apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Ya know I'd paint the tounge and groove looking walls white and leave the woodowork, trim and doors, baseboards, etc.
I think that would get you the lightness you'd like and keep the value of the wood for your husband. Really i think its the trimwork that people value so highly. I think its rare to find people that truly appreciate wood paneling.

I used to live in an apartment where there was a door or window on every wall in my bedroom, which included 2 doors to the hallway or anther room and a closet door. I couldn't deal with all the doors (and needing to plan the floor space around the space needed to open the door), so I removed the closet door and replaced it with curtains. I did sheer white curtains (which if scrunched up were only partially see-through) on a tension rod, and I thought it looked nice. I would do it. If you want to avoid looking cheap, make sure you get something with nice drape, something that hangs and has sort of a "beach cottage" feel. Just my 2-cents.

You may want to think about a hook of some sort on the sides of the doorways in case you are doing something that requires the "doors" to be held open for long periods of time. I found that to be important to me.

If you paint the walls, I think it would look great to leave accents like the doors and trim unpainted, and the bannisters.

I'm with you on the closet doors: curtains! Just pick a nice fabric with some weight (and colour?) , and make sure they don't drag on the floor.

The woodwork is gorgeous. I have to agree with your husband. If you're planning to sell soon, I wouldn't paint the wood. Maybe hanging some baby quilts from rods would help lighten up the space? Or you could hang light colored curtains across that whole back wall.

Regarding the closets... I've used curtains on closets and they always annoyed me. They got in the way, got tangled in the laundry baskets, etc. Can you install a track to make the closet door work the way it's supposed to?

When I renovated my first house, I was very pleased to discover the original wood bead-board walls preserved under a layer of thin drywall. While I cursed the former owner for many of the so called improvements that had been made to the house, I was very thankful that the walls had been preserved.
I suggest purchasing the thinnest dry wall you can find and affix to the existing beadboard with drywall screws and tape and putty it up. While it will be much more of a hassle than simply painting, at least it will be reversable.
Alternatively, just paint the walls and leave the ceiling as is.
As far as closet doors. You could completely dispose of them and go with a good looking closet organizer system (Elfa from Container Store or California Closets). This would require some discipline, but it would open up the space.
Good luck.

It looks like maybe the paneling is not original to the house? The railings, banister, doors definitely look historical, I wouldn't touch those. Hopefully an expert will weigh in.

Jill,
I know you're itching to paint it white, but I have to say, the wood looks beautiful as is, and it's lovely how you go from the warm wood into the bright white bedroom. I hate to see that wood covered up...

I agree with DahliaCactus. Paint the paneling but not the door or trimwork. As for curtains, they might be a fine improvement for you, but perhaps it would be best to approach them as a temporary fix until you are ready to install high-quality doors. Potential buyers would definitely want doors over curtains on closets.

That house has survived for 90 years without having it's woodwork painted and then you bought the place. I feel sorry for the house. :(

I definitely think you could replace your closet doors with curtains, if you have them done professionally so that they don't look sloppy. Check out this shot from a recent Chicago house tour:

http://gallery.apartmenttherapy.com/photo/031308arthur/arthur16/large

The woodwork is amazing--I completely agree with your husband.

I like the idea of painting the paneling.
With the closets, keep in mind that those little twins of yours will be getting in EVERYTHING if it's not behind closed doors.

Don't paint it! Please. It would be such a shame.

curtains babies/toddlers? doesn't seem like a good idea to me but what do I know, I have neither.

I, too, like all the wood opening up into the white master bedroom; but if you are hell bent on painting it, I agree with austinjohn about the thin layer of drywall.

oh noooo don't paint the panelling! I would kill for a room like this; I think the wood color is beautiful.

that did say curtains (plus) babies/toddlers, but somehow it was removed in the posting? odd.

omgosh leave the wood. As previously mentioned - hanging curtains or quilts along the walls (if you find them to be so dark) could add delicious color and airiness to the room. Once to start to make the transition from office to baby room, the accessories you bring in (lamps, rugs, bedding) will help to bring that ethereal feeling you're seeking. Even the air we breathe is connected to the ground by trees. ;)

Mr. Dangerous: It's paint, which is reversible. She's not ripping out the paneling.

