Hello Joy Bermel,

Love the ceiling!!

Question for you, how married are you to the cedar on the walls? I'm asking because the design styles of the two cedars are dynamically different. The ceiling will work with a more rustic, weathered look due to its plank appearance. But the wall cedar has an almost art deco styling to it and I think if you white wash it, it will pull even more in that direction.

What if you removed it, then created new picture molding detail boxes that would allow you to add the wallpaper? And what wallpaper pattern did you choose?

Karen

Hi there! I will add another photo to help you see that removing the cedar on the walls will be extensive. What if I paint it antique white to go with the gray whitewash on the ceiling．

View from my kitchen

Hi, from your kitchen I see a lot of white. My suggestion would be, whitewash the ceiling, and remove the chair rail. Add a silvery shinny wall paper or just paint to the panels . Add color with contrasting paint to the wooden chairs and colorful seat cushions. Use a glitter silver hanging pendent light over the table. I can see it in my mind. So clean and sparkling and shuttle neuvo . it's just paint. Be bold. Glendah

I agree with pennydesign. I'd leave it and embrace it. I think it's warm and unusual (in a good way). What wallpaper have you chosen?

a non-waxed shellac will keep knots from bleeding through. As for the other part, you should give it a light sanding and clean very well with a tsp (rinse well before painting). plenty of tutorials on pinterest for how to whitewash/or paint pine paneling. take a look at some of the ideas.

Really? Leave it? Doesn’t look dark and out dated?

It doesn't look dated at all. And it looks like it doesn't get a lot of natural light, yes? So don't fight it... make it a cocoon-ish room. Personally, I love dark rooms. Not dreary, but dark! Your kitchen looks brighter which makes for a nice contrast.

I think I'd see if you can add sheetrock to the ceiling, then paint it a lighter color and leave the walls. The walls are really beautiful and I think with a less rustic and light colored ceiling would be stunning.

I also think I'd skip the wallpaper...another busy element is likely to be even more too much. I'd try to paint those panels a color close to the cedar walls, then hang some great art on some of them (the upper ones) and ignore the lower ones (if painted close to the cedar color so they kind of disappear).

I was thinking painting the cedar off white and putting a gray white wash on the ceiling

I think it has a lot of charm and is a refreshing departure from the "crowd-sourced" design style we see so much of. The wood actually echoes some of the tan veining in your counter tops. It's a unique feature I wouldn't be so quick to eschew.

I would remove the chair rail, as recommend above, but leave it as is for the most part. I'd find a modern stone top dining table to pair with some plush upholstered dining chairs, add a oil rubbed bronze chandelier with crystals, an area rug and sit down for some good eating!

I think you can do everything in your inspiration pictures, Joy - just in the reverse. Instead of white walls with patterned wall paper you can do natural walls with white furnishings. Maybe add your prints and patterns on the upholstery.

Here's a mock-up of the chair railing removed and a new chandelier. Just imagine how special and romantic this room could be.

I think you should clean the room out, make the necessary repairs and then re-assess.

Painting/whitewashing the ceiling will not remove the heavy feeling in this room. I might look into having that sheet rocked and leaving the wall trim. I do like the vision w/o the chair rail Manon provided. There is quite a juxtaposition with your kitchen I understand why you are itching to make them more similar. Given the wood is cedar and that refinishing it will not be a quick fix perhaps waiting until you are ready for a larger remodel is wise. Your inspiration pictures have windows. Perhaps a window or skylight is needed.

Is it possible that this was once a screened in porch that was later made into a dining room? It has that look to me where the plain panels on the walls could have been screened areas, since there are now no windows in the room. That may be why it's so different from the kitchen and has the cedar ceiling. Just curious!

I love the dining room pic that you've posed with the Asian wallpaper and wainscot below, but you'd have to demo what you have now and put up Sheetrock to get that effect. In the process, I bet you'd uncover some former window areas.

I really like it with the chair rail removed.

Grey Heron pointed out the art deco feel. That would be a cool direction to go in for your table.

I do think wallpaper would have to be very simple. If you want something like the toile/wainscoting example you have above, I don’t think the walls would work in their current state,

Do YOU like the wood and want to keep it, or not? Don’t worry about it looking “dated;” just decide if you like it or not.

I would try to work with it. I would look for a wallpaper with a distinct pattern on the roll rather than an overall pattern so it would be framed by the cedar paneling.

This is one of those things. Technically it's dated and it's not something someone would build now. But it's interesting and the walls are well done for what they are.

Not every room needs to be white. Dark or dramatic is fine, especially for a dining room. Think of a restaurant. What's lit up and bright? McDonald's. What's darker and quietly lit? Fine dining or a pub.

That said, if you really don't want to work with it...it's a gut. There's no disguising it with white paint.

Not a Pro.

I would keep as is! I love the uniqueness of it.

Keep the dining room furniture light to compliment your kitchen. I would buy art for those empty boxes on the wall. Light beautiful art. No wall paper. You eventually will hate it.

Some inspiration:

Dining Room · More Info

A collection of art deco motifs... you could make each panel one design of some of these or whatever style you like.

Probably a little much for you, heh heh, but here’s one:

Or keep the walls plain and echo the pattern on the walls with something like this rug:

The consensus seems to be to leave it and work with it as is. My husband will be very happy because he seems to be right...again I think I will paint the walls and put a grey wash on the ceiling, leave the wood and wallpaper the panels. I like the look of the railing removed (thanks Manon) and I think mirrors would be an interesting alternative to the paper. Thank you everyone for the amazing ideas. I will post when done

I would not wallpaper the panels...that's not the direction to go in.

Why gray on the ceiling? Do you want to go the way of shiplap/Gaines/every house in America??

Don't make me come over there....

:)

Yes pennydesign... come on over