More details are needed to give ideas feedback. What are you willing to paint? the walls? the furniture? do you plan on replacing some furniture? The pictures are not clear, looks like part wall to wall carpeting and either tiles or wood floors in dining room, what are the colours? Is there an adjacent kitchen? what does that look like?

It is a Maine cabin on the lake. Lucky you! My daughter just went to Wells for the weekend. Okay, back to business, don't change the knotty pine. It comes with the territory.

Change the flooring, as a light floor will brighten things up. Keep the chairs in the first photo and recover cushions in white canvas.

Ceilings are low, but I would find something to replace the boob light. I think this ceiling light would work and give you three arms to direct light.

Forbo Marmoleum Click Cinch Loc

Check out the etsy white furniture covers.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1162681994/white-couch-slipcover-loveseat-throw

For me, it's too much wood. I might keep the ceiling but sheetrock over some of the walls.

Or keep the walls, but paint the ceiling white.

Thank you all for this feedback.

All of the furniture will not be in the house. The pictures Ive attached were taken from the realtor website. The homeowners ( a very young couple) tried to improve themselves.

I’m willing to paint anything & everything. I have to furnish and am really looking for 2nd hand to reburbish/paint. This is located in a remote area with no resources really. We are currently 10 hours away. It makes senses to get furniture here in PA and drive it up.

The floor is 1/2 carpeted ( living room section) & then a dark grayish floor in the dining & kitchen area. The owners just put the vinyl floor down.

It’s not a big space at all; long and not very wide.

I’m just trying to lighten it up and decide a decorating theme as they say…. Cottage? Woodland? It’s all pines, birch, water. This is not coastal. This is woodland area.

Additional pictures.

At least initially, I would not paint the knotty pine. The knotty pine really sets the tone for an authentic cabin. The kitchen has already been painted, so there is some relief from pine already. What really jumps out at me to change is the flooring in the dining room, which looks awful (sorry).

…..yes, agreed, the flooring is awful

Furniture ideas anyone?

Can you post a floor plan - even a rough one with basic rectangular dimensions?

My first impression would be to do lots of white or off-white fabric, with a little black thrown in with lamps, etc., and perhaps black/white or black/white/red wool blankets. All the neutrals against the knotty pine would be a good start, and then break out whatever else feels right.

These 2 chairs I’m bring up to this house. They were my father in laws.

Was thinking of putting them in the small sitting room ( off the dining room) with all the windows.

I can get off white slip covers for these chairs.

Those are perfect! Even the upholstery!

Yeah!!!!!
What about kitchen table, chairs, or hutch?

I have this piece I wanted to put against the smaller wall in between the windows in the little dining area. I was going to find a matching maple hutch to go against the larger wall by the door. Should I paint them white? So much wood against wood if I don’t paint.

Thinking about this hutch too

I love this color green with pine. I would pick a color palette and start chipping away at things. I like the chairs you are taking up, maybe use those colors in the room where you are placing them? I can see whitewashed walls and a rug with coordinating colors in the room with the chairs. Can you look around and find some inspiration pics? Your cabin is lovely, you are sure to have many years of great memories there.

Thank you for responding. I like this idea too.

Google 2nd hand furniture stores in the cabin's area. When we bought our camp there were 2 second hand stores fairly close. Since there is also few resources for furniture the 2nd hand stores supply alot of the camps in the area. We got some really nice furniture from them. Also from the local Facebook marketplace and groups. Amazon delivered the beds right to the camp. The only thing we transported from home was a couch we bought at Ikea.

I see the style of furniture you plan to use with is wood in similar colour to the existing pine walls. Consequetly, I would suggest that you paint all the pine walls in white but keep the existing colour on the ceilings, then your furniture will stand out while keeping the country feel to the home. Then you must decide on your colour scheme since it does look like it's open concept to some extent. I have the feeling you're working on a limited buget but if you shop on Amazon, you may be surprised to find nice well priced items that fit your style for bedroom furniture, linens, accent pillows, art, etc.

Vinyl planks are a nice inexpensive solution for the floor and they now have very good wood imitations. I would suggest you use a wood colour to match /blend with the wood ceiling colour. For your kitchen, if you're ready to paint the cabinets, by only changing the knobs and pulls on the doors and drawers (and fill the holes) you can update the look..

For the living room, a colourful flat weave area rug over the existing wall to wall can do the trick! For the dining room, you can paint your chairs black for example to contrast with the table and install a pendant above the table.

If you go for white wall, you can simply install roman natural fibre shades, they are inexpensive and give a nice look with the white painted walls. They can be complimented with side drapes if you wish or also install simply side drapes.

Here are a few ideas in pictures:

I love the pine, it makes the cabin. I hate that they painted the kitchen. Maybe you could strip and restain it? Change all the lightbulbs to daylight bulbs. GE is a good brand. Rip out the carpet and vinyl flooring.

Post new photos empty. Use soft white slipcovered furniture and bedding. The blue and soft white on your chairs is perfect.

Look at LL Bean's website.

https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/129?page=furniture&csp=f&bc=31&start=1&viewCount=48&nav=ln-31

If you decide to leave the walls in the existing finish, I agree with Sherry above that you'll need a lot of white in the room (sofa, chairs, curtains, etc.). However I prefer a white kitchen rather than sanding and returning to original wood colour. Painting your french door(s) in black with black curtain rods would also enhance the wood.

You have lots of options to make your Maine Cabin very welcoming...

Thank you all so much for this awesome feedback and picture examples! You have no idea how much I appreciate & value all of you sharing your expertise. May each one of you be blessed as I type this response.

Yes, I am on a very limited budget. I’m scared to death moving forward in this venture. It’s stretching me, but getting this cabin puts me closer to my daughter & grandbaby. I can’t stand being 10 hours away from them all the time with limited visiting potential. Anyway, I am not afraid of hard work to obtain the goals at hand…. Thank you for giving me great ideas.

White slip covered furniture just doesn’t work in a lake cabin with grandkids. Use fabrics that work with your lifestyle so you can enjoy time with your family.

Lots of performance fabrics for interiors now: Sunbrella, Revolution, etc. Super easy cleaning.

What hutch would be best ?
I’m matching it with the dry sink that I already have.

I have a white slipcovered sofa and very easy to wash and dry in the washer and dryer.

The corner with the chairs and windows looks very nice with the paneling . I wouldn't do anything to those walls. Don't worry about the kitchen for now. Add lots of lamps.