apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

from that first picture i think it's awesome and wouldn't touch it. it seems to also go with your furniture very nicely.

if anything, a sand and stain?

I don't see anything wrong with it either, but if you don't like it, I agree that cork would be nice. Fake brick tends to look like fake brick, IMO.

Looks ok to me, too, but pictures can be deceiving. If, in person, the paneling looks cheap, then I would just repanel it in a nicer wood/veener that matches the staircase.

I think it would be great if there was also a shelf or buffet (instead of railing on the other side of the stairs. You could build it out about 5 or six inches past the pipe covering and incorporate shelves into the pipe covering. To keep with the mid-century aesthetic, I might replace the striped paneling with a single sheet of wood or veneer in a color that matches the other woods in your home.

However, if these pipes need to be accessible, make sure you build in a way that is, so that you don't end out ripping out your precious work when something bursts.

rather than spending 2 or 3k on redoing column spend it on a great piece of art to hang on the wall.

Agree w/ Jako. Art would look good and framed with that cool faux wood would look cooler. Then again, if like they said above, the wood looks cheap, then either re-veneer or lightly sand and paint the same brown... I love the chunky-ness of the column visually "supporting" the thin (by comparison) steps. Makes it look safe and clean.

Funny, it doesn't bother me either. What about stone?

Seems kinda "Dark" to me.
Like in "Berwyn-Bungalow-Basement-Paneling"...Dark.
Anyway,
I'd think about a cutting a Rectangular hole (maybe 3.5' by 6.5') and inserting a piece of Lumicor, as a diffuser- with lights hidden in the Outer edges.
or
Creating a few niches, either out of Lumicor (think "gift box" shape) inserted, with a Halogen Hockey Puck light atop, the niche...would be an interesting solution to "lighten up" this MASS.

Niche reference photo...
http://www.kramerdesignstudio.com/images/fireplaces/fullsize/image_08_full.jpg

That column screams of basement to me. If it was a nicer, finer grain sheet of paneling, or painted an accent color it would be nicer. Both of which with art work on it.

You could use the same wood you're building your bookcases with. Use wide panels but instead of running the seams vertical like the current paneling, run them horizontal (but the panels should be really wide for it to look right).

Or, maybe this is boring, but what about drywall painted to match your walls or in a bright color? And agree with others that art would help.

I like the column, a lot!! I agree with just about everyone else...that it looks great in your home. I would just build it over with the same wood used for the bookcases and build the bookcases adjacent to the column so it would look like one piece. The column could be a great space for a piece of art for the dining area.

Are the bookcases going to be like the ones on the other side of the stairs? I think my idea will work fine if so.

Darnit!! I see that monroe already gave the same idea I gave. LOL.

I like it...as it is.

But If you don't like it, resurface it...the cork looks cool too.