Suggest painting the walls and ceilings white instead. They will provide more lightening power than the woodwork Also add more light fixtures. Beautiful home. Enjoy!

That is beautiful woodwork. I suggest you paint the walls a brighter white, but know that if you paint the woodwork either you will want it back natural if you live there long enough for that to be back in style, or the next owner will have to spend months DIYing it, or a lot of money to get it back to natural. No doubt there will be people who disagree with me, but I find it so frustrating when people obliterate the character of beautiful old homes. Just my opinion.

I live in a Tudor built in 1922 and know the battle with dark, but please, PLEASE do not paint this woodwork. While not technically a crime, it would be heartbreaking. I’d look to interior design (bright fabrics, lighting, etc.) to lighten up the room, but I’d never paint that in a million years. And I know, at least in my neighborhood, that your neighbors would be judging the beejeebus out of you if you did. 😂

Start by changing all lighting to 3500-4000K LEDs to add pure daylight to your rooms. I'd also light up the interior of the glass cabinet and any others you have. I might also increase the size of the sconces flanking the fireplace.IMO, it would be fine if you added some lighting since you don't show us much of your light sources. If it still isn't bright enough, pick a warmer whiter paint for the walls, NOT the woodwork. Love the inglenook; please post more pix so we can enjoy your lovely home.

There is nothing dark about the photo you posted. There’s plenty of daylight streaming in. You seem to be one of those people brainwashed into thinking that stained wood=dark. Everything must be white, white white!

Stain brings out the beauty of the wood grain. The intricate moldings, built in cabinets, and built in bench beside the firesplace…the craftmanship in your house is stunning. It would be absolutely criminal to paint that gorgeous woodwork.

I know , absolute everyone says not to panit it . However they are all living in homes filled with light. I love the wood work and the character of it all . Yet living in it is another story . We have a dog and lots of family . White or almost white furniture will not work. I was once on the same team ,saying the same things about old homes but now that I’m living it in , I tell u it’s depressing. It’s not about what is trending . It’s about how it makes u feel . All the walls and ceiling are plaster it will be a expensive to try to add Lighting, it’s a hard decision. I agree with all the comments but thinking they just don’t know just how dark it is . We recently moved in
I’ll give it some time maybe , it will be a Miracle but May I can get use of it . Thanks for the input .

One of the reasons why DH and I would never buy an old Victorian, Tudor or Craftsman house. We would want to paint all the wood and it wouldn't be the right thing to do for that type of house. I couldn't live with all that med/dark stained wood, so we just stayed away from that type of house. Anything from the 1970s on up is fair game!

It would cost you a fortune to replicate that level of trim these days, if you can find the materials and more importantly, the skilled labor to do it.

What attracted you to the house when you first saw it?

My favorite interior ever. No matter what I do in my house I can never achieve this. You have a similar beautiful feature and you want to paint it to look like every other builder grade home interior. lol

Craftsman Family Home | Ocean Park · More Info

is that your furniture?

if you brought in a creamy area rug, painted the ceiling a bright white, redid the walls in a softer white, or soft blue, and did brighter bulbs, you might be fine.

bring in as much light as you can. if the outside has overgrown shrubs, trim them. Bright white ceiling paint!

That is some beautiful woodwork. normally i'm in the paint group, but that particular molding is really beautiufl. ANd, to get that replicated today would be well over 50K dollars.

if the brighter ceiling and rug don't work, perhaps you could just start w/the baseboard molding or crown molding. see if that helps.

Ok ok ok , let me say the picture was Photoshop for the sites that show homes for realtors ,it is much darker . They had to bring in big photography lighting for the pictures to show as shown online . The home was already Strip of all historical detail only the woodwork left standing . I was hoping for friendly advice, I’m not a hater just trying to fix a design dilemma.
This is to ( freedomplace1) and( darbuka) . To suggest I need to move , if u want to buy it let me know . What world do u live in. Let’s keep it nice please.

Owner of a 1916 house here with lots of natural woodwork (no inglenook though) that is a similar tone to yours. I spent more than a year stripping the white paint from all our quartersawn oak box beams on the first floor and stripping the modern "blonding" that was done in the 50s to built in buffet and all the rest of the woodwork. DO NOT ruin this house for posterity by painting the woodwork.

