Your house looks like it has lots of potential. I would start with spending your $ there were it’s permanent so no fixes that you need to undo later . First fix all the curtains . Amazon has good curtains as well . There are many YouTube and instagram folks to follow who link and give tips on where to DIY curtains . Don’t refinish floor yet . It looks fine for now . Just add rugs including washable runners in kitchen.
Are you going to paint the kitchen cabinets yourself ? If not look into replacing the doors with new doors from IKEA? Will probably look better. Would you repaint the panels yourself ? If so go ahead but a warm color not white. Soft yellow /white ? Montgomery white or soft green . Also in the long run you won’t like painted walls over the wood ( I was there ). Also paint the white room with a color and replace those short curtains . If you can afford it think of replacing that window with a larger one . Are your windows double panes? If you go the route of replacing one window think about future match for other windows .

Have you considered whitewashing the ceiling (not the beams though)? So you have the character of the wood grain but the lighter airier feel of white on the ceiling that will brighten the room? That will take a lot of weight off. I would also add color to the walls. Probably a medium with a neutral feel but a legit color would add some much needed personality. I’d consider a red clay/terra cotta/corn silk type color if you want an updated warm rustic look or a pistachio green, teal, or sky blue for modern vibes. Depends what you like, but I would update the look over erasing the cabin feel. My guess is you are saying you want less cabin like, but what you really want is less old, less square, less 70s, less boring walls? I would hesitate to put white anywhere besides the ceiling (and maybe the kitchen cabinets), and I would not pick white or brown for the walls. I would use the floor to guide your choice. Add the softer touches, too. You will feel better when you have some organic or artsy things breaking up the space. Plants, baskets, throws, pillows, a vase, window treatments, etc. Hang what you love on the walls, whether that’s family photos, art, a fun clock, or something else that brings you joy. Break them up a bit, the same way you plan with rugs on the floor, (just you will look at whatever breaks up your walls). I would also lose the paneling on the walls or cover with drywall. You want the textural difference vs. wood grain everywhere. Wood grain is beautiful, even beyond cabins, but too much of it is overwhelming, and you want to break up all that uniformity.

I had very orange red oak floors in my 1970 house. I sanded the floor down and made a stain of brown mixed with gray and they look fabulous now.

I don’t think you can whitewashing paneling that has already been stained and lacquered. The whitewash will not penetrate. You may be able to use an opaque stain. It will just look more like a paint. But google Sarah Richardson’s lake cottage to see examples of how you can incorporate the wood paneling. I think she did a beautiful job of combining the character of wood with a more modern look

Looks GREAT the way it is! Looking like a cabin is it's charm! Minor changes - Change the backsplash in the kitchen to simple tile in a color you like but in the warm zone as not to clash with the wood - pastel pink, pastel yellow, or warm red. Leave the rest of kitchen as is. Buy a white frig to match the stove and the style of home. Mostly great the way it is - a great find! Or - Leave it as is and sell and let someone else enjoy it as a cabin look and buy another.

If you are on a tight budget- First i would try some decor changes and additions. if you can’t change your cabinets yet- paint them or change the cabinet doors. New updated hardware would help too.

Paint or change your front door. Curtains to the floor and hung so they hang on the outside of the window frame.

Are you totally committed to your current couch? if not- put your TV on the white wall where your couch is, frame the fireplace on either side with two couches or a couch and two large swivel chairs. Anchor the space with a large rug that is big enough for the furniture to sit completely on the rug. That way you are centered on both the fireplace and can still sit either way to enjoy the TV or the fire. A nice coffee table (not wood) would add some interest too.

The space as you come in your front door can have a console table if the back of the couch (of a new couch) faces the door. A chair and small table can sit where the current TV is now and then you’d have a small entryway area.

A more modern and larger mirror, painting or pictures over the fireplace would fill up some of the wood space. Avoid (in my opinion of course) small odds and ends on the mantle.

If you love your kitchen table- consider chairs that are slipcovered or upholstered to hide or soften the wood?

Same for the bedroom- Huge rug, Bed with a headboard(not wood)curtains to the floor.

