well, obviously paint is one way.

The other way is to leave it as is.

if you want it lighter, paint it with white, or whatever color you like.

Prime it with oil based white primer, then paint. plenty of how to's online for , "how to paint pine paneling".

http://housebyholly.blogspot.com/2012/11/to-paint-knotty-pine-or-not-paint.html

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/knotty-to-nice-painted-wood-paneling-lightens-a-room-s-look-stsetivw-vs~15039759

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2493690/help-how-do-i-paint-over-polyurethaned-knotty-pine

https://www.home-dzine.co.za/decorating/decorating-painting-knotty-pine.htm

Thank you Beth H.! I see that you painted the knots first with a brush - Did you use a roller for putting on the rest of the primer and paint. If so, what kind of roller?

this isn't mine. just posting pics of before/after.

did you click on the link? the first one? should be a how -to in there for you.

pine knots bleed. so those have to be primed. some use BIN Shellac. others use Zinsser oil base primer.

get a painters brush, (nylon is fine) and paint the grooves first. Then you can use a roller or a sprayer for the rest.

what kind of roller? have you never painted? They have 'naps' on the roller according to the surface you're painting. you'd want a smooth-semi smooth roller nap. Try not to use the cheapest brand (it will leave fuzz in the paint and just doesn't roll out as well). Wash them with soap water after your'e done for the day.

For the oil base primer, get a diff brush. you will need mineral spirits to clean up on that one.

I added a few more links above, plus check out this one. tells you how to prime/paint

https://cabindiy.com/how-to/paint-wood-paneling/

or, check out this one

https://inmyownstyle.com/how-to-paint-wood-paneling-from-the-1970s.html

If you don't feel like painting, large artworks can work

The Game Room · More Info

i think this is a nice treatment to cover wood paneling with paint

Carrier and Company: Positively Chic Interiors · More Info

and I also think this is successful

My Houzz: 1970s-Inspired Bohemian Style in East Nashville · More Info

and simplest of all

Lakehouse · More Info

Lightening up the paneling with white or cream (or a light color your daughter likes) will make the house seem bigger. Then put up artwork and photos that make her happy.

You might consider leaving the longer interior wall -- opposite the windows -- as is for an accent wall but go ahead and paint the other walls all the same color.

Definitely consider painting it. We had paneling painted in a previous home and I simply loved the results. It looked much like the Before and After in Beth's last photo. It really opened up the room. Our paneling wasn't pine, and we didn't have the knots. However, I know the painter had to do some kind of special prepping/treatment before painting it. In our case we used Benjamin Moore's Swiss Coffee that worked great with that particular space.

In addition to prepping the knots, you might need to clean all of it first with TSP (tri-sodium phosphate,) rinse, let dry, lightly sand, then prime knots and wood with 2 coats of KILZ or Zinzer before painting with two coats of color.

If you paint this pine you need to use a shellac based primer. I would probably do a couple coats especially on the knots so they won’t bleed through. As this is nice wide board & bead panel it would look very nice painted as the profile is would look lovely.

Be sure to let your primer fully CURE before doing the next coat. Usually that is 24 hours. Otherwise you can still get bleed through of the the tannins in the pine, and particularly the knots. I’d hit those knots with 2 coats, fully cured between coats for best results.

We had a handyman remove similar pine panelling from a bedroom wall. There was drywall behind it. He did a good job filling and sanding the small holes left behind and the wall looks perfect.

There was also a Houzz thread awhile ago where a fully-panelled room was going to be used as a baby girl's nursery for a few years, then reverting to an office for her dad. They left the panelling and just added lots of feminine white fabrics and rugs. It looked good. Quilts on the wall would be a nice alternative to large art pieces too. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5892063/how-can-i-make-this-cedar-office-in-to-a-nursery-without-paint

I am dealing with this in a place I am now in escrow for. It's 1978 faux wood paneling in damn near every room in. the house. I hate it. I was googling if it was possible to get rid of paneling, and it is but it's expensive, so I decided to see if one can put drywall over it, filling in the ridges between the panels--and it is! So that's what I am going to do. I'll then paint or wallpaper the dry wall.

There USED to be a special papery liner that could be hung like wallpaper to smooth out paneling and bumpy walls. Hang the paper and then paint the newly smooth walls any colour you like. It's called wall liner. Sold in 22"? wide white sheets. This is NOT paintable wallpaper.

Here is article about using paintable wallpaper:

https://supernovaadventures.com/2017/02/using-paintable-wallpaper-to-cover-wood-paneling/

I believe they used this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000T896KI/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

There are other things you can do, though, as far as hanging art, various lighting, including plug in wall sconces. Drapery panels. Upholstered wall panels are also an option.

And the wood could actually be a nice thing, a nice feature.

It depends on what you'd like to do and what your daughter is most comfortable with, of course.

And just to add - this link that I posted above, in my first post, is for a wall liner:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000T896KI/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

You would have to read the article in my post to see exactly how they covered wall paneling, and whether they painted directly over this liner or added some paintable wallpaper on top of it. I think they were able to just paint over this liner, but I only quickly skimmed the article. Either way, I think my preference would be to just decorate around the wood. It's easier, plus I like the wood; not to mention, all things wood are en vogue these days. But this wall smoothing paper, etc. is a nice option to have, if you decide you'd prefer covering wood.

If the panelling in the other rooms just has thin spaces between the boards, you can fill it in and sand it smooth. My SIL did this and it turned out nice but it is a lot of work. I know other people have put thin drywall over. My parents just painted it and left the lines. It looks good too. You don't need to do the same thing in every room.