As far as adding lighting, it is the same process to add lighting that is used in houses with sheetrock. The patching process, is different and a bit more difficult with plaster walls. But, adding lights is certainly doable. Buy more floor and table lamps if you want more light.

These are some of the darkest days of the year. Do you think that could be adding to your thoughts that it is a depressing house to live in?

This is what I see. There is no focal point so you see the wood trim, wood floors, wood furniture etc. Even your fireplace is NOT the focal point yet it should be. Everything is white/beige and wood so naturally your wood stands out. Even your soft bluish cushions can not compete with the wood trim and floors. I feel you need to make that fireplace SING with some beautiful period patterned tile. Then bring out patterned cushions, a gorgeous patterned rug etc. I feel if you do this you will not see the wood so much and love the room.

I live in a Victorian house built in 1896 with amazing woodwork, that is a twin. I have windows on only 1 side of my house and the house faces southwest, so I get little sunlight. I understand living in a dark house with stained woodwork. I feel your pain! I too have pets and children- so no white sofas for me as well :)

Living in a house with plaster and lath walls has its own special headaches, so you are right- adding lights is not an easy task. However, it can be done and would be worth it in this case. Lamps will be your friend, put them all over and put them on a smart plug or get the smart bulbs and have them come on when you wake up and leave them on all day if you are home. This has been a huge help for making it seem not so dark in my house. Use mirrors to help bounce light around inside as well.

I have always viewed myself as a caretaker of the home and my job is to make enhancements to the home that don't take away from the original character. Modernize the wiring, put in insulation, add a/c in an unobtrusive way, create updated bathroom/kitchen, but keep the spirit/soul of the house intact. Please, Please don't paint the woodwork.

I love old homes. Love this picture. please show us more pictures of your home. what style is it?

i definitely would not paint it.

You’d be tanking the value of the home by destroying its original elements that add so much appeal. It would be vandalism and destruction of a historic property. Your are a mere caretaker to preserve a residence like that. You don’t own it.

If you hate it, sell it and move. You do not burn it ‘s character to the ground by trying to make it into a gawdawful 90’s tract house. Go buy one of those.

Huh? Nowhere in my post did I suggest you move! Please show me where I expressed that idea. I pointed out the uniqueness and beauty of the woodwork. In what way was I mean, or not nice?

Btw, you never said that was a photoshopped photo, until your last post. How were we to know?

Verbo,,",It would be vandalism and destruction of a historic property. Your are a mere caretaker to preserve a residence like that. You don’t own it."

While I get your point, you're being extremely overdramatic. It's not vandalism. it's her property. Destruction? it's paint, not a bulldozer. She does own the residence and she can do whatever she wants with it. (and it will never look like a gawdawful 90's tract home. But thanks for insulting 1/2 of america.)

Good heavens people. It's not as if Lincoln lived in this home or it's the last Tudor on the planet! It's 100 year old wood trim that was probably done by hand. Yes, it's beautiful craftsmanship but it's not the last of its kind.

She asked for opinions, not scolding, judgemental floggings.

That being said, its getting harder and harder to find and preserve older homes w/original character. they are almost non-existant where I live. you're lucky. the few that we have in LA come w/2 million dollar pricetags.

it's up to you what you want to do. try better lighting, painting the ceiling, and furniture that is lighter and brighter. and maybe wait till summer when it's not so dull outside.

Ok ok ok . Let me 1st address the comment about the times in which we live . U are correct . But we must occupy and keep living our lives until victory comes. Just saying . We love the house . Lots of work to do . Kitchen renovation , bath Reno and so on. To all those that are telling me to sell and move on ,if u want buy it I’m willing to sell it to u . Okay.thanks for the brilliant solution of Selling, that really helps. It’s just a poll for ideas. In the end we most likely will not panit the old girl .
I’ll be back and post before and after . Thanks to all .

The OP has received some good suggestions for painting the walls, adding lighting, adding focal points, and other very good suggestions. I would add different window treatments than the pictured blinds which are blocking light, and also, this is January, with short dark days, and she may feel differently in May so should not do anything right now.

She has not responded to any of the suggestions, though she said she was hoping for friendly advice - which she received. My conclusion from her responses is that she came to this forum looking for validation to paint the woodwork--nothing else besides that. There is no point in continuing to respond to @Beverly Adams. There are other posters on this forum who are actually wanting ideas and solutions to their problems that we should be spending our time on.