You have a great space! You can get tons of ideas for decorating cabins by looking at expensive mountain cabins for sale on any of the real estate websites. By living with the wood for a while you can then make thoughtful and long lasting permanent improvements as your budget allows.

Paint the walls, white or a pale sage green. Rugs, different curtains, and art on the walls.

Just happened I did this sketch yesterday for someone else with a similar kitchen...

Note: The person doing the DIY reno above planned on installing shaker style mouldings on his pine cabinet doors.

Love the wood but understand how it could be overwhelming. I would keep the floors and the beams on ceiling. Maybe paint the ceiling white or cover it with drywall. Do whatever color you prefer for the walls but keep the wood above the fireplace as sort of an accent wall. Probably a sage green or light blue would look well with the orangeness of the wood. In the kitchen I would change out the cabinet faces.

Maybe something like this: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/pictures/kitchens/271-spring-island-drive-spring-island-img~7761d0d7052d706d_9831-1-2eb60d8-w360-h360-b0-p0.jpg

I would look at a process called pickling the wood. Here is a video to help you if you so choose: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8JMH12RWE4. Also, large paintings can cover up a variety of decorating 'sins.' and you can take them with you when you move, so acquiring art could help. Very good luck to you transforming your new home into a beautiful, livable space.

make sure whatever you paint the walls it doesnt look too stark in contrast to the pine maybe more of a complex cream

Save yourself a huge headache and have a finished looking project by following @ptreckel’s suggestion and using thin drywall to cover the walls. You can get away with upgrading electric and adding sockets without a big expense. Painted knit pine looks like painted knotty pine. You can’t hide it. Unfortunately, it is hard to sand and lighten this wood. I love the wood (I live in a log home), but your new place is (as you know) a little overwhelming. You have a great looking place, I hope the bones are good. Enjoy the process.

I agree with terrib962. The house looks fine. Do some decorating. You can not afford to have all that wood sanded and painted. It is not a DIY project. And why would you? If you don't like that much wood, why buy that type of house? Sell it to someone that will love it. You can hardly find or afford real wood in today's market. The least offensive thing to do would be to drywall over it.

Love the beams and ceiling. Would start with the floors and see how that turns out. Knots are very difficult to cover and often bleed through no matter how much primer and paint you use. Dry wall is the wise way to cover the knotty pine walls, or sand them down and use a sage green stain to color them.

The gloss on the wood is throwing me as it's too shiny, I would see if you could matte it down

Take out the knotty pine, sell it. Then drywall. That’s how I got the knotty pine I used in our cabin.

I think the whole house needs more natural light, I would remove drapery, it closes in the room and stops the eye from including the outside in your view. The fireplace would give you a big punch if you painted the brick a bright white, replace the mantle with a thicker piece of wood, maybe try a live edge. Mirror over the fireplace, I would embrace the time period of the house with a huge starburst. Warm rugs with texture, or even reproduction single color hide, large abstract painting on coach wall. In the kitchen you need to go deep, paint the cabinets, remove the paneling and drywall the walls, a bright glass tile in a hexagon pattern for the backsplash, stone or marble counters (coordinate with the backsplash but not matching) replace sink and appliances with stainless, new light fixtures and replace the kitchen door with a full light door to bring in more light. The bedroom again needs more natural light, can the window be replaced with a larger picture window?

I just had another thought for you if you like wallpaper. There's something called wall liner that you can put on. It covers up a variety of flaws. You can wallpaper over it- or maybe you could paint over it, not sure. But it offers up some options especially if you opt for discount wallpaper, if on a budget. Again, best of luck with everything. I wish you a beautiful home.

I think it’s the walls that make it feel like a cabin. it depends on how far you want to go, by removing the wood paneling off the walls, or the old wood cabinetry in the kitchen would make a big difference. Otherwise, I think the walls would make a difference something lighter. also, I think paining the center beams on the ceiling a lighter color would make the home feel less like a cabin. That’s another idea.

I would not paint the ceiling because it adds warmth but if you painted the walls and replaced the cabinets it would be absolutely beautiful

A lovely house; love the vaulted ceilings.

