Effective solutions would be to paint/stain the railing dark like the doors. I would change the sofa to a more clean lined style and not in a stripe, the stripe fights the vertical stripe lines of the railing. I would draw the eye up by adding substantial black iron curtain rods way above the windows ( a couple of feet) high enough so you could place a framed piece of art or decorative piece below them. Then have simple light colored panels hang down to the floor possibly in pattern. I would paint the china cabinet black to carry the dark contrast over to that side of the room. I would change the chandelier out to a large scale white painted branch chandelier similar to the one in the photo or an over-sized white or cream drum shade fixture. Hang it lower 30 to 36 inches above the table.

I also would add a patterned rug under the dining table that brought in more white and a pattern like these two west elm rugs. Last I would move the small clock from way above the door and replace it with a large round one
that was more in proportion with the wall space.

Like others, I would change out the wood railing completely. I would keep the wood walls and ceiling and paint the doors a high gloss orange. Orange = red + yellow. It provides a logical, color-wheel transition from your red space to your yellow space and (I think) would look so fun!

I wonder if the problem lies in the fact there is so much brown - not that the material is wood. We have a cabin with wood paneling in the living room on the walls and ceilings. We had the wood 'pickled' which makes the walls a light gray color while maintaining the texture of the wood. I'd look at pickling or bleached wood finish on the walls.

Have you considered white-washing, bleaching or pickling the wood? It would lighten it without losing the texture and character it adds. I'd lose the Spanish Red on the opposing wall and contrast the wood with a light neutral. Do a limestone tile on the floor that's more reflective and balances the wood better than the rug. Your wood walls would feel more like an architectural element and less like a distraction. Bring your tendency towards bold color in with a good area rug. It is absolutely gorgeous wood and so expensive to build into a new house. Don't get rid of it.

@ khoughton -
Is that pecky cypress in the second photo?
Love both those looks !

Yep, pickled pecky...

noooooo! Do not touch the wooden walls. They look actually pretty modern. I would paint the walls white, remove the railing altogether, introduce some more lighter minimal furniture and update the ceiling fan and lightfixtures. Good Luck!

Looking thru the comments my first reaction was Deep Teal, think of Carribean or Jamaican brightly colored prints. You have very strong warm & hot tones with no cool hues to balance the depth of colors. I disagree that the wood walls are enhancing the space & believe your statement that the wood on the walls detracts from the wood on the ceiling and beams. The ceiling needs to be defined as it's own plane and requires a definition at the break between the ceiling & the walls. We were working with a similar situation at a Contemporary Lake Front Property that had redwood walls and ceilings. Too much wood out of proportion and scale. Take the existing wood panelling off the walls carefully and reuse in another room of the house - a Home Office for a rich warm look, or behind the Master Bed Wall to add character. Move the wood where the ceilings are not wood and the contrast of the white ceilings with the wood wall panels will pop and enhance the beauty of the wood walls. Your spectacular wood ceiling in the Great Room will shine for the beauty it has once the wood wall panels are gone and it is allowed to be the jewel of space that it commands.

I would remove the old fashioned newal posts & banisters completely and seperate the spaces with furnishings, storage chests, sofa tables, benches with a planter at each side of the stairs for a more modern look - next time you replace the carpet!