It looks like pine. It'll stain differently than oak--and you'd have to strip it before re-staining, whatever wood it is.

I think I'd paint the woodwork if I didn't like it. A nice creamy white with a light sea green on the walls would be nice. I like the paint that's in there now, at least how it looks on my monitor. It plays surprisingly well with the wood!

I agree, paint all the woodwork white!

I'm so sorry you don't like it.

However, in your choices, you're liking what's the most popular right now, so you'll get some great advice here. Just know that your house will likely look the same as everyone else's. Depending on your point of view, that can be either good or not :)

So...paint the wood white, the walls agreeable gray or revere pewter and you'll be fine. I would keep the beadboard as it fits with your aesthetic.

Oh, ps...your topic is listed under "Polls" and I don't see one. Did you mean to include one?

I would remove, paint and on to next project. It's always going to look dated.

Nice spacious room Lori and Congrats on the "new to you home!" Looks like it gets a lot of light and for that reason, I would paint all the wood white. Use same shade of white you used on the walls but use satin or semi gloss on the wood. Wood has such a nice texture and looks great painted! Also, white is "in" but under certain conditions. All white rooms work if there's a great abundance of natural light in the room, otherwise, an all white room will look stark and sterile. Preparation is key. Wood must be cleaned first and possibly lightly sanded due to the stain prior to receiving a primer coat then top coat of paint. Ask you local paint experts. You could also choose to paint the walls a light grey (sorry, I know you just painted them white). Looks like the carpet and furniture are grey so match to them. You could then add accents of blue and green in pillows, lamps, art, etc...Color is very complicated and changes with light. I suggest purchasing small paint can samples first and paint a small area of wall to see how the color changes with light throughout the day. That way you aren't committing to the time and expense of painting an entire room with the wrong color choice. Hope this helps! Be sure and show us "After" pictures!

Thank you all for your input! on the Verticle blinds, they are actually charcoal grey vertical panels, not like the old plastic skinny white ones. The ceilings feel low, so i wanted to add some height to the room. I have actually already painted the green and removed all the curtains. I absolutely LOVE natural wood in homes. This honey oak doesnt look natural its super orange. and when i say everywhere i mean everywhere lol The space didnt feel fresh enough for me, although "comfortable" but im updating to be more modern, so yes im looking at the greys whites and maybe dark contrasts. ill up load a few more pictures. This is the photo from when it was listed 3 months ago, so even the furniture has changed.

I would paint the bottom part of your wall the same color as the white you painted the walls. As for the fireplace surround....how about a dark grey that matches your verticals or even a black/brown. Some pretty art over the fireplace instead of a mirror will look great.

You don't mention the floors. Are you retaining carpet throughout? I think the finish may be Honey Oak but the wood looks to be pine, and maybe knotty pine in some areas. The knots will have to be treated specially to retain paint or a new finish without bleeding through. If it were mine, I'd paint the walls Navajo White and the wood White Dove. If there are stairs I'd stain the hand rail black or dark chocolate, maybe the treads too and the risers White Dove.

I like deco's suggestion of Navajo White with White Dove. Ben Moore's Navajo White is nice...a little more appealing than Sherwin Wms' Navajo White IMO.

Your subject line cracked me up!

Quick note, though... that's "knotty pine," not honey oak. Do a quick google image search, and you'll see the difference.

If you hate it, I like the suggestion above to paint all the wood a creamy white, and go with either a subtle blue-green for the walls, or a light greige. I think if you try to stain it, you'll just make it worse.

With the dimensions and configuration of the room, I would probably take out the wainscoting. But I would keep the mantel unfinished.

More photos of the honey oak, there are 3 more floors with this atrium split. All base boards and trim are the honey oak. Im planning on using the java gel stain on the banisters. Its mainly the knotty line (thank you for the correction ) wood paneling in the living room I dont know what to do with. Is it dated? Or does it work as is. I'll post another pic of what I have done so far. The carpet will be replaced soon also. It's as old as the house.

I haven't invested in wall art yet, because I'm not sure what colors to add. I do have white wood blinds for the window. I wanted to brighten it up first. So I'll take ideas on wall art, and adding color. I feel like the mantel is way too big. That or the TV is lol but my boyfriend would argue that

The tv needs to be removed from above fireplace an on it's own unit.

The trim, railing and bannister don’t look bad at all. Don’t bother painting the wainscoting part. It should come off easily with some holes to spackle and paint. Unless they used liquid nails underneath. Then it’s a little more work to patch the wall.

Lol. What's funny is this is the first time I have been envious of wood trim. I think your house is gorgeous. It looks like it could lend nicely to a mid-century modern vibe. I would buy a gray and white shag rug, an arc lamp, and some colorful art and call it a day. On the other hand, the most important thing is that you are happy. I'm sure white trim will look nice too. Just a bit safe for my taste. Congrats on your purchase!

Don't get stuck on this issue. Paint it white and move on.

Here is a gorgeous house we recently did for a client. Maybe it will inspire you to keep the wood?

Once again a recommendation for this Houzz article about best paints for homes with wood trim--easier to paint a wall than all that trim. With the right wall color and furnishings, the honey color can be beautiful. Stay in the warm tones for your furnishings.

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/11-terrific-paint-color-matches-for-wood-details-stsetivw-vs~9025200