In the livingroom, I would hide the wood walls with full-length curtains on all windows, a black and white geometric pattern would add some life and a modern touch. To go along with that, I’d paint the ceiling beams black and add a modern black door. Over the fireplace, add a big colourful piece of art. Add a large area rug where the previous owners had theirs and you don’t have to worry about refinishing the floors. Add two facing occasional chairs on either side of the sofa … blue or green would be lovely.

In the kitchen I would work with what’s there if you don’t want a full reno. Keep the cabinets as is, but add a slate grey backsplash that will also go above the cabinets to the ceiling, plus on the entire wall with the door. Replace the door to match the front door.

Have fun with your decorating!

Here’s a photo showing how nice grey/black slate-like tile can look with wood.

if you don’t like black in the curtains, you could try for a solid like these and put the pattern in the rug.

I would like to lighten and brighten everything to give all the rooms a calm and more spacious look. 

I would keep the timber floors.

Paint colour: one of the shades of white.

I would ascertain whether to paint the timber or add plaster and then paint re walls and ceiling.

If ceiling low, I would paint/plaster.

Paint walls, kitchen cabinets and fireplace.

Fireplace could be painted black, maybe,  to make it recede. 

Once you have painted everything and get a look at the space you are dealing with, I would look at furniture to enhance your space. The couch looks a little large to me and perhaps a smaller couch and a couple of comfy chairs would be better. 

Then in-fill with all the fun items: lamps, light fittings, rugs, cushions, throws, (cane for, maybe the lamps, baskets, side tables) candles, pot plants etc. Be careful not to clutter (which is something I'm inclined to do).  

As everything is being painted white you could have a bit of colour when choosing your tiles in your kitchen splashback. Perhaps moroccan patterned tiles would be an idea you could go with.

Good luck and have fun. :)

I would try to whitewash the ceiling wood, not the beams. If you light sand it it should take the paint and it’s not a surface that is exposed to wear and tear. Refinishing the floor a similar color to the ceiling would be great. A matte finish would be good, the shine accentuates the low ceiling/floor distance. The fireplace wall could then be painted. I tried to photoshop the ceiling bc I had a hard time finding a similar pic. Haha

I love your house as is! Wanna trade?

Realistically I would drywall over the paneling and paint a soothing neutral NOT GRAY! That way some future homeowner will have the option to restore the paneling. Or if this is your forever home go ahead and paint the paneling. Leave the ceiling and cabinets wood. After you've lived there for a year or two you may want to make changes to the kitchen, so I would NOT paint that beautiful knotty pine. If you do replace the cabinets please make sure the old ones go to a good home : )

I would not spend $$$ by drywalling over the walls for this unknown “future owner.” It’s your cabin and your money, make the changes you want with the budget you have.

As a child of the 50s, I love the pine walls etc. I still have a rental (the home place) with pine wialls in the den. My renters have all loved it and say how cosy it is in the colder months. It is their TV (giant) room and they also like how dark it is for watching TV/Movies. I would work on rearranging furniture and adding a low table and chairs that will warm up the living area. A nice large rug in the living room and in the dining area will help break up the "bolliing alley" look

I find the ceiling and walls are "warm"looking, but the sofa /TV area and all of the floor are "cold" looking.

Again I also love the kitchen. I do not want to see the cabinets painted. Perhaps embrace the majority of them and find a way to artfully enlarge the kitchen without lose of character.

You have REAL WOOD, Why paint that beautiful wood?? If you hated all of the wood. why did you buy this house? Enjoy what wonderful, now unique, features you have! Enjoy! Embrace! With sympathetic decor : Folks, I want your house on a house tour!

I would take a different approach. I would stain the beams and crown molding a darker color for contrast and add base trim in the same color. I would get rid of the white walls. I personally love dark color shades, but even if you wanted to do a lighter shade, put some color on the walls to draw your eye away from all the wood, not beige or tan, use some color to complement or contrast the wood. I would definitely use painted cabinets in the kitchen with a neutral or black countertop. Change the front and back door, it doesn't go with the house and paint it or stain in the same color as the beams and trim. Curious what the outside of the house looks like and what look you are going for inside. The floors and walls are beautiful. I would make the other changes before I touched those because doing the other things will make a difference and then see if you still want to change the floors and walls. If they are too orangish, then strip and re-stain or strip and keep them natural with just a varnish on them. My grandmother had real pine walls in her house but they were stained a darker color, I always loved it. Definitely some rugs to break of the floor. I would start with small changes first, a little at a time. I do agree with one of the comments about the wood being shiny, maybe a matte varnish might tone it down some at least on the walls, I think the ceiling being shiny is ok. Good luck.