M Miller that not true at all . I have responded and I have given thanks for the many ideas , and I thank u for your suggestions.

It's much easier to paint than to 'un' paint. Try one room first and live with that for a while before you change everything.

True

Thanks Beth H.
I appreciate your support.😊

Our first home was a craftsman bungalow and our current is a Tudor. In both homes we have not touched/ painted any of the original woodwork. Our first home did get dark at times, in large part due to she deep shade of the trees surrounding it, but honestly the craftsman style made it feel cozy in the winter and cooler in the summer. How lucky you are to own such a large and grand craftsman home with so much original detail/character. We almost added on to our craftsman to add an inglenook like the one you have. When we bought our current home, the nice original woodwork really only remained in the main floor living/dining rooms, which we’re alright with as that’s where the nicer wood/craftsmanship exists. From the looks of just the picture you posted, I would guess you own a rather large home. So the in addition to the suggestions already made here, another would be to consider repurposing other areas of the home (where the details aren’t as ‘fine’) and making those bright airy living spaces instead. Then you have the best of both worlds and can continue preserving the original beauty of your main living areas for future generations.

@beth thank you for being a voice of reason and reality. OP - it's a challenging decision. Good luck.

I would not paint that wood. I twinge a bit that other rooms have already been painted prior to your purchase.

I would lighten up the room. That white furniture is light, but heavy. You could try for some more modern style stick furniture with paddings in bright and light colors instead of heavy to the floor furniture. Light rugs and nice window dressings. Paint the walls something fresher. You could probably find some battery operated with remote lights to perch up on those wood protrusions.

You can probably take down current lighting if it's older- store it away for later owners if they want to restore. Replace it with more modern lighting.

The hall is a bit of a doozy. I love it and would leave it, but understand it can be a bit overwhelming for some folks. You can do a fix without painting if you really can't stand it. Make chipboard panels that fit into the recesses, and you can paint or paper them however you like. Use tiny tack nails sparingly and discreetly to attach them.

I just noticed this pic

That's a lot of wood. remove the console/sideboard. I think in here, you could prob paint the wainscot (OMG!) or, try white on the try surround and the baseboards.

The hallway wall panel done like this would be gorgoues and light with a nice runner and some art.

don't know if redoing the floors are on the ticket, but the overly orange red tones do NOT contribute anything to the look.

Stripping down the wall panels is a huge undertaking.

maybe try white on the ceilings/wall, and bring in a nice bright floor runner.

I love the other room that is white and blue. what a beautiful home.

Thank u

"this is January, with short dark days"

Yeah. OP, I think you said you recently moved in, so you've only been in the home in the winter. I don't know where you live, but where I am is snow everywhere and clouds. My home is 1990s with big bright windows with glaring white drywall. But nevertheless I'd not make any painting decisions or any decor decisions at this time of year with this kind of light (or lack thereof). Wait on all this for a couple of months.

I think the woodwork is spectacular, and not only would I hate to see it covered up, but you will need one helluva painter with "mad skills" to paint it. It will cost a LOT. I'd rather have the wood, and make up for any lack of light with painting the walls that don't have wood, upholstery choices (they make upholstery now that is for outdoor furniture but is used inside and is impervious to children and animals), good lighting, no venetian blinds, and other changes.

The wood is lovely!! I would not paint it.

Thank u , I will wait a bit .Kitchen renovation 1 st . By that time I should know which way to go . Like I said most likely I won’t Panit them old girl . Just asking for ideas and lot of opinions . lol

Oh man, I feel for you. I have thought more than once about how grateful I am the woodwork in my house is already painted so I don't have to contemplate this decision. Your woodwork is absolutely beautiful, but I understand that it's hard to live with the darkness and the dour feel it can impart. I just put a lot of lighting in my old, plaster-walled house and while the patching afterward is serious, it absolutely can be done and makes a real difference at night.

In addition to lighting, I wonder if there is a solution that involves painting a few strategic pieces of woodwork to lighten the feel of the room without sacrificing the beauty of, say, that leaded glass cabinet or the beam/doorway? FWIW, a friend's very old, very beautiful house has some painted paneling/wainscoting in her house mixed with wood trim, and it works. She worked with a color consultant.

We nearly bought a new house last year (new to us). They had some Craftsman details in it, but not nearly as many as the OP's house. They did have lovely natural fir colored paneled doors and entry way columns. We ended up passing on the house for a multitude of reasons, but it came up for sale again a few months ago.

