Good choice to remove popcorn ceiling, definitely paint walls much lighter! Please don't do contrast trim and walls, that's so last century! Lighten up the space, live in it a while, then decide your next step! Good luck!

Your ideabook has some similar photos to what I would suggest: a combination of solid white (or off-white) panels and whitewashed or pickled trim, or visa-versa with whitewash panels and solid trim; the ceiling beams could be left the darker color. You'd get a more textured look.

I never say to paint wood but I can't see any redeeming value in that paneling. I would paint it.

Paint it. And paint the beams.

Yes, you should paint it. I would wait paint the walls and leave the beams and see if you like the look; if not...then you paint the beams.

I agree with carolyngarland

50's came back in style
60's came back in style
Will the 70's?

To paint the paneling, clean with TSP (tri-sodium phosphate,) rinse, let dry, lightly sand, tack off sanding dust, prime with 1-2 coats of KILZ or Zinzer, paint your color. I would do all of it the same for a less choppy feeling. If, then, you feel the beams are weighing down the room, paint them to match the ceiling. Do you know what is behind the bulkheads? You can pick up a $20 tool at Lowes that can detect any electrical field coming from wiring behind it. Is there ducting there or plumbing? The panels came in a standard length, and they probably didn't reach the ceiling, so this may have been their idea for spanning the gap between paneling and ceiling. If you find electric there, you may be able to add LED can lights for a nice effect, washing the walls and highlighting art. Unless you're going with white, paint color should be based on your fabrics and textiles, and is usually chosen last in a decorating project.

John, the 70 s are back.

Thanks everyone. Well, I think I am going with a white. I just like the look of paneling painted white. And, I figure, I can always change it down the line, right? I have no idea what's in the bulk heads. They aren't hollow-but our inspector and the contractor that did our ceilings weren't sure. They don't necessarily bother me, however we may look into removing them later on. We have a lot of projects at the moment in this house and a 2 year old. If I could just brighten up the space, that would go a long way, I think.

The white paint will look great! My sister did it in a very similar room. Be sure to follow decoenthusiast's instructions!!! All those steps will make a huge difference in how it turns out.

I'm thinking a light stone color would tie nicely into the stone colors.

Ok, I have started choosing whites for this room. Anyone have a particular white you love? I don't want it too stark. The room is south facing, but w Tons of shade. Thoughts? Considering behr snowy pine. Painted swatches but the all looked the same to me!

Paint the swatches on a white poster board, and look at them slightly sideways. It will help you see the differences. Once you've chosen one or two, then paint them on your paneling, because it will look different on a textured surface also.

I can help with the lighting and wall color. Lighting: Flattering for most people is a large wall sconce or table lamp in each corner at chest height. Some people treat lighting as an after thought, but it's a really important issue in a room for ambiance and warmth. Wall colors: White Flour SW7102, Cotton White SW7104, Westhighland White SW7566, Roman Column SW7562. Some stores can give you a similar color in a different brand. If you Google those colors, you can get an idea of the different whites and their hues and shades.

I'm working on a room similar to yours. I chose SW Eider White for trim and SW Accessible Beige for walls. Sherwin Williams starts a 40% off sale on July 15. Currently they are 30% off and there's a $10 coupon on their site. Hope this helps.

Just a quick update, for anyone who might be curious how this turned out! I kept the side beams and am going to live with them briefly and see what I think. Excuse the mess!! I primed with two coats of Killz oil based, after cleaning the walls with tsp substitute. After priming, we did two coats of paint. And that's the rest of the story!

Looks great!! Thank you so much for updating!!

it looks wonderful. my paint brush is itching to do the beams at the top of the walls, they make the ceiling feel low as the trim feels like a continuation of the walls. your paint brush is allowed its own opinion....

I did not hate it before but this is very nice. Room seems larger now. Good work!

nnigrt -- I'm slightly regretting not getting those beams on the first pass, but I was so unsure! So I decided to see how it looked...but I suspect paint is in the future!

Do a uniform light coloured paint job, INCLUDING THE BEAMS.

Paint it all the same color. I'd definitely consider removing the beams eventually, after checking to see if they were used to run anything wires, etc., through.

I've actually just posted update of what I did.