@Anita Ramos thanks! Yeah we love the wood, not to worry. We just want to update the look a bit. Currently there are tenants in the place so the furniture isn't ours. Also it is located in San Diego so not a proper mountain cabin. I'm hoping that updating the kitchen will make things feel a little more modern.

@moira here are some photos of the outside of the house. We plan on repainting it as I’m not a fan of the color. Also the previous owners poured a ton of concrete so I’m hoping we can add more greenery to offset that a bit.

What a cute house. Definitely some paint and landscaping needed. Maybe you could eventually get the concrete stained to give it some color too. Would love to see pictures when it is all done.

Thanks @moria yeah it will be a work in progress but I plan on posting photos once some of the work is done

I think the ceiling and the floor are winners. Consider painting the beams, and wood work and the now (too) white walls S W Alabaster. It is a fab white to work with wood. (Second photo).

If you go for a Southwest feel even though you're in CA, there's lots you can do to bring out the best in your new house. Start with West/CA art work--skyscapes in colors that add to the warmth of the room. This palette is gorgeous for a space like yours--little bit of green, some blues, golds/

Tropical Caribbean Sunset, Sky and Clouds Painting, original large painting · More Info

Add coordinating rugs in light colors:

Vingel Hand-knotted Traditional Rug, blue/brown/gold/Gray, 5'x7'6 · More Info

Choose furnishings that have modern, airy lines but in natural finishes and materials:

Bouldin Creek Bachelor Pad · More Info

Don't be in too much of a rush to change exterior since it reflects the Western adobe palette. Down the road, there's plenty you can do with native plants that don't need maintenance and watering in your dry climate. Look how gorgeous this landscaping--warm red mulch to echo roof and house color, an array of perennial native plants.

Mid-Century Modern · More Info

Modern cottage with low water frontyard planting · More Info

I think that front porch is asking for a cedar pergola all across the front.

Lake Washington Residence · More Info

Is there a reason the houses are all the same color?

Could you just do white (Alabaster again) on the entire house, paint the door black and leave the black fence and the pink patio tiles? Oh, paint the red brick black.

And, wow, what a tree! What is it?

We think the tree is some kind of cypress but I’m not 100% sure

If you can’t replace the kitchen cabinets, leave them alone. Knotty pine knots will bleed through any paint job no matter how you try to seal them.

Although I am not a fan of mid century modern, I immediately thought of your house when I ran across this picture. I thought it might give you some inspiration. I would prefer this with warmer furnishings. I have knotty pine and am trying to update and embrace it at the same time.

Northgate Family Room · More Info

I find that sage green works well with knotty pine. This is our sunroom with a knotty pine ceiling. We live in the woods and were going for a ”bring the outdoors inside” look.

That’s very pretty. I was starting to think that sage cabinets in the kitchen may work

I'd go mostly mid century, with some California Modern mixed in. Lots of white, with texture achieved through textiles, pottery, and some plants. Keep the wood. Paint the fireplace white. Change the front door, it's all wrong for this house. Check out the Blanco Bungalow on Instagram for ideas.

I have not read all the comments (too many☹️) but I’d keep the floors and ceiling, paint the walls a soft white.

So anyone who is curious. We ended up refinishing the floors and ripping out the nasty old carpet. Here are some before, during and after (well finish is still wet) photos

Beautiful! Thanks for the update.

Nice.

Just want to share this photo as you think about what to do with your kitchen.

Ooo @ffpalms thank you

Here’s a few more photos

I would update the kitchen but spend all the money on furnishings to compliment the house. That mid-century photo someone posted is great. I think new rugs and furniture and art that looks high end or is high end, would change your whole outlook on the house.