I think the disconnect is that the paneling doesn't go with the floors at all, and the ceiling is very low there, so the darkness doesn't help. I'd try painting it, or maybe liming/bleaching the wood, but I guess that would definitely require professional help.

As for the closet doors, I personally hate curtains for doors, but it needs to work for you.

I generally prefer painted woodwork, but I think this is gorgeous!

I think the problem is that the wood of the walls and the wood of the floor don't go very well together - it's making the room look smaller than it probably is. So maybe either paint the walls white (here's an example of white walls with a similar color floor: http://www.designspongeonline.com/2008/03/sneak-peek-basic-french.html)

OR, keep the walls that lovely color wood and change the floor? I'm not sure what you'd use for them, but it's an idea.

Normally, I'd say, you want to paint it, paint it.

BUT -- this is not going to work for twins for long. You will be moving, this space is CHARMING, and I think painting it will hurt the resale. Save your paint allowance for the next place and start house hunting sooner rather than later.

I too feel sorry for the house.The beadboard looks original judging by the balastrades and railing.
For the love of everything sacred...don't paint it.

oops, there's an extra ) on my link..

http://www.designspongeonline.com/2008/03/sneak-peek-basic-french.html

Blast! I have been searching for 20 mins for the post from January with the studio the woman converted the laundry room into a wood-paneled cozy cabin-feel bedroom.

If someone can find it, great--but I think a look like that (i.e. not painting) but making it feel really cozy and woody would be super-sweet on that landing. If you search "woodland" on AT their are some great posts with accesories, etc for creating the feel. I agree with Julianna about not painting...

I don't think you should paint the wood. Try a light rug, white nursery furniture (no more wood in that room) and replace the black light with something shiny.

Leave the wood, leave the closet doors...

Brighten up the wood room with a light area rug and accessories, and if you want to see what a lighter wall would do, use flat curtain panels against the wall.

Use your paint budget to get great closet doors. :)

I love that wood paneling. It is gorgeous. I think the room looks heavy because of the dark wood furniture and electronics. I would leave the walls alone and use white baby furniture, a lighter rug, and cheery textiles. Once you switch out the furniture, if the room is still dark and heavy then I say go ahead with the painting, but give the paneling a chance. I think the curtains for closet doors idea could be quite attractive, but once those babies start crawling you might have to go back to doors.

I would leave the wood. I think it's very very nice and would be a selling point for me. It's good quality paneling- not that cheap stuff that SHOULD be painted over- so it really should stay the way it is.
If you have lighter colored furniture it will lighten up that space. Another thing- babies need a lot of sleep. I had a "light and airy" nursery that I quickly changed to dark with lined curtains when it became obvious that's what he needed to nap.
I have a 3 1/2 yr old boy, and I took the closet doors off his room before he would even walk. (they pinched little fingers) and I have never had a problem with him and the curtains. Closet curtains are better if they have large grommets instead of tabs or a rod pocket. The grommets make the sliding easier and the curtains "stack" better when pulled back. I learned that from experience- so it's just my .02 cents

DO NOT PAINT THE WOOD. IT IS GORGEOUS AS IS.

Perhaps you should think about lighter colored (painted/slipcovered) furniture instead? I favor white myself, especially slipcovers which would be easy to wash. All the dark colors in the furniture in there right now certainly help weigh all that wood paneling down. Also, similar to the quilt idea above, maybe you might think about white panels/curtains on simple rods going across a wall. These might be non-permanent fix you need.

Noooooooooooooo! Don't touch it!!! Not only for resale purposes, but for your own. It's beautiful just as it is.

Oh My God! Please don't paint it!
Maybe add some more attractive lamps?

The wood is beautiful, but it doesn't go at all with the rest of the upstairs, which I think any potential buyer would feel. I think anyone who moved in would want to make the space more cohesive, so IMHO, you would be helping the resale value by attempting to do so yourself.

Then again, I LOVE white woodwork, and apparently there are lots of others (potential buyers) out there who don't share my view. If it was my place, I would have already painted it all.

I've looked at SO MANY cute houses and been utterly turned off by how people constantly paint beautiful woodwork! Please don't paint it! You will just be making others work harder when they have to undo it.

