Can you post some photos? There are folks on here that are really good with offering creative ideas.

Thanks! I tried at first but the picture was too big; your comment was what I needed to get me to try again.

Add more lights and leave your beautiful wood. For example, an uplight on top of the tall cabinet and a floor lamp or wall sconces where you have the big candle. Wash the wall and ceiling with light. No pot lights.

Peel and stick wallpaper will look cheap.

You would need a chair rail to hid the bottom edge of the paper and I don't see how paper would work on the seams of the paneling. I don't think that is a solution, sorry.

Could you change out your furniture to whites or creams ? Could you paint the tall bookcase white or cream? How about painting the ceiling a brighter white also ?

Another thing, that I noticed is that your lamps have yellowy light bulbs in them. Please change all the bulbs to led 3500 daylight type bulbs. It should help brighten up the room.

The glues would ruin the finish. You need an electrician and new lighting design, not a decorating solution. The problem isn’t the wood. It is the lack of correct lighting.

Agree on lighting.

The furniture I see in the photo is pretty dark, the wrong choice for that room.

Thank you for trying to figure out how to preserve the wood and find other solutions besides painting it! Looks like you have some lovely views.

No need for an electrician, even for wall sconces. They can be plug-in. For example, here's an inexpensive option to wash light up and down. Cover the cord with dark tape to hide it against the wall. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Cedar-Hill-1-Light-Off-White-Fabric-Round-LED-Wall-Sconce-Wall-Light-with-Bulb-2-Pack-418608/318257033

Start with the lighting issue. An easy first step is to change the lamp shades to white ones and the bulbs to daylight LEDs. Painting the ceiling a brighter white is a good idea. You need lots more lighting as most everyone has said. Turn on all of your lights and show us photos of the entire space and all the furniture. Are those dark curtains? Are all of your casegoods dark wood?

Look for where the light from the window hits the wall, and put a mirror there to bounce the light back around the room. That's a tip from my decorator, who said that people make the mistake of putting mirrors in dark areas, which doesn't help. I lightened up your picture's shadows and it looks like there is something between the tall cabinet and the window. Maybe you can move things around to let the natural light in.

Thank you all, great ideas for lights and ways to make the room brighter - my husband will be thrilled that changing the wood is off the table! If I leave it, I'd love your thoughts on what I should do about flooring... that's actually why I started thinking about this. We need to replace the carpet and with two dogs we're thinking about pet friendly, waterproof luxury vinyl tile. Would a light wood pattern be too much wood?

There is also luxury vinyl tile that's stone-look, if you think the wood is too much.

I think the wood can work IF you change out the dark furnishings and get actual light in that room!

all those tall, heavy wood pieces just suck up any light. Are you up for that?

For sure no peel and stick paper! (it won't stick to wood anyway)

paint your ceiling the brightest white you can find.

do some recessed lights.

can't see the rest of the room so I have no clue about furniture.

another option is to leave the wood on one wall and drywall the rest (or drywall over it)

IMO, don't use a wood-look vinyl floor. I would go with ligh

Light color vinyl if that is your floor of choice.

Sorry - I switched it up and asked another question about flooring ...

@Beth H - she did ask about what to do with new flooring.@cowlicksjj- if you’re considering new floors, they should be really light. Do not go with any flooring that looks “striped”. And I agree with everyone that you need to improve your lighting. Buy some higher wattage LED bulbs and try them. Personally, I don’t like most of the “daylight” LEDs. But buy some new ones and try them.

The LVT tile-look is quite good looking and much less fuss than real tile and likely much more affordable, at least labor wise.