The most recent owner had painted the fir (doors, trim, columns)... black. And had painted it poorly.

Our former house was a 1912 craftsman. Lots of dark trim. Some painted trim upstairs which we painsakingly stripped down and refinished. We used white/creamy white wall/ceiling colors to brighten things up. If I still owned that house, I'd be changing allll the lighting (non-historical fixtures) to way better and brighter options. I would not paint trim to get more light. Our house had a mirror image twin next door, and their house had all the trim painted white. It didn't brighten things up appreciably.

Our current house had white painted trim. It took about two years for me to absolutely hate it. We've slowly restored or replaced the trim back to natural fir. The baseboards in the living room are 14" high, and that's before the separate top piece of trim. We've been really lucky to not have to buy much of it at all; it's horribly expensive per linear foot.

Like many others have said, you're the caretaker. Please, please don't paint this trim.

Thanks

I agree that it would be a mistake to paint that beautiful wood since it is such an essential and special part of the house's character. My first home was a craftsman bungalow, and I think your place is gorgeous as is.

I agree with those suggesting not to paint, your home is beautiful. However I am someone who loves light-filled spaces, so I would suggest getting a good lighting designer or interior designer to help “lighten” the space without painting the wood. Also, definitely would recommend waiting a year to see how the home feels in other seasons as someone mentioned with sunlight changes. Also, if your most problematic rooms are north facing, it may still feel dark even painted. We recently worked with a designer to add a few strategically placed windows to our home (keeping in mind the home’s architecture) because it was still dark after the walls were switched from the previous owner’s dark gray to SW Alabaster and Shoji White. Three windows transformed the space.

When I have previously lived in old homes, I consider myself a steward/caretaker, and try to keep it as original as possible to preserve that history. (Sometimes doing what we can to bring the history back if stripped, because these homes are becoming even more rare in the age of vanilla builder-grade houses everywhere.)

Balancing that and function can be a challenge, but would try absolutely everything possible not to paint such beauty. That level of craftsmanship and beauty is so hard - if not impossible - to create now. But you also have to love living there, and dark houses can feel dreary. Best wishes as you consider your options!

Thanks , most likely will not paint . Got a lot of great ideas.

As someone who lives in an MCM home that is at least 75% floor to ceiling glass I sympathsize with your plight. I personally hate dark homes & have always purchased homes with tons of glass, however, I wouldn’t touch that beautiful woodwork. Good luck with the suggestions you’ve been given. :)

Oh wow, I love that house.

And plaster walls, how marvelous!

How nice to have a conversation in one room and not have it heard in the next room.

How nice to have a wall that is real, not a thicker version of cardboard!

Be careful with installing light fixtures, 20 layers down you may have lead paint.

It won't bother when it is all covered up, but if you start putting holes in the wall and ceiling, that puts you at risk. Mega times more if you have children, lead is more toxic to developing brains.

The good thing about lead paint even many layers down is, you won't get any mold in the bathroom even if you don't have a fan.

You hang your art by wires or ropes from your upper moldings if you have them.

Your house is so glorious, I wonder if there is some sort of association in your area.

Years ago they used to have home tours.

Women work now, well, they did before too, but there are less of these types of things now for the "ladies who lunch."

And with Covid, everything just went to hell in a handbasket.

I wonder if there isn't some sort of society in your area for period homes.

Maybe you can go see some homes similar to yours and get some ideas.

Heck, you can go for walks and be friendly and I bet people will invite you in.

Whenever I took my daughter to look at holiday decorations and we oohed and aahed people often invited us in. Of course she was adorable, kids are useful that way :)

Your woodwork is gorgeous! You could do so much with more contemporary lighting, great furniture and rugs, even wall paper — that would update it without damaging any of the beautifully cared for wood. Think of all the extra money you’ll have to spend on great furnishings!!

Thanks , but I think life has change a bit since Covid not expecting any invites in.
This site have been great . Many
good idea . I’m taking it slow .
Just move in and coming from a sunlit home . I was seduce by its character , love at 1st site.
Love the privacy of the floor plan .I’m sure there are other who have solve this dilemma or came to the collusion that nothing is perfect .
Note : ( most used sentence in a old home , I can’t hear u , lol )
Lots to look froward to in making it ours .
It will be ok.

