EMBRACE that wood...it would be a crime to paint that....not to mention the maintainence that painting brings.

Yes, whitewash the knotty pine. There are many different ways to go about it. It would look great (and be a lot of work)! I see some paneling there that isn't knotty pine, though and I'd just remove that entirely. You can type 'whitewashed knotty pine' in the houzz photo search box and see examples.

The knotty pine is gorgeous - I wouldnt' touch it.

The other stuff on the back of the cabinets doesn't look like real wood at all - I'd remove it or paint it out.

I do think it's pretty, but it also really darkens the space, which I don't like. If we be removed the white paint from the painted walls would they look like they used to? Even if we decide to whitewash it I'd like to start with all of the walls looking the same.

Those cabinets are gone already, so I don't have to worry about the fake paneling :)

I agree they shouldn't be painted. I believe if you sand down the knotty pine you will get a lighter, more airy feeling instead of this outdated vanish on top your existing walls.

Rip it out and put up sheet rock.

Keep it and de-varnish it. Natural wood is much more beautiful than varnished wood. Of course, you'll probably want to update lighting fixtures and such to clean and modernize the look.

I am going to be different, PAINT IT!!! It is NOT a crime to paint wood especially if it makes the space feel dark and closed in. I would paint it a bright white or very pale gray. I love the texture that the paneling gives to the room. This would be such a fun project! Have fun with it :)

Some people love wood and some hate, I personally love it. The wood that is already painted that is bleeding thru, needs to be hit with a coat of primer. Paint those walls something bright. (yellow or sea blue) You can brighten the room a lot with the furnishings you pick, a neutral couch with bright pillows, A area rug with color, Updating the light fixtures and on the paneled walls, A picture that fits the area, not a lot of little pictures. Is this cottage on a beach? The picture over the bar area would brighten up one of those paneled walls. Make sure you hang it at eye level. To many people hang their pictures to high on the wall.

We just did a huge reno. We painted all of our pine. Make sure you prime it with a great primer and the knots won't bleed thru. Paint it a warm white, you will love it and lets face it the only time you spend in the cottage is when it is crummy out. Paint it white.

You can sand those walls down and have them any color you want without "painting" them and covering up the grain, which is really their appeal. Buy clear exterior deck stain and have it tinted. You can have the color as strong or as light as you want, the walls are still washable, the wood grain is still visable and nothing bleeds.

Check out Sarah Richardson's summer home on http://www.hgtv.com/sarahs-summer-house/show/index.html. She used pine walls and white washed them. She explains how to do it as I recall. Very fresh and relaxing style. I LOVE and covet that bamboo book shelf btw!!! Taking out that cupboard in the kitchen would be a quick fix...most likely a few bolts and paint the ceiling. That would open things up a bit esp if you hung some pendent lighting. Spend the money to have a professional do the painting over the wood.....WELL worth the money.

Since the flooring is going to be wood, and you already have what looks like different wood finishes, I would paint the wood (or white wash them if you can like tnews suggested).

Paint it! The pine wall really dates the room. When I moved in our house, the family room walls were wood paneling. It was very dark, and I felt like I was in my parents basement listening to Rick Springfield! I painted it all BM White Dove, and it looks great. The room has a lot of heavy wood furniture, so the contrast is great.

It's how you feel in the house. If you're o.k. with the dark wood, then keep it. Myself personally is paint it light - off white. My mom lived in a dark wood paneled cottage for 2 years and the rooms we liked the best were the kitchen and bath because the redwood was painted off-white. The other problem I found in her cottage was it was sooo darn dark in that place that I couldn't find anything I set down! I must have lost my car keys a dozen times! (That was during the day).

We had the same dilema and opted to paint the panelling a light grey in the family room and a sand colour in the dining room. Much cleaner and brighter than that old panelling.

Thanks everyone for the feedback, this is great! It's funny how many different opinions there are on wood paneling. I really like the look of the whitewashed walls I've seen, and I think I'm leaning towards doing that if we have the time and know-how (we are doing everything ourselves, no room in the budget to hire outside help). I can see the value in keeping them the way they are, but in the end I think the dark color will really bother me. It's a beach cottage and it's tiny, and I want it to look light and airy rather than dark and heavy. As for the bedrooms that are already painted white, I agree with melibd that they could be painted a bright yellow or blue to match the sea theme we want.

Leslieann1 and wcarnes, thanks for posting photos! Your walls look great, both painted and unpainted. I have no idea what we're going to do to the kitchen yet, but we have to do something because we tore everything out of it already - there's no sink, stove, or cabinets left, except for the white ones over and beside the fridge which we'll probably get rid of as well. I'll definitely post photos as the project progresses!

You could sand off the varnish with an electrical sander and do a pickled wood finish, ( that's white paint mixed with a lot of water, applied and wiped off so that only a faint trace of the paint is left behind). That way you keep the wood but update the look. Other than that you could paint it white, but to leave it as is makes it look dark and stuck in the 50s. Can you enlage the windows? If so, it'll be worth the investment over time. Keep all colors "airy" and bright and pay attention to the flooring. Don't use colors that are depressing or stressful to you. Orange is popular now but personally I don't like it and don't use it. Remove all 50s trim, such as that decorative trim along the edge of the snack bar.