Go with light colored furniture and rugs, but please leave the wood alone -- it's amazing!

Do Not Paint!

As others have said, get painted firniture and light colored textiles for the baby.

Spend the money on the closets - You'd be better off with a built-in wardrobe system with drawers and hanging space behind cabinet doors. You have resources from the IKEA PAX system (Which I installed 5 years ago and love) up to custom kitchen cabinetry companies.

I'd leave the wood work, and maybe add some artwork or something to brighten up the wall itself. I'd think that curtains instead of doors wouldn't be good for the resale value either. I'd put in sliding ones.

Normally I don't like wood paneling, but what you have in your room is VERY nice wood paneling, and I could totally imagine someone wanting to use that space as a cozy library/reading room. It looks like you get tons of light in the room through the window, so it's not as if the room is dark and depressing as is. I agree with what other people have said about lightening the room up with artwork and light colored furniture and bedding.

I agree 100% with Julianna. Leave everything as is, make do for a while, and also start looking for your next home. BUT, if it were my house, I'd say "oh what the hell" and start painting (and probably regret it later). I usually dive in head-first when I want something changed. Good luck.

What a beautiful room. I usually dislike wood paneling but this is so warm and homelike. Very historical. Kind of like an upper class treehouse.

It's not at all like those horrid paneled dens or ticky tacky tract homes with everything in drywall and slapped in pressed fiber trim.

If you simply must paint the paneling, please please leave the doors and trim and stair railings. What lovely woodwork. It would be a crying shame to paint those over.

This is a tough one! The wood paneling looks nice, and I'm sure some potential owners would love it "as-is", while others would want to update it with drywall and paint. If you are planning on moving soon, don't paint it. The issue I see is the visual disconnect between the two spaces. What about finding some light-colored, but visually stimulating fabric and affixing it to the walls as a temporary fix? Maybe something like: http://www.hancocks-paducah.com/Item--i-M-23006-33-WHITE-CL or this: http://www.interiormall.com/cat/nsample.asp?ID=32903&t=724

Do not paint it!

I normally do not like wood paneling, but this is gorgeous. I would say if you were planning to stay there for a long time, do what you want. But, I'm guessing with twins that will not be the case.

I think the room is gorgeous! Get a new rug, crib and accessories and work it out from there. I think it could make a very sophisticated nursery.

Congrats!

if this was crappy wood paneling, i would say, paint it! but this is beautiful, so i will say, don't paint it! if you want to lighten up the room, i would suggest getting lighter, more modern furniture into the space. then it wouldn't read so dark.

Do not paint. Do not replace closet doors. And do not make landing into nursery.

I've posted links before on painting while pregnant and around babies. You don't want to do that.

Do searches before even considering it. You'll find results like this:
http://www.essortment.com/family/paintfumesperm_szsc.htm

"In fact, most of us are unaware of the effects that one coat of paint may have. Low levels of vapors from either formaldehyde, benzene, butane, propane, and fluorinated hydrocarbons found in can or spray paints are released on a daily basis for the first thirty days after application. But even year’s later small amounts of toxic fumes can continue to leak into the air. Over a period, exposure to these fumes can be harmful to the brain."

You'll find it related to other things too, like lung damage, asthma.

Lots of chat boards too:
http://all-for-women.com/viewtopic.php?t=40602568

Here they say not to worry, about today's paints, as there are more important things to worry about:
http://www.fda.gov/FDAC/features/996_bd.html

What starts off as a helpless baby becomes in crawling terror in no time. You already HAVE a door on your bedroom, use the bedroom as the nursery, and as a main bedroom.

That is also why you want to leave the closet doors ON, so that the little rascals don't find their way in there, and bang into things and hurt themselves.

Kids pull on things to get up. That means hanging clothing, draperies, or the loose fit low-rise yoga pants that are suddenly down around your ankles thanks to a grasping child.

Someone is going to have to attend to the baby in the middle of the night. And the day. And the rest of the time. It makes sense to have the most comfortable bed close to the baby, so that during those rare moments you get to sleep, you have someplace TO sleep.

You also want a way to close off some of the sound, if someone is trying to sleep while the other is attending to the babies. You have a door on the bedroom. You do NOT have a door on the landing, and whatever sounds occur on the landing will carry throughout the home.

Also, some babies sleep soundly, others startle at the slightest noise. So that having an extra adult bed on the landing, would be great. The person can totally sleep there, and when they wake up, possibly via alarm clock, it won't set off the twins too.

You don't want the TV or the computer sounds to wake up the babies either. So that the nice, quiet bedroom is for sleeping and baby wailing. With a door.

You might want to head over here too:
http://www.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/tows_2002/tows_past_20020917_b.jhtml

"On average, a woman loses 700 hours of sleep during the first year of her baby's life."

And that's just one baby. Guaranteed that one will wake up the other. But how many hands do you have? That's right, only two, and they can pick up only one baby at a time. Er, unless you can do chainsaw juggling. Then maybe you can do two at once. Ha!

Doing the math shows it's about a month's worth of sleep. Hence, the IMPORTANCE of having a comfortable bed to pass out in, but are still able to be near and hear the babies.

Here's more on motherhood from Oprah:
http://www.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/tows_2002/tows_past_20021008.jhtml

I don't have the right plug-in to view the 24 hours in the life of a new mom (with only one baby), maybe that would be another good thing to view.

Uh, also, kiss the white carpet, walls and doors goodbye. It won't be white for long. I'm remembering a friend of mine, who after getting married, had done up their apartment to be a decorator showcase. It was like out of a magazine.

After the child was born and toddling, I got to see the apartment. Oh, the furniture was the same in shape, sort of, but it appeared as if there'd been some kind of nuclear disaster or food fight or alien invasion, as there were mystery spots and splotches everywhere.

Grape jam stains. Strawberry jam stains. Mustard, ketchup, and who knows what else. Chocolate (I hope it was chocolate) stains. I keep saying that there needs to be a carpet the comes "pre-stained", or at least LOOKS like it's pre-stained, so that no new blobs, globs, splotches and blotches will even show. Sort of like camouflaged carpet, but in the colors of baby foods.

Which leads me to my last suggestion...RUN, do not walk, to the nearest Realtor and find a home suitable for twins and adults.

The Swiffer is your friend. Carpet is not always a good friend. Except maybe the FLOR carpet tiles that can be individually replaced as they are destroyed.

Slip covers are your friend. Upholstered items aren't always a good friend.

Exhaust fans are your friend. The toxic waste found in diapers and the scent of fermenting diapers is NEVER your friend. Little girls make nice little puddles. But little boys occasionally do the loose fire hose thing and it goes all over. Tip: Always keep your mouth closed when changing little boy diapers.

For best results, consider this outfit:
http://www.saulgallery.com/chronicle/images/shambroom/security/bombsuit.jpg

Notice the automated diaper disposal unit. No new parent should be without one.

Has the knee pads for crawling after baby. Has the full-facial shield to prevent pee pee spraying. The heavy duty baby carrier on the front is also reinforced with Kevlar and has handy storage areas for baby wipes and bottles.

I used to work for a baby sitting agency. How I wish I'd had a hazmat suit back then.

I would not paint the woodwork! I agree with your husband.

This space would brighten up a lot with white carpeting and colorful furnishings. I'd use the existing woodwork as contrast to brightness elsewhere. Lucky you to have such a space!

Jeez Louise....paint it if you're so inclined. You gotta please yourself. I do love that staircase though, paint or no paint. Wow.

That light wood floor really doesn't go with the dark wood paneling. I think that's part of the problem with the look of the room, as others have indicated.

I'm not sure if adding white furniture to the room would solve that problem. I think the white furniture would just end up making the paneling look even darker in comparison.

Maybe you could paint one wall, like the window wall (which looks especially dark because it's in shadow) and see how that looks. I love the look of paneling painted white - it's a very clean look which brings to mind expensive beach homes.

If you're already looking for another home, don't paint. If you're desperate to cover that paneling, hanging curtains is the best way to go. I think that with the right furniture though, you wouldn't see the paneling so much.

It's not really a crawling-baby-friendly home... there would be no way to gate the top of the stairs and that railing is pretty low. However, if you're going to be moving before the babies are to crawling stage, the landing seems like it would be a beautiful place for them, as decent as any other in the home.

Cribs would fit pretty perfectly on both sides of that small door in the landing, with a dresser/changing table beneath the window, and a rocking chair in the nook beside the railing. Plus... having the glass-paned door will allow you to shut it against your own bedroom noises, but still look in on your sleeping babies.

And having it on a landing that you or guests will walk by frequently will be even more reason to keep it spotlessly clean!! Best of luck!

I'm in the Do Not Paint camp.

At the closet wall, hang a series of curtains in light or bright colors to add color and "soften" the lines of the room.

My husband says hell was made for people who paint wood (and brick). There are SO many other ways to brighten the space ... start by elminating all that wood furniture, or try a lighter, brighter rug. White accents in this room and wood accents in the adjoining room will tie the two spaces together. It's a beautiful room ...

Think about the baby that will live in that room. I think a warm and cozy room complete with beautiful wood paneling would be a lot more homey than white white white everywhere.

Ordinarily,I would be the first one to OK painting ugly dark wood but yours looks so cozy and nesty and men just love wood so I think your husband is right about the resale value.(I inherited some 50s orange knotty pine in a bedroom and was not allowed to paint it by the male family members so I Ralph Laurened it with tartan wallpaper and like it very much now.) You can brighten parts of your room up with hanging Pendleton blankets with lots of cream in them to go with masculine look the room has. The area behind the TV does look very dark - how about some additional lighting and a bright poster? In fact, prints everywhere the room looks too oppresive to you could help.

What a terrible idea. Please leave your poor house alone.

I'm so relieved to see so many people discouraging the painting! It always upsets me (maybe too much) to see beautiful woodwork painted over, and this is beautiful woodwork. I would not buy the house if that was all painted white. Maybe some brighter furniture would help?

I'm with the leave the wood alone camp. Especially since that room will be a nightmare for small kids. I would like awake at night worrying that one of them might decide to climb on that fence and hoist his/herself down the stairwell. Also, it's very nice to have a room for your kids that can be closed off. Otherwise it's harder for them to fall asleep. Which you want. Very much.

I think it's a good room up until 6 months old, and then it's time to rearrange rooms or look for a new place.

wow, i never expected so many comments! thank you to everyone that chimed in. we will definitely rethink our plans now. we had ruled out making the landing into our bedroom b/c our queen-size doesn't fit (the room is small and the heating vent gets in the way). but maybe we need to investigate a different bed.

overall, i just want the room to jive with the rest of our light, airy, mid-century inspired home. it's a real downer for me. but thanks to everyone showing it to me in a different light.

i wish moving to a more baby-friendly home was an option for us right now, but that will have to wait at least a year.

i will definitely post our changes.

I know you've already responded to the other comments, and I'm late to the game on this, but I can't resist adding my two cents.

While I'm normally an advocate of painting blah woodwork, yours is so beautiful that I really do have to chime in with the "don't paint" camp. It's not just about preserving the woodwork, though. As someone with two kids under the age of three, I must advise you that most kids sleep better in darker rooms. I understand the temptation to design a bright space, but every parent I know who's done this (myself included) has then pulled their hair out over installing light-blocking window treatments. Argh!

If you want to lighten up the space, I'd install wall-to-wall Berber-style carpeting in a light colour over the entire area. It'll subtly brighten the room and visually declutter the floor area at the same time. Plus, it's a nice soft surface for babies to crawl on. And by covering up the least attractive wood in the room, it'll let your lovely walls really shine.

Finally, congratulations! Wow, twins -- you must be so excited!

I think if you put curtains on the closets the narrow space from one room to the other will only seem narrower... right?

I'm not personally a huge fan of all that wood, but I agree with the majority - if you're selling, I'd leave it.

i live in a rental with all original woodwork also -- doors, trim, moulding, picture rails, window frames, not to mention wood blinds! I can understand how monotonous it gets. but i agree with others -- furniture and accessories will make a huge difference. if this is not the place you're living in for the next 10 years or so, then count me in the "don't paint" camp.

i also agree with doppelganger -- your babies will sleep much better in the darker room. install wall-to-wall FLOR tiles of different colors (FIY: target is clearancing out their version!), get white cribs, dressers, etc, a colorful chair, and the place will look totally different.

oh, and for what it's worth, for the first couple months your babies will probably be sleeping with you and your hubbie in your bed anyway ;)

congrats and good luck!

Although paint is in theory reversible the idea of stripping that much tongue and groove paneling sends shivers up my spine. If you must go white I'll cast another vote for the thin drywall idea.

Speaking as someone who has done the unspeakable job of REMOVING paint from VALUABLE house features like this, please do NOT paint. There are thing veneer type things, very cheap, faster than painting some of them, that you can do if you must have white.

Why?
I have no problem painting wood.
But here?
It totally suits the place; cozy and warm.

In Pasadena there is a former Greene & Greene bungalow that has all the original hand-crafted Craftsman-era wood-frame windows ripped out in favor of aluminum sliders because the owner wanted a split-level ranch house and couldn't be bothered to sell the house they had and buy a split-level ranch house instead.

There is a special circle in hell reserved for people like that, and it involves an infinite chorus of Eero Saarinens decked out in Edwardian corsetry screeching 18th C. opera to the accompaniment of Arnold Schoenberg conducting a brass band.

Please do not paint the woodwork. The twins stay in that space will not safely outlast their gaining the ability to defeat the baby gate you'll need to install at the top of the stairs. And someone will definitely want to pay more for that woodwork as it is than they will want to recover it from some misguided attempt to turn it into Mid-C Modern.

I am with you. I think painting the wood will make the room light and airy and perfect for a nursery. The wood is nice but too dark; it makes the room feel small and enclosed

Just an FYI on the "paint is reversable" comment...when we moved into out 1927 house, we set out to remove some of the many many layers of paint in order to make the surfaces more even. It's really hard to do, especially where there is detail work, like this room. It's a shame that so many historical houses have panted wood just because one person thought it looked dark. Hang artwork! Change the floor! Change your furniture! This house has been around longer than you. Respect it a little?

Toddlers and curtained-off closets are a recipe for disaster! Spend the money on good closet doors - for resale purposes and your own enjoyment. If you're not sure about even staying in the house, don't waste time and money on paint. Your babies will be happy wherever they are as long as you're there too :)

Those kinds of closet doors are much harder for kids to defeat. If the slide one over the other, the kids can just brush against them, and they will start to open.

If they are folding doors, which they appear to be, and they fold so they pretty much block the hall, it will be much more difficult for the kids to thwart those doors. Although my cats can open the bi-fold door in my hall.

You CAN have a track installed for the base of the doors. I don't have one. They are cheap.

You can also have a peg attached to the bottom of the doors. And you can have child lock for those doors:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=blended&field-keywords=bi%20fold%20door%20lock&results-process=default&dispatch=search/ref=pd_sl_aw_tops-1_blended_39149857_1&results-process=default

There is more than just pastel colors for baby bedding too, like these:
http://www.babygiftusa.com/gljebabefl.html

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/602-1076943-6793462?asin=B000JJLBPU&AFID=Nextag&LNM=B000JJLBPU|Trend_Lab_Baby_Cocoa_Dots_4pc._Crib_Bedding_Set&ref=tgt_adv_XSN10001

I didn't mean that you both had to sleep on the landing, I meant that perhaps an extra SINGLE bed on the landing would be ideal for the "off-duty" parent.

There usually isn't such a thing, as an "off-duty" parent. But, trust me, you will need that once in awhile. So that ONE of you will be sleeping in the master bedroom, if you have both babies in the master bedroom, and will attend to their needs there.

And the lucky "off-duty" parent can sleep soundly (hopefully) on the landing.

And there is something quite wonderful about the warm wood tones being a contrast to the white modern other rooms. If it was all white, you get that snow blindness effect, there isn't that contrast.

The single bed could be a daybed, that has storage and one could still watch TV or work at the computer. You can take one or the other baby out there to sit with if the other is asleep, or you can each take a baby and work on them individually to put them to sleep.

So that baby one might still be fussy while baby two can go to sleep with a door closed, from the main area.

And check out the light blocking drapes or shades, for sure, for the master bedroom!

Paint it.