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Knotty Pine Cottage Interior - What would you do inside this place?

5 years ago

Recently bought a cottage (lighthouse - hence the shape) with wooden interior and some older finishing. I’d love to get the communities take on what we should do with the style throughout. Maintain the wood aesthetic or paint over it ?

Comments (26)

  • 5 years ago

    Also open to any recos on the kitchen:

  • 5 years ago

    Oh no, don’t paint it. I know it’s a lot, but enjoy the beauty of the wood.

  • 5 years ago

    Charming as can be! Definitely no paint.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Since absolutely everything is wood, you could paint over a lot of it and still have a mainly wood-look interior. I am personally not a fan of the 100% wood look.

    What are you planning for the floor - is there wood under the wall to wall carpet? Remove the window ruffles and let the light in.

  • 5 years ago

    @partim thanks! Plan to eventually take up the carpet and hope for hardwood underneath.

  • 5 years ago

    Why did they think they needed to put the wood EVERYWHERE and put some at an angle🤦🏼‍♀️. Paint it.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Oh my goodness! I certainly would not paint the walls, trim, doors, stairway or ceiling!

    However, I WOULD have painted kitchen cabinets (maybe a color other than white) and flooring other than wood. Tile or carpet. Or if you uncover real hardwood floors, get some nice thick area rugs.

    And a kitchen countertop that is not wood-like.

  • 5 years ago

    Is your question just asking whether to paint the wood or not OR paint the wood or not and decorating the rest of it?

  • 5 years ago

    What a cool house! What is your style? Where are you located? Is the furniture in the photos yours or from the listing? I do think the finish on that wood is a bit dated. Could you refinish everything to be lighter? Alternatively, you could whitewash the walls so the wood grain is still there, but that would brighten everything up. If you do that, I'd leave the ceilings alone. Or keep it, like in the second photo below. They decorated with lots of white to brighten things up.





  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    What's the history with the lighthouse/cottage? Will this be your full time residence or a vacation home? Is the location snowy and windy part of the year?

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    what an amazing unique place.

    no I wouldn't paint. If I would-then something small..maybe a door or two..then whom I'm kidding..probably wouldn't paint them too)) But it might look great. just not white paint..I'd pick other colors

    does kitchen cabinetry stay? And flooring there? I must say I really like that glass block peninsula-and I usually don't like glass block, at all.

    So many cool features. I would love to know the history of the place as well.

    I'd decorate totally different though. Too many wood/bamboo/rattan in furniture right now-so less of that. Play with shapes. Less visible wood. Other materials/finishes introduced.

    More colors. Or at least more textures if going more monochromatic/analogous. Lots of art. Bold art-but art is very personal of course.

    Different curtains(if needed at all)

    Love that bell.

    Congratulations, what a wonderful home.

  • 5 years ago

    A lighthouse?! How cool! Please post a photo of the exterior.

  • 5 years ago

    So unique. Keep it authentic like it is. It is a lighthouse, after all. Dont make it something it isnt, and ruin all its character. Very nice.

  • 5 years ago

    Thanks for all the great advice folks!

    This will be a summer home / cottage. We plan to rent it out as a short term rental as well.

    @Stiley - Love the styles here. Especially #1. The furniture came with the house. We will like refurnish and keep whatever seems decent enough to maintain. We thought about painting over the wood on the furniture.

    @tedbixby - lol - asking if we should paint the walls / ceiling. But also curious about decorating...

    Seems like subtle trim / door paint as a good starting place for the lighthouse.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I wouldn't paint it as if it is going to be a short term rental as well, I think the charm of it is all the wood and you don't seem to mind it, otherwise you would have gone ahead and done so. It really comes down to having the right furnishings to off-set all that wood. A few years back a person had a dilemma on how she hated all the orange wood in the log home they just purchased. They were going to use as a short term rental plus her family using it at times and didn't know what to do. I suggested we address the furniture and furnishings 1st and after that was all done,then go from there regarding the logs. No painting of walls except the drywall already in place and it is now a 5 star VRBO rental.

