the least expensive update would be to replace the wall to wall carpeting.

If that's an option, I'd choose something light to complement the existing tile in the entryway.

WHEN you are ready for an overhaul, I'd remove the popcorn ceiling finish, and replace all the flooring in the whole house to unify the look and feel. The brick fireplace could be a nice feature, and the knotty pine paneling can be painted.

What kind of flooring would you suggest.? What color of paint for the walls and the knotty pine? Would one paint the brick in the fireplace!

Is there wood under carpet? If so have that refinished. I would leave the paneling and brick and lean into the midcentury history of your house. Congrats!

I would not paint the brick on the fireplace or the pine walls.

I'd do a light pine flooring, lighter than your paneling, like a natural pine with a clear coat.

How light or dark the wall color depends on you and how you want the room to feel... you do have a lot of natural light. I agree with a MCM feel @roarah ^

SW Alabaster or BM White Dove

SW Clary Sage or SW Evergreen Fog

or even SW Naval or SW Indigo Batik

What is your budget for changes?

I'd replace the rug with something lighter, leave the fireplace as is, and consider painting all pine except the short wall seen in pic#3. That said, you might whitewash the brick, if the room is dark. It's hard to tell with photos. You might consider waiting until Spring, because then you'd have a better sense of whether your room is dark in winter.

We removed the pine panelling which was on one wall in our kitchen, and one wall in a bedroom. It wasn't glued on and there were surprisingly few nails holding it on.

With the fireplace being such a dominant feature of your living room, I'd improve the mantle piece by adding a wider wood mantle slipcover over it. As far as the 2 stone shelves to the right of the mantle, I'm not a fan. I'd paint them to match the brick, and leave them bare.

I wouldn't paint the fireplace. I like the look of brick.

Is this the TV room too? If you need help with furniture arrangement, measure the room including where the openings are.

Painting for sure, and new flooring if it’s in the budget. The brick fireplace is nice but it could also be painted depending on what you like. I first did a light white oak but prefer the warmer wood tone.

Well we can guess about many things but I have no idea without much more info from you. All I see is a LR . Is that the only space you want to update? Usually updates need planning and you just moved in so stop now. Tell us a lot more about the space your plans and a hint about budget too.You do not do flooring one room at a time so maybe start there .Is that your furniture we see ?

This is one area of the whole home.

It looks like the brick on the fireplace is the same brick as the exterior of the home, which ties the exterior and interior together. I would not paint the brick fireplace.

The original darker browner doors and trim seem to blend well with the fireplace, but the pine is way too orange and clashes with both the doors and the red brick.

There are a couple of ways to handle the panelling. You can sand, prime and paint. You will need a primer that keeps the knots from bleeding. ( Zinsser B-I-N Shellac-Based Primer ).

Option 2 is to use fill the lines with spackle, sand lightly and apply heavy-duty wallpaper lining paper over the paneling or Option 3 - remove the paneling. Often it has just been nailed/glued over drywall and with a bit of work you are back to drywall walls. Sometimes (especially in basements) it is simply nailed to the studs. There is a risk that the paneling was not just decorative, but used to cover some issue like peeling lead paint. Not what I would expect looking at your home, but remove the paneling carefully so you can simply nail it back up if you find a problem that you are not prepared to deal with at this time.

Personally - I would go for removing the paneling and starting with nice, smooth walls.

I would also remove the popcorn ceiling, but make sure to have it tested for asbestos before removing. If there isn't any asbestos it is a simple, but messy job. If there is asbestos it is more expensive to have it professionally removed and the asbestos properly handled. It can wait until you are ready to do it right.

I would leave the carpet and tile until you have a whole home plan. The color on the wall works with the carpet and the fireplace and your furniture, so I would use the same color on the new un-paneled walls or over the paneling.

When you are ready replace the carpet and/or the tile flooring if it doesn't work with your whole home plan. If you decide to keep the tile flooring recolor the grout.

I would also see why there is a trim piece at the ceiling over the fireplace - is it needed? If not remove it. If it is hiding something make it as small and indiscrete as possible and paint it dark with a matte/flat paint to help it hide.

Assuming this is the furniture that you will be using in the room, and that there will be no TV here, I'd move the sofa so its back is to the window. Place 2 chairs facing each other, so you have a U shaped conversation area. Leave a 4 feet clear walkway across the front of the fireplace, as your traffic path through the room.

It will be nice to sit on the sofa with the light from the window coming over your shoulder and lighting your reading or whatever else you are doing. And the sofa will be facing the fireplace, which seems natural.