those knots are terrible!

If this is a second home, I'd leave the pine as is. Hey, it's the country. If you're convinced you can't leave it as is consider pickling it a white.

I would paint, that wood is only attractive in small doses and the knots alone would drive me crazy. They will also be hard to cover up if you are going for a white color paint, you will want to use a great primer like Zinsser B.I.N or Cover Stain. You could try adding cool nickel hardware to the cabinets and see if you like them better as-is. Or, paint the lowers a nice dark color (maybe charcoal or navy) and keep the uppers natural for a country-meets-modern look. The backsplash and walls I would definitely paint or whitewash, no question.

Try overstaining them white. This will still show all the wood grain and the knots but brighten, lighten and moderinize it while still giving a nod to the original character. I would prime and paint the woodwork a soft white so it shows up. The wood on the backsplash could be changed out, tiled or whatever you like.

Maybe consider an accent wall that's un-painted, maybe. But please, do yourself a favor and PAINT! :)

Laura
http://grafxnerd.tumblr.com

Oh yuck.

You might poke around in your area and see if there's any demand for knotty pine as a salvaged material. Looks like the stuff you have (though not to my taste) is in good condition. Some people really do go gaga over this stuff. If there's any chance you can sell the cabinet faces or some of the panelling from the walls... DO IT.

Much better to start totally fresh by putting up some drywall and lovely new cabinet faces instead of painting over such a weird bumpy surface.

Good God, paint! I grew up with a living room that was solid wood paneling. It was high-quality solid wood, as I can see this is, but it was just too overpowering and outdated. My mother made the wise choice to paint it a nice creamy white, which kept the depth and just a little texture of the paneling while toning the retro factor way, way down.

You don't indicate how "modern" your furnishings are.

If your pieces are MCM/Regency in bright colors, chrome, dyed leather, marble, walnut, lacquered Chinese Chippendale - I'd let the pine be and revel in the contrast.

On the other hand, if your furniture is department-store/Big-Box "modern" (Boxy microfiber sofas, Chocolate brown stained wood, platform beds, etc.) - you might think you want to paint the place now...
...but you also might want to wait - after all, this house obviously spoke to you. You might find that what you really want in the long-run is a cozy Modern-Country place with giant oval cotton-rag rugs, Windsor chairs and poster beds, solid linen-upholstered wing chairs and big white slipcovered sofas.

Ugh. Some wood is great, but this is horrific. Paint it.

That's a LOT of wood.

In the kitchen, it might work if you painted the cabinets and left the walls? There could be a way to work with it and make it cozy, or it could be that painting everything white will help you figure out how you'd like it to be.

Either way - lucky you to have a country house! Best of luck!

I think it has a lot of character and could look fantastic with modern or retro furