Your title caught my eye because I'm dealing with the same issue.

While I can't give any advice on the decorating here is some info on posting pictures. If you search the entire site you'll find lots of help on the subject.

Here's a photo of the golden oak wall paneling my DH doesn't want me to touch.

You'll need to open a Photobucket account first. I transfer the photos to my computer and then upload them to Photobucket. I then resize to Large (640x480), copy the HTML code and paste it into my message. There is a Test forum on this site you can play with, too.

Jennifer

Here is a link that might be useful: Using photobucket to upload pics

Wow, the Photobucket preset Large is bigger than I remember! I should have suggested manually editing and resizing to 470x353. This is in-between Photobuckets Large and Medium.

Here is a link that might be useful: Test Forum

Thanks Jennifer, Here are my pics - remember these are the before pictures. http://s1191.photobucket.com/albums/z468/musicteacher1/?albumview=slideshow
The yellow and blue rooms look much brighter than they are and there is only a little of the color visible with the five doors in the kitchen, wood cabinets on most of the walls, etc. My den,not shown, has the half paneling like yours, but yours looks in much better shape.
Yes, the built in bookcases and desk are in the "formal" living room. It is going to get even browner when the wood floors come in. Open for any and all suggestions. Thanks!

Here is a link that might be useful: pics of my living areas

I would say paint the built-ins white.

I think you might be surprised. I think the wood floors will actually lighten your rooms instead of darkening. I think the green rug is absorbing light while wood, even tho dark, might reflect it instead. Wait till install to make any changes. I hope we can see pics than too.

If after the wood is in and you still feel it is to dark maybe remove your darker bond books from the shelves and add vibrant colored pottery or a collection of white ceramics. A few light pillows and throws would help too.

You have some very lovely pieces:)

Dealing with the same problem here too girls, My living room is also paneled and no matter what I add, or take away ,it is too dark for my liking and also depressing for me. Husband refuses to let me paint it. He likes it.

All your pieces are pretty but yes, very dark. The black piano, dark rug, dark sofa, etc. I agree the hardwood floors might actually brighten it up. Anything you could paint a cream color would help, the built-ins or the brick fireplace, etc but I understand if your husband is against that then you'll just have to do it in other ways.

Definitely get lighter, brighter throw pillows, maybe a light afghan and large bright paintings for the walls. A large bright vase to set my the hearth? Mantel decorations in something bright? I'd pick a color that ties in with the rest of your house and bring it into the living room in this type of accessory pieces and mix it in with the dark wherever possible.

Thanks everyone. I need to get out of the mindset that decorating means finding a place for the things I already own, to what would look best there...? Maybe I could find lighter things for the shelves. Even thought about lining the backs of them with light fabric or paper. So the big mirror above the fireplace was supposed to reflect the skylight but instead - the brown walls. What could I put up there since it is such a focal point, that would look fresh but not glaringly out of place? I looked some at Home Goods and Kirklands for something that was NOt another painting, and just found earth colored metal things.
I could make off white slip covers for the couches. (I have almost recuperated from the SUMMER I spent re-upholstering a couch and two chairs.) I had never though about bringing in a little of the blue and/or yellow. Might be kind of fun. You guys are giving me great ideas. Keep them coming. I even appreciate those of you who just say you are keeping the wood for your husband's sake. Mine doesn't normally have any opinion about decorating, (not even the rosebud bedspread), but he feels so strongly about the wood, I just don't want to cause that kind of rift in my marriage....

I was hesitant to suggest an entirely new color scheme, given the color of the sofa. But if you're open to slipcovering it, how about bringing in a blue color, so that the room complements the colors in your dining room? Using a mix of navy and lighter blues would complement the wood paneling, and also relate back to the other rooms. I also think blue would feel less 'heavy' than the burgundy. A new area rug would be ideal, but if there's blue in your oriental you could still use it.

The french blue curtain panel linked at the end of this message has the color combination that I was thinking of. If your sofa were a medium or dark blue, you could have lighter accent pillows (or vice versa). I'd also suggest thinning out some of the books and small decorative pieces on the shelves (can you put them anywhere else in the house?), and bringing in some vases/pottery in a lighter color family (blue patterns on a white background if you want a traditional look, or even solid cream or lt blue items if you're not wedded to a pure traditionalist style). A smaller # of larger scale items on the shelves will look less busy, and may also help to lighten the room's look.

Finally--and I don't know how this would look with stained wood built-ins (I've only seen it done with painted shelves)---have you considered adding a light colored background to the inside of the built in bookcases? I.e., paint or upholster a piece of foamboard that's cut to the size of the shelves, and stick that in the back, so that the back wall of the built-in looks painted (vs. wood). It would be tedious, but would not involve paint.

Enjoy the process!

Here is a link that might be useful: french blue & chocolate panel

Here's a link to a blog post that shows the technique I mentioned for bookcases (would not suggest a print with a room full of built-ins, but the same idea would work with a solid).

Here is a link that might be useful: bookcase makeover