    A couple of photos of the main area. She has no further issue with all the wood...


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  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    So what are you looking to change in the kitchen? That's one area that I think you need to really focus on as that is the 1st impression when walking into you lovely lighthouse and what will help you ask for more $$'s. Do you have a budget to gut it? As now would be the time to do this.

    As far as the furniture. Start with doing an inventory of what you like and then determine if it is comfortable and practical for yourselves and guest and how many guest it would accommodate. Like your dining table only has 4 seats. Will that number reflect the number of guest that will be able to stay in your place? If you can let's say sleep 10 you want to be able to seat closer to that number at the table. Looks like there are only 4 possible seats where the TV is. You want to optimize the space for renting. If you live in a 2nd home area, you may find good finds on Craigslist and Face Book Market Place which will help with your budget.

    Ross Simmonds thanked tedbixby1981
  • PRO
    5 years ago

    Painting over knotty pine would be challenging. I wouldn’t paint it. I would lighten the flooring and the furniture. Just doing that will make s huge difference.

    Ross Simmonds thanked SJS Interiors
  • 5 years ago

    I’m usually a proponent of painting or whitewashing knotty pine, but yours is lovely and very much in character with your house. I would recommend changing the upholstered furniture to pieces that aren’t rattan or wood framed, and perhaps a change to a floor that isn’t wall to wall carpeting. A slate floor with beautiful area rugs would be beautiful but pricey. The first priority should be the kitchen.

  • 5 years ago

    I would not paint the walls at all. They have a charm about them even if there is wood everywhere.

    Maybe work on the kitchen area and remove the cabinet above the bar.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    For your kitchen, maybe a color on the cabinets. Will you keep the existing cabinets or replace? I love the brass accents in there, like the bars around the peninsula. I'd take the two-tier counter down to one and move one of those brass bars to the foot area. Isn't that where they're usually used? Or maybe on boats they have them as grab bars? I haven't spent any time on a boat. :) Anyway, I think you could do a nautical feel in there, but without being overtly "theme-y." Blue and white, brass accents. Open shelving can be nice in a rental because renters can easily see where glasses and dishes are. Although if not used a ton, everything would have to be dusted.










    Ross Simmonds thanked stiley
  • 5 years ago

    Your lighthouse is totally unique so definitely keep the wood walls. The floor definitely needs upgrading. If you find a wood floor underneath, you can whitewash it or, if it's good wood, keep it and add scattered rugs to lighten the look.

    If you don't want to gut the kitchen, at least consider a new countertop so you can remove that "extra height" piece and extend the counter to have seating on the other side. New hardware will also dress it up.

    You definitely need a bigger dining table for the reasons @tedbixby1981 mentioned. Carefully consider each piece of furniture. If it is in good condition can you just reupholster? Bring in lighter, happy colors if you buy new furniture.

    Ross Simmonds thanked RedRyder
  • 5 years ago

    I saw an episode of Dream Home Makeover I think it was, and they used a watered down white on the ceilings. You could still tell it was wood, just helped alleviate a bit of the SO much wood-look. Don’t get me wrong, I love wood, just tossing it out for an idea.

    Ross Simmonds thanked Midwest (4b IA)
  • 5 years ago

    I just scanned quickly through all your responses...so if I am repeating previous advice, forgive me....you need more lighting in the house and more color ( not so much navy blue) .Confer with lighting designers or educate yourself on the variety of light bulbs available .

    Ross Simmonds thanked threers
  • 4 years ago

    I agree Too unique and special wonderful to cover that wood with paint Embrace the mood and the charm . I agree with white furniture and lots of great lighting . Large Modern artwork in white frames . With the art you can add color here or go black and white . Light rugs on wood floors with lots of nubby texture . Brass hardware throughout with clean , contemporary lines . It is really beautiful and it is wonderful that it is not cookie cutter .

  • 4 years ago

    @RT, can you update us on the lighthouse?

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