Haven't read the entire thread, but having lived in a room fairly similar, I'd paint that wood without a second thought. It will look great. I live with ceiling that are barely 81 inches tall. The very idea of painting them a darker colour gives me the screaming - meemee's ! Could be a little claustrophobia speaking, but I think I'd find it lovely to LOOK at the room and impossible to BE in the room. Love the whitewash idea, and as Christina says, "It's not a crime, and it is reversible."

I believe that you bought the home understanding and respecting its history and will make it a lively and vibrant home for your young family. I looked at your Cali pictures and could see your love of color and modern perspective. If you decide to leave the wood as is, you can compliment the color with blues and aquas with coral accents, and if you decide to paint there are no limitations. Enjoy the home and make it right for your family. There are many examples of painted and non-painted wood in historical homes and there really is no absolute right or wrong.

Somehow this photo didn't post for me before:
http://houzz.com/photos/2093927

Under the "info" for this photo they explain how the whitewash was done.

I want to second Christina's comment about the varnish. I used to think I hated oak furniture, until I saw lacquered, not varnished oak. Varnish does add an odd color to wood - some woods it changes what is a pretty natural color into an ugly one. Also, oiling wood can make a big difference; when it is all dry it is not attractive. Lemon oil you can find at your grocery store.

I also think the white is not a warm enough color to go with wood. I think if you try some colors until you find one that works to complement the wood it would make it feel more integrated.

white actually goes with any colors or wood :) Do a search on wood and painted cabinets, you should come up with this link. https://www.houzz.com/magazine/your-kitchen-mix-wood-and-painted-finishes-stsetivw-vs~159008

now that makes more sense, you came from San Diego and now living in West Chester, country area :) I grew up in the county near West Chester, but now live 2 counties over further East near the Delaware River. Living in a country home takes some getting used to. You'll love the area, close to the country, yet not far from city like towns and great places for a family to tour like Valley Forge, Longwood Gardens, and so much more :)

I didn't even notice you were in West Chester, I was just there last night. We lived there for a year, such a great town! Definitely go to Longwood if you haven't already. :)

I would do a wash in a color of your choosing/

Pure Home, I was thinking the same thing.....white wash. You still get the benefit of seeing the wood grain. It just brings it down a notch.

After looking at the other photos it seems the house has a mix of painted wood- I think a white wash would enhance the hardware and still give you the rustic look- I would paint the floor lighter as well-

I absolutely love your new home. Whatever you do I know it will be beautiful & reveal that you have a warm, loving family

I doubt that wood is original with the house, and it's an attempt at making something new look old and distressed, which I personally detest. It's really up to whether you like orange stained wood and rustic effect hardware or not. Personally, I don't think a closet should be the feature of the room! I'd rip out, and build a proper closet with drywall and doors that match all the other doors in the house, then make a feature wall elsewhere e.g. behind the bed with an accent color/paneling. I'm saying this because I did the exact same thing in my house with wooden closets which I hated personally. best of luck x

Such a charming room! Since the wood floors are already painted I would re-paint those a lighter color first. And try adding some color to those white walls to tone down the contrast - I think a greenish khaki would be nice or if you get enough light a rich navy would be beautiful.

PAINT THE CEILING AND WALL ONE COLOR AND WOODEN PANEL POLISHED WITH MELAMINE MATT. OR PU FINISHED.

I'd paint that orange wood in a heartbeat...either give it the look of aged, exposed barn wood (which is generally taupey gray) or just paint it out white. You'll still have the texture of the wood without that overbearing orange wall. It will also expand the room. That wall is too imposing for such a small space and crates an oppressive atmosphere. I know a lot of people think wood is sacrosanct but I think the texture is the hero, not the color of the wood or the stain. Paint or a white "wash" is a great equalizer and will give the room an updated aesthetic.

I think leave the wonderful wood closet. As others have said paint the ceiling , change the coverlet to a nice quilt and I would change the carpets to white with patterned spread. also move the boxes by the closet. keep the room minimal. I also think the bed is too big for the room. a nice full bed would be better. although I know we people like our big beds. A nice period lamp with bedside table would be nice also.

Give the ceiling and walls some attention. Also, do something about
that bed. I wouldn't touch the paneling! It's priceless!

Don't forget the window.

Bleach the wood on the cabinets. Too much orange in the wood as it is. Then paint the wood floors a lighter color to compliment the new lighter tone of cabinets. Possibly a painted diamond pattern on the floor?

People are so hung up on not painting wood. To me, wood is meant to be painted. If you don't like it, change it. I'm not a fan of so much wood, especially knotty pine. I like someone's idea to whitewash it, or, maybe you can use milk paint to keep the farmhouse feel. I think a bright white would just give you the opposite problem, from too much dark to too much light. Maybe a color a shade or 2 darker than the walls, and a pretty stencil on the doors even a little darker, and white "porcelain" knobs. Or even just paint the doors white, with the darker color on the frame, same stencil, same hardware. I would then paint the chair to match, and add a cushion to coordinate with your bedding.

White wash the wood. Run rug so it is under bed 4 ft at foot. May have to get a bigger rug. For that.

I think the deciding factor is: how old is that wall? If it is 1960's or later, I wouldn't mind seeing it whitewashed or painted. But if it's older than that... even if not original to the house... I think I would leave it. I live in Maine with so many gorgeous old farmhouses, and it's so sad to see people erasing the past in their efforts to "update" and have the latest new look. If you look at what's hot right now in interior design -just walk by the Pottery Barn store in your local mall!- you'll see tons of new furniture and accessories that LOOK like they are old and distressed. If your home already has real, actual, honest, authentic charming details, things that convey the use, love, and handcraftedness that Pottery Barn is trying to fake, by all means don't obliterate it!

There's no way to cut a tray in? I like the wood closet getting painted white, HIGH GLOSS, That will separate it from the walls & ceiling. How about a bank of windows along the wall? The room is actually attractive, seems somewhat long. :) Other than that....a fabulous artist to paint a 3-D sky above that open up to heaven!!!

If YOU do not like all the wood then, wash it down, prime and paint it... it is your home and no one else can really make that call... Here are a couple of images that may help you fine a direction for your room. Also, find a rug that fits the room, instead of using multiple rugs...

Whitewash the walls, I find them too jarring to look at.

Small changes, big effect:

I have been reading all the comments. I think the fact that you ask, is a clear indication the wall feels heavy to you and perhaps a little dreary? I am conflicted myself at times about whether to preserve or update. My feeling, as a female, would be that the women in history would tell us to stop worrying about an era and freshen it up. I think they would tell us they would do the same if they could. Go with your gut instinct that was cause for you to ask originally. If this was a cabin that was visited sporadically, I'd say, leave it alone. Leave it all alone. But this is your everyday living and you need it to inspire you and reflect who you are not who they were. It doesn't have to look like a museum. I might visit a museum and enjoy that but don't need to live like that. Anyway, it's not like the wall is coming down. It can be updated and stay original at the same time. You won't ruin it if you paint it or white wash it. Big chore I know but if the next buyer wants it original, let 'em knock themselves out and strip it and restain it. ,

Avoid painting the wood wall. Either soften it with a lighter weathered gray semi-transparent stain or darken it with a deep mocha brown stain with a glossy overcoat. Lightening the wall will help it to blend and become a subtle textural accent or a darker stain will allow the wall to be a modern accent wall that demands attention.

Is the inside the same orangy stain? What happens if you sand down some of the inside (testpatch) thoroughly? (use a machine or cut off a small slice with a sharp knife) When the varnish/stain is gone, wet the wood a little, do you like the color you see? This is the color it will be when done in a clear coat. Looking at the picture it might be 'medium brown' pine underneath. Staining it darker (charcoal-ish) will also calm it down without losing the farmhouse look.

Stain it with a transparent stain. The old orangey finish is ugly. It would be beautiful in a white-washed or light gray transparent stain but not a solid stain. The only way I would use paint would be with glaze on top of it to accentuate the grain and the knots in the wood. If you try to paint it with a solid color paint then it will still show the imperfections in the wood and look like painted wall paneling (not pretty), so it would be best to accentuate the grain with glaze. A dark red color stain with bronze glaze would look nice too. I am a fan of bright white ceilings because I like the reflective light they give off. Paint the trim molding a couple shades lighter than the walls. And paint the attic acces the same color as the ceiling so as to not draw attention to it.

The room doesn't look comfy because the bed looks like it's just stuck in there. I would get rid of the wall hanging above the bed and add a bedhead. Move the stacked crates & lamp up beside the bed where they will be more useful. Add an informal curtain to the window & use a matching brightly patterned bedspread. Remove the floor rugs if you do this, as the room will look to busy otherwise. Paint the chair a colour to match the bedspread & curtain. Tone down the colour of the wardrobe doors with a whitewash or lighter stain, as the orange colour really dominates the room.

Clean & sand & then a pickled whitewash in satin finish. Beauty of the wood can still shine through without overtaking this small space . Also for the ceilings ... sounds crazy , but if you have a window , paint the ceilings an ultramarine blue , like a purplish dark night sky & whenever you look out the window , you room appears to merge with the outdoors ... especially on a starlit night !

Not to Paint.

Don't paint it!

I agree with starr93 Don't paint it. Get a patchwk quilt that has red in it and large art on the wood wall. Make it light colored art. A huge metal sign...or white painted old metal scrolled gate. but big. at least 3 ft by 3 ft. Black iron work lamp and a large art to replace the little carpet at head of bead wall. I like the carpets with the wood!

I would never in a million years paint that wall. I think it's beautiful and so unique!!

There's even another option. I know that Minwax makes stains in colors, like blue, green, etc. You can still see the grain of the wood-even the knot holes, but the wood is tinted a color. I think they even have a plum color! So, it would be possible to have it stripped, and then you could stain it in whatever color you decide on. The stain does come in red-actually, I'd call it a barn red. If you do decide to paint, bleach, stain-and so on, I hope that you will keep the hardware, as that would help to maintain the rustic, farm "feel."
Also, I promise I don't work for Minwax. ")
Last, but not least, I hate to feel like I'm the Chicken Little of lead paint and varnish out here, but they did put lead in varnish back forty/fifty years ago, and going by the looks of the wall, it does look like very old varnish. So, if you have it stripped, please have a professional do it-and take the little ones away from the house so they won't be exposed to it, as kids are the ones that lead is supposed to have the most adverse effect on. At that point, then if you or your husband wan to DYI, then it shouldn't be hazardous to your or your family's health.
Hope you post the results when you decide.

I am a fan of living in a house before making major changes. You may go to a lot of work stripping, staining or painting and then realize you should have just ripped it out and done what Thomas Wakeman suggested. It is nothing like your style, but your style may evolve after you leave CA and get the feel for living in the country. I agree that it is probably not original to the home, but was added much later, and really not done all that well. So, maybe you should try living with it for a month or so and see which of these interesting ideas feels best to you then? Good luck. I'm sure you'll have fun making this house a home.

I think doing them in a bleached grey wood effect would be gorgeous.

I agree that you need a headboard to balance the room. it feels a bit oppressive because there is nothing on the opposite side visually to tie it down....and make the whole room cohere.

I vote for not painting the wood. I am usually all for getting rid of dark woodwork- but yours is interesting, so leave as is. There are some good ideas here for what to do- like painting ceiling and walls to balance out the room, headboard etc.

I vote for selling the house. If you don't like the irreplaceable features of a vintage home, find something that suits your taste! Or remove the wood and store it away for future owners who appreciate the home's original character.

I think the contrast of white cover on the bed and dark wood is to stark. Perhaps strip the wood and stain a more contemporary dark color and color the walls taupe with a turquoise bed cover to add some feeling of bright without being white.

I am far from being an expert. I would suggest changing the hardware and painting the wood perhaps a creamy white colour.
I think the wood although it is nice creates a very heavy look to your room. Be careful with the painting as you want all the door to close smoothly. Have fun with it.

I think it would be nice with a fresh finish on it but if you must color it, sand it and then wash it with transparent color so that the grain and knots show through.

A transparent color (I.e. whitewash?) would retain character/texture of wood that is so attractive.

Most of the time I would vote for painting wood that looks dated. In this cased the authenticity is beautiful. It does appear as if it needs to be cleaned. It is a great focal point for the room and gives it a very homey vibe.

The wood is beautiful but the overall look is overwhelming. What about painting the room a color to reduce the contrast, soften the look and make the room envelope rather than overwhelm? It's certainly worth the price of a can of paint and it wouldn't destroy the natural beauty of the wood.

If You want to make it lighter, milk paint it. Thin out white paint with milk paint a small stripe and wipe off. The grain of the wood comes thru just a bit lighter. Our whole house on the first level was this wood, yet with milk paint.

The wood looks heavily antiqued. It is hard to get a heavily antiqued finish painted so that it doesn't look like an idiot painted it. The nooks and crannies tent to get filled in with paint and then drip, ruining the beauty of the whole thing. White washing, as recommended by others above, is much easier and looks great.