Usually I'm the first person to say paint paneling, but this IS gorgeous stuff. Instead, I would capitalize on the room being "moderately dark" and warm it. Select as large a rug as the room can absorb to give it a cozy feel. It could be plain, white shag, oriental, whatever you like. Then choose warm tones - a rich red rather than your cool blue pictured. Select a large painting for over the mantel with some warm colors in it rather than the cold mirror. The one area I think you could change is to pickle the brick/lime wash .

Agree, no chalk paint.

Chalk paint does not work well for wall. Seal the wood and then prime and paint. But I think the wood is gorgeous and would leave it the way it is.

Well, you only live once. If this is your forever home and you have already lived with this for 5 years not being your preference, then I would paint it. Use the good quality paint and enjoy it. I do think the wall would look great white;)

Cute doggie!

I agree 100% with Beth H.! No chalk!

Benjamin Moore Advance is what I recommend for this application. Just go for it :-).

I would love to see after pics...please share :-).

I would paint the paneling cream and the mantle white (also white for all the room trim)

What would happen if you just painted the mantle but not the wall? I wonder. That paneling is nice, it wouldn't be what I would want, either, but it is nice. I'd call it a classic look.

I would have the first coat on tonight..lll

Not your average paneling....this is soooo nice and lends a library feel to the room. And while I never suggest to paint fireplace mantels, I am now. I would say to paint just that and leave the walls and the brick. I might even suggest to take down the art on the paneling and leave just the art on the mantel instead. It is a pretty big contrast on the wood right now.

Going back to the mantel.....look at the reflection in the mirror. Is that what you want reflected? Add art instead of a mirror. Art will add the color you are craving in this space. I like how you have layered the items, though.

What if you just paint the upper inside panels white and the brick. That would create a kind of wood wainscoting affect and brighten without painting all the wood. There is another thread with a similar dilemma. I will get the name of it and you can see what painted wood can do for your space...in a great way. Be back.

It is "Painting Wainscot ...need help with colors, etc.". Donna Hagood. Really nice transformation. Check it out.

I love stained hardwoods. I have much oak in my house. If that were my house & someone mentioned paint, I'd set up a 50-cal. machinegun & have several belts of ammo. If anyone w/ a paint bucket got w/i 10' of it, I'd hold the trigger until the barrel melted. Other than that, I'm more or less ambivalent about oak. Of the "do something" suggestions, I like Beth H's best. From your pic, it's not the darkness of the stain, but the tone or hue. It's too yellow by my eye. The surround brick needs serious help. Color not compatible w/ existing stain. Maybe a light marble like Calacatta, or go other way w/ darker, more vibrant color w/ rich veining. A statement surround will draw eye from expanse of wall. Once you paint the oak, it's almost impossible to go back w/ the details in it. Think twice.

Most of us are over the oak Bruce! But I'll wear my flack jacket if I see you coming! lol

I'll never be over the rich character of the grain in oak. My wife wanted subtler grain in K cabs, so we have maple there.

No such thing as a forever home, if you are mentioning levels.

Don't let anyone talk you out of painting it all! I am telling you it will be stunning! The transformation will be amazing and you will feel like you are in a new space....

I would leave the painting to a professional. Why not try redecorating the room first. Wall units, books a beautiful carpet. What do you use the room for? I see a great study!

The oak might be quality wood, but it looks extremely dated. A good paint job could turn it into something amazing.

I love the paneling. The fireplace just blends into the wall and floor. It looks a little drab. I would focus on the fireplace. Paint out the mantel and replace the brick. A colorful rug will also break up all the wood color.

I don't buy into this "dated" thing. I think it's a manufactured fad to sell more. Men's wide ties & lapels get dated, then 5 yrs. later they're the season's hot look. A couple yrs. ago brass was dated. Now it's experiencing a resurgence. Do what's tasteful & suits your tastes. If you feel something must be done, address FP surround & hearth. That brick color goes w/ nothing in room. If that's not enough, seal then paint the mantel & pedestals. If that's not enough paint the over-mantel. But painting quality clear (no knots) oak is like dressing Cleopatra in a potato sack to go marry Caesar.

Weeeelllllll..... She did wear a floor rug at one stage!

Well, I'm the fourth generation woodworker here, though it's really my brother who should be responding.

The oak paneling here is probably 80s or 90s, and therefore, oak faced plywood. What does that mean? If you paint it, you will never be able to bring it back to its original wood glory, so think long and hard before you pick up that brush.

Have you thought about some other colors? That chair kills me with the oak. No offense. Tough to work with a wall you don't love, and colors you do.Is this your forever home?

This is my mantel project from 2013. The back panels are the oak veneer plywood OliviaG55 described above. She's right about not being able to "unpaint" & return to stained wood.

If I were you I would absolutely paint it. Seal it first as others have said and then paint it. I can't find the 'exact look' I'm envisioning but I'd go white on the fireplace/mantle and then white and a contrasting off-white or color on the trim. It'll look great and blend the old with the new. Good luck!

IrishHorizon, here's a stab at something. I tried to strike a balance betw. the desecrators & the preservationists. :-) I didn't go ultra white on the panels, but this color may be too pink. The marble is Rain Forest. I took some yellow out of the oak and made it a reddish-brown

No matter how you cut it, painted woodwork screams "paint grade" woodwork. I would keep the woodwork (an elegant design feature) and paint the walls a soft color that blends with the wood, rather than the white which is a harsh contrast and bears no relation to the major feature in the room.

Again..paint it all and leave the brick..I think you might like it once the surrounding are lighten up! I would not do a pure white but a soft white or cream..nothing to yellow...whom ever lived there customized for themselves now it is your turn to make it your own...:)