For me, it depends on what color you're wanting to paint the walls & ceiling. I like the barn red wainscotting, but I think you're limited to light beiges/tans for the walls. I'f you're wanting to venture out and doing something different on the walls, then I would say change the wainscotting to something more neutral.

I love, love love it the way it is. Sorry I'm no help at all. I don't think I'd like red wainscoting with a different colored wall. I think the wainscoting would look good a different color with the walls staying off white, or white wainscoting, colored walls, but not both.

What you have coordinates so nicely with your flooring.

I love it the way it is as well. Have you looked at Sara Richardson's farmhouse. She used almost the same red, maybe a little less of it but it still gives it that bit of warmth your kitchen has. I am sure whatever you do it will be charming.

Why are you repainting?
I love it as is. But, I do understand repainting. Do you
just need a change? Something different?

If you must change it, because you need a change, why
not go all out and change the red to a light color.
And then something different for the walls.

~boxer
(who ususally hangs out in kitchens, too nervous to
venture out)

I love your kitchen! It's almost exactly what I have pictured for us (if we had the space), except that my imagination didn't picture all that beautiful woodwork. Can't remember the last time I saw an actual real kitchen table and chairs in the center of the room. It says "home"!

I would keep the colors as they are. The barn red wood adds so much character to the room and accents its warmth and coziness. And, as gmp3 notes, it looks perfect with your flooring. Why change perfect?

I would paint the lot of it a warm cream, then experiment with colors on the wall that complement the rest of your rooms, furniture, etc. I like the color red you have, but it has overpowered everything else--- it is the only memorable thing about the pictures. Even though I saw a lot of beautiful decorative elements (sink, floors, farmhouse architecture,etc) none of that registers like the red color. I think painting it will let the other features play their part in the overall decor. Love your kitchen!

Love your kitchen. If you must repaint the trim, you could paint it another color, but not the same cream as the walls. Part of the charm of your kitchen is the contrast between the cream and trim colors. Your ceilings are high enough to carry the two colors.

A vote to paint it all just one color -- antique white!

Then add accent colors with artworks, fabrics (maybe add a skirt under the wonderful long sink in green or black-and-white check/gingham fabric)

I like it the way it is, but I am detecting from your post that you are desiring a change but are unsure if you will be happy with a change.

I also think teacats idea about painting it antique white and using accessories for punches of color is an excellent idea! That would be a lot of work, but in the long run would give you more versatility to change things up.

I think it has a lot of character. It may be a bit limiting to the addition of other colors, but that's what strong character does.

The combinations aren't perfect but I wanted to illustrate that you could go with a number of tints of actual color:

Clockwise: a pale purple tint, warm gray, blue, Joa's white, green and a very pale tint of the barn red itself.

I am partial to a pale green but the right pale blue could look awesome.
{{gwi:1598241}}

I tend to agree with kswl ... paint it cream or the same color as the free standing cabinet and choose a color for the walls ... maybe a green or blue. With only northern light it would be nice to have something that brightened the room.

I like your current colors. Cream would be boring IMHO.

What about a light greenish neutral Khaki for the walls?

Wow! Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I left to go wash all the salt off the car and came back to all of your replies. To answer many of you, I don't dislike the color, in fact most days I still love it. But I sometimes wonder if it could be better? Does that make sense?

msrose, I had thought that if I painted the wainscot a cream then perhaps a soft/light yellow on the walls?

gmp3, you sound like me. It's not really that I dislike the color. In fact I am very torn about changing the colors. But the room does need painting, especially the walls. So if I'm going to change, now would be the time.

caminnc, yes I have seen some of Sara Richard's renovations. Part of me worries that if I change the barn red out for a light color, I might be disappointed with less color/warmth?

boxer, I often lurk on the kitchen forum and have read many of your posts. You have a way of finding just the right pictures when someone is looking for a certain "look". The walls really need painting as they have not been painted for over 10 years and this is the year! The wainscot not so much. Part of my indecision is that the room feels dark, partly because the ceiling is painted a fairly dark green. If I stay with the same basic colors and paint the ceiling out lighter that alone might make a big difference.

sable_ca, we love our center kitchen table. It is the place we most often end up sitting, even when company stops by. Yes, the kitchen does feel warm and homey and that is a major concern I have about changing the colors.

kswl, I have been considering painting the wainscot a cream color, like our other woodwork, and then adding a light color to the walls. But that leads to another question. The cupboards we have in the kitchen are painted the cream color as well. Would the cupboards then fade into the wainscot? There is a corner cupboard over by the sink as well as a possum belly bakers table under the window. All are painted cream. I would be moving from a lot of contrast to almost no contrast. Not quite sure if that is the direction I want to go...

suero, another thought I had was to paint the wainscot a green and then perhaps a pale yellow for the walls.

teacats, I fear that all cream would leave me feeling color deprived! :-) Originally I had thought to add a skirt to the sink, but as I display old crocks under there, I never got around to doing the skirt(I keep my potatoes, onions and cat food in the crocks)

nutmegxo, many of the antiques I display in the kitchen now will not be replaced. Therefore what is there is pretty much what will remain. However, fabrics such as tablecloth, curtains, and rugs could easily be changed.

palimpsest, funny you should mention green...my favorite color! I had thought about changing the wainscot to green but perhaps it would cool the room too much with the northern light? I do love how warm the room seems now and do not want to loose that. I had not thought about a pale green for the walls, and leaving the wainscot as is. Definitely will have to give that more thought. Thank you for the visuals, it really does help.

natal, as said above my only concern is that if green will cool the room?

rosesstink, I guess cream could make it boring compared to what it is now, hadn't thought of it quite that way.

Keep the ideas/thoughts coming. All are greatly appreciated and will be thoroughly considered.

mary_lu, I love your kitchen! On my monitor, the walls look cream--probably look darker (tan/beige) IRL, but I think cream would work for wall color, leaving the wainscoting and trim barn red. To me, tan evokes more of an 'American primitive' style, with cream looking fresher and brighter, pulling it into the decades that I think of as 'vintage'--1900-1950. I'll put a plug in here for my 'Adobe White', warmer than white, but a couple of shades lighter (and brighter) than the cream that it replaced. Sorry if this is no help.

personally, i am rediscovering the versatility of wallpaper...even a feature wall.
or, how about stenciling a border or any pattern you find attractive?
(you have lovely taste, btw.)

I just love your home! It is so warm and homey, and the style is right up my alley. I have been looking at Joa's White by Farrow and Ball and agree with Palimpsest that that would look good with your red trim. It is a warm white with red undertones and I think it would do well in your north facing room. Good luck.

How pretty! For me, I would paint the ceiling white. With such a unique space, I would highly recommend you looking into decorating with wallpaper. I think that it will add more charm than paint!

Here is a link that might be useful: Wallpaper

Just jumping on to say I lover your kitchen & laundry! So much character!! I also really love the red!