Thanks Norma. We may enlarge the kitchen window, actually, but the wall opposite the paneled wall is mostly windows, so we do have a lot of natural light. The counter is actually gone - we have a clean slate to work with, except for the beam in the middle that has to stay in order for the house to remain standing (see photo). The thin wall that's left in the kitchen can be taken down or left up, depending on whether we keep the kitchen as a U shape, make it an L shape, or just a straight line against the wall with an island in the middle next to the beam.

If you decide to take out the panelling, I would re-purpose it for something else..there is always someone else willing to pay for patina. I have found in painting the panelling with knots, they first need to be primed with a shellac based primer then topcoated with a very good primer, then two finish coats. Ask the professional for advice. Whitewashing is easier said than done and should be left for a seasoned painter to do, only after samples are done first. good luck

Incorporate the beam into your island... Build the bottom of it into the island, then box in the top and make a lovely, graceful pillar out of it.

As it's a beach cottage, I would definitely paint the wood. It's not some rare or beautifully milled wood -- it's garden-variety dark knotty pine. Lighten and brighten!

We are in the process of updating a 60's vacation cottage with, of course, wood panelled walls. We went through the effort of filling the bevels between the panels in one bedroom and then hit it with the Kilz and painted it white. Turned out well. In the other bedroom my husband lost patience and didn't fill between the panels, just "Kilzed" it and then painted. Looks just as good, in a more "cottage-y" vibe.

I updated a client's family room not too long ago. It had good quality paneling, but was dark. My very talented faux painter used it and applied wash and texture. I'll add a photo that might help you visualize. It really changed the space but the maintenance should be easy with paneling.

Erica, you will be making a good decision to paint them white. That's really a wonderful beach cottage look. Then you can do any colors for accents you want and they can be bright or whatever you choose. It's a wonderful bright pallet to work with. You won't be disappointed. You will need to sand them (you can use an electric hand sander) and put a coat of Kilz over them. I had to paint some wood paneling and this stuff works like a charm.

We had the same dilemma when we bought our current home except every single room was paneled!! Plus our windows face north and south so not a lot of direct light. It was like living in a cave. We used Kilz primer and a warm Belgian waffle creamy yellow paint. Instant warmth and sunny feel. We left the trim around the doors and windows mahogany and the reddish brown stain and yellow paint make a wonderful warm combination. In the dining room we painted the upper part of the walls only and added a stained wood chair rail to match the mahogany paneling on the bottom half. Everybody thinks it wainscoting! Our house has more of an Adirondack meets pottery barn feel and i think the texture of the painted paneling is more interesting than plain walls. I love wood and all its natural beauty but this paneling had to be painted. The previous owners came back after we had painted everything and the wife smacked her husband on the shoulder and said " See, I told you we didn't have to live in that cave. This looks fabulous!". He would never let her paint the wood. Go ahead, say your sorry to the lovely wood and paint over it! Best of luck!

Don't put in hardwood floors! So predictable. Do something with color, a seafoam green and white diamond pattern, or blue. There's some terrific lino in all kinds of colors and patterns. Doesn't matter if you paint the wood or not, it would go great with the floor. Have some fun, I think it would be cute.

Some pics of our painted paneling from my description above. The first is the dining room that we put up the chair rail and only painted the top half of the wall. The bedroom is a tan, Benjamin Moore paint called "stone house". Can you imagine all of these rooms in dark paneling? :)

IF YOU DON'T CARE FOR THE PANELING, I WOULD RIP IT OUT. IT LOOKS TO ME AS IT IS STAINED AND NOT JUST AGED. GETTING STAIN OFF WOOD IS MESSY AND STINKS HORRIBLY. I DON'T THINK IT'S WORTH IT, BUT THEN I'M NOT A LOVER OF PANELING. IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AN UP-TO-DATE LOOK, THE PANELING WILL NEVER GIVE YOU THAT LOOK EVEN IF IT'S PAINTED. GOOD LUCK

I vote for painting it all. Moldings and all - will really open up the space and look fresh. Any bad areas try white beadboard with maybe a chair rail. Use a paint that can be wiped clean easily. Why spend the time cleaning? Then big splashes of color throughout that can easily be changed every few years. Comfortable and FUN!

Hi everyone, I just wanted to post some updated photos of the cottage. We decided not to paint over the paneling for now. We bought a 5'x5' Ikea Expedit shelving unit that will go on the biggest paneled wall, so a lot of it will be hidden but you'll still see the paneling behind whatever is on the shelves. We installed wood floors in the main areas (the cabinet shot is pre-wood floors) and low pile rugs in the bedrooms, white cabinets in the kitchen, and we're about to install Ikea butcher block countertops. We've still got a lot of work to do, but it's coming together!

Looking good. The painted paneling and carpet in the bedroom look great. The floors in the main area look very nice and the white cabinets will definitely help lighten the nearby paneling. Love to see more pics as you progress.

I LOVE IKEA!!! You are doing a great job! Looking good and looks like you have a plan - that is the hardest part at least for me. I suggest you carry sizes, measurements and even photos with you so when you find something you can easily check it out and not have to return to the store!!! Try TJMaxx, Home Goods, Gordmans - fun spots with good prices. Keep us posted!

Just wanted to post some updated photos - we're getting close to being done!

and a few more...

It's coming along so nicely! Looks like a lot of hard work went into this project but the finished results so far are rather nice!

It looks like a wonderful relaxing place.

Looking good!