Dinning room , living room, foyer,foyer ceiling.

Some of the furniture I'm moving to this home

Wow.. This room almost looks Bavarian ...how unique (unless you are in Bavaria?)in which case I would consider keeping the valance and if you wish ...to preserve the quirky little bits like the pass through..it also looks like it adjoins the kitchen?...if so this has huge potential as a breakfast room..do you want to modernize?...to the extent of opening it up more to the adjoining rooms?...these new views confirm the paint idea as the ceilings are really too low and the room is a little small for dark wood and a serious chandelier...this does ..however .. Point to the broader need to update and have an overall plan...just painting may not be enough to reach the potential this room offers...

The ceiling really are not that low,just looks like that in the pictures, I'm not interested in tearing down walls,I just want to make it as good as it can be with the footprint as is. I want to lighten it up,the ceiling in the foyer has these quirky white squares that I don't like so that ceiling will be in the white family for sure.

After a look at the last two photo groups this looks like a match made in heaven for you...the other rooms look good to go and your furniture should be perfect ...if you are remodeling the kitchen and it adjoins the "wood"room a perfect update would be to open them into one bigger more inviting space...since the kitchen really is the heart of the home..would love to see where you go with this...

Swinging door from dinning room to this kitchen

Beautiful house! Curious what the white squares are made of? Could they be painted / stained, even slightly different?

Yes I'm thinking the furniture I have now will work well

I can't really remember about the white squares,but the wood is not as nice on the foyer ceiling

I would leave the ceiling as is, and instead of painting the wall panneling I would look for a gorgeous wallpaper or cloth to cover the squares and leave the molding as is. If you want to go back to wood later, it would be easier. I would do some wild paper n there, as the wood will mute it down.
What a gorgeous house!

The wallpaper is a good idea to, but wouldn't the glue wreck the wood? I'm eager to get in there and start transforming it

I get in there next month..it needs a very good cleaning first

This is the fireplace in living room...I'm thinking bringing it across the whole wall

The cove is lighted on a dimmer switch

everdebz...I am totally surprised at your tacit reply : " I am not commenting on your housekeeping habits," which followed my comment. All photos are prior to OP's owning the property. I have never criticized anyone in that manner.

I did not take it as a criticism ... I'm sorry if u thought that..I appreciate all comments

Your comment encouraged me to put more pics up along with furniture pics I am bringing to this home

Your comment encouraged me to put more pictures up, as well as the furniture I have to bring to his house...I totally agreed with what you said

For JudyG - actually I was searching photos while you posted. I didn't read yours before my post. I didn't know and so I couldn't imply anything about yours. I am sorry if there's a hurt feeling. -- Deb

This looks like a classic Craftsman home. I would leave the ceiling alone and investigate what is under the wall paneling. Even painted, the tiny panels and trim make the walls look way too busy.
A classic treatment t in the Craftsman dining room is open 3/4 panels with much larger wood trim. I think this room deserves a great chanelier, and your white dining set will look stunning.

There are ways to use starch as a glue that could be later removed. Definitely much easier than paint!

Whoa ...this house just keeps on giving...now I REALLY love the valances...and the fireplace!...and is that an inlaid mosaic on the floor...in front of the fireplace?..soooo happy you are not making changes ..tho I do see the kitchen is upgraded....that was probably a must do ...altho I would have loved to see the original...as to the comment on adding to the fireplace...can't imagine what you could do to make it better...and the downside could be that any change would not mesh or may even detract from it...

I am beginning to look at this home like a shrine...any changes in the unusual and distinctive features may be a travesty...and altho I love the paint idea in the wood room...without being there I am less certain that is a good idea...wish there was some way to lighten it with out paint..especially if the wood is a better quality than it appears in the pictures...maybe a quality paint store may have some ideas to offer with all the new product out there these days...your furniture suggests you may be a painter yourself perhaps a wash of color could be done?

If you haven't done this...I would do some research on the history of this home...there may be some interesting stories to tell

If you like the wallpaper idea ...grass cloth would go with the vibe...and not distract from the personality of the home...and if the tiny moulding could be removed and replaced after the papering it would be much easier..your plan of a thorough cleaning may reveal the condition of the wood better...it was recommended to me to clean wood like this with one part apple cider vinegar and three parts water...since we are thinking of painting our antique cabinet kitchen this takes all the layers of wax etc to get down to real wood surface

Loved these for 16 years..ready for a fresh look

My first thought was , don't paint the ceiling! Then I saw from your pictures of your furnishings that you like painted wood and I thought it would be pretty painted. I found this picture Many others popped up when I entered white moldings , garden room.

Here is another. These made me think of your white painted dining furniture and your side board.

Wow, what a beautiful kitchen , I understand not painting them, it's always a very big decision. Thank you for all your comments. You sound like me the first time I saw the house. Looked at it two weeks ago, I knew I had to have it.

ritasj the kitchen comment was for u

Jinnman12...love those pics, that's exactly what I was thinking of, I love that light look

Cant go wrong with Farrow and Ball

ritaj...This is the ceiling in one of the bedrooms. It's a very different house.

everdebz, thank you for your private note to me and the one above. I definitely misunderstood your comment and I apologize to you, as well. It just didn't sound like you at all, so I took it to heart.

Often words do not translate well off the keyboard. xxxooo

What a treasure...each new pic boggles my mind as to who and what inspired all these incredible details...at this point even the things that you may want to change say....wait...be sure...this may all make more sense as you live with it...definitely all the obvious additions are changeable and these things can be where you inject your own personality...the light fixtures for instance like in the last pic...and wall colors could be influenced by the painted furniture that goes in each room...a very pale version on the walls could lock those things into the mix if you wish to add color..

I would use a good wood cleaner to see what that wood really looks like. I would bet it has layers of smoke on it. Then I would move in and live with it for awhile. I am biased against painting wood because it is so hard to strip to go back. When you see your furniture in there, and live in it for awhile, I think you will figure out what you want. I love the wood, however!

I generally don't appreciate old homes as much as I should (all I see is maintenance needed!) but gsquared, this one has so much magic! I'm really happy for you for snagging it!

@Judy thank you for that xo.

This is the outside of the house

Very intriguing...this would make me more driven to research the history of this unique home...also curious if there is anything else in your area like this?...if this was a design created by the original builder?...can't remember if you posted a date for when this home was built?...if there was a prominent foreign culture in your area at one time?absolutely love the carport!

It looks like a house that could have had some gingerbread detail at one time?...even with the sort of Asian looking arches..

Think a different color on the siding would be something to think about

what colour do u think for the exterior

how do u research a house?

What a treasure box of a home. Beautiful, unique ceilings. I am a slow mover, would live in the house awhile before making major changes such as painting paneling. See how the light plays in your rooms, how your painted furniture relates to the wood tones. I love painted wood, but with your house, . . . hmmm.

I would not touch the ceiling. It is beauriful. I would do the walls a beighy white & bring color in a oorint on the chair seats & draperies.

I was thinking I would definitely do the walls, the room is way to dark for me.. I agree to living the ceiling ....maybe :-)

As to exterior color I looked at Houzz photos "houses with dark brick trim" and "Bavarian houses with dark brick" to try to get some examples shaped like your house...there were lots of options there but so many looked gloomy...the point is to try to make the strong brick statement soften a little...the one color that appealed to me was a warm sort of goldenish cream...the arch trim could be a slightly darker shade..or white to go with the windows....take a look at the photos...there was one really great one with the gingerbread details....as to how to research a house ...why not try posting this as a separate dilemma..using a couple of your pics

As to painting the wood room...I sort off feel it is an all or nothing choice...and if you feel it is too dark(I agree) the earlier pic of pale yellow with white ceiling is really dreamy...it takes a very staid...stuffy...dark room to a delightful bright ...while not losing the impact of the gorgeous woodwork details

I agree ritasj, it's all or nothing, I did not paint the woodwork in the house I have now,but it was a constant fight in my head...this one I want open and airy ...