I live in an old house too. Most everything was painted colonial blue, so I didn't have the same dilemma. I have stripped some and repainted others. Here's my list: wait, wait, wait. Live in it for a year. Make notes.

Now fixes- SW reflective white for ceilings. It's a pain to work with, but worth it.

Go outside check what might be blocking light, do shrubs need trimmed? Do trees need bottom branches trimmed up?

Take all window coverings down. If you need privacy, use textured clear window film or sheer curtains.

Pick a light color wallpaper you love and paper the big flat panels- especially the hall ;^) it will take the place of paint, but not be permanent. I've spent months stripping paint, too many q-tips, toothpicks, exacto blades....you get the picture! Eventual resale may be greatly impacted if you paint the original.

The best advice we received was to wait and take notes. The things we thought we hated, we loved in the end. Others we thought we would keep forever we found were added in the 50s and took out.

Good luck!

Thank u . Will do .

I love all that wood work. I am also a fan of a moody house but can appreciate the light and airy side. I would wonder - does it have to be an all or nothing option? Can you paint some area/parts and not others? Maybe section it by rooms? The very first picture with the tv - I would probably leave that area alone, but that hall with the high wainscot panels might be nice to paint out but leave the ceiling crown - I believe Beth may have mentioned something like that.

I have also found that warming up the colors you have next to wood seem to soften the space and stop the harder black and white feeling you get from a too white paint.

It may seem difficult but I forgo the cost of prepping and painting all that molding and find a well qualified electrician and plaster specialist to light up the house. Get everything from recessed lights, ceiling lights, to wall sconces and extra outlets or switched outlets for floor lamps. That will make it more appealing and livable.

Embrace whatever it is that makes you love your home. The wood drew you in - painting it out won't be as impressive. Still very nice but....

Good luck! I would love to see more pictures - I fell like this house is amazing!

​I would add lights instead of painting the beautiful woodwork. The trick is to find an old house lover who is also an electrician as they will work very creatively to avoid damaging the house.  I knew I had the right guy when he started complaining about how many houses had been butchered by electrical work. My partner and I both worked with the electrician to cut holes and mount boxes. Since my partner is the person patching cracks and making any damage disappear, he prefers to do the damage himself. If there is any trim that must be removed for access, I am going to be taking care of that because I have more patience and have learned a few tricks over the years.

Definitely look for preservation groups in your area. Old house lovers are good sources for suppliers, and tradesmen. In my area, we have a well known homes tour every year and that is a great opportunity to get acquainted with the local owners and lovers of vintage homes. It is also a fun way to earn about the history of your house.

I know , and I agree . As we live in it . I think reimagining the use of the rooms maybe something I do .
The breakfast room is has crazy sunlight . It’s calling to me every morning. Specially since we don’t eat breakfast in the morning .
A really great designer is probably what the old girl needs not paniting her wood .
Thanks for the great ideas .

Wow, such an awesome home. Please, please keep that gorgeous wood. You have received a lot of great advice and ideas. Is it possible to send more pics of your gorgeous home?

Oh my goodness, your home and the woodwork is making me drool. I agree with Debbi Washburn above to not go too white with the walls - the stark contrast makes the wood look darker. Instead, you want a complex cream that goes with the textiles you have chosen for your soft furnishings (ulphostery, rugs, window treatments).

The other thing I've learned is to embrace the wood as a color in your decorating. Specifically, pick up the color of the wood in the fabrics as a minor note on pillows or upholstery. Just throwing ideas out there, given the English or Craftsman look of your room, perhaps ulphostery or pillows in something like GP&J Baker Nympheus, and then add a couple of textured velvet pillows to echo the wood color (it's tough to figure out the color online, especially since you said that these are realtor pics that have been altered). Maybe something like this Thibaut Meander Orange Greek Key Velvet? Doing this echo technique can really make the space sing.

In your hallway, definitely don't do wood colored furniture like the realtor picturs. You want painted furniture or grasscloth covered furniture, and colorful art on the wall, then the wood walls serve as a contrasting backdrop.

Also, add lots of table and floor lamps - six lights in a living room like yours is not too much. It's also another way to add color.

I really appreciate the advice, I hope to come back & do a before and after once we’re done.
Although it will take a while .
Our 1st project kitchen renovation. I actually love the division in rooms it allows a little more freedom when redoing certain rooms and not disturbing the character the other rooms .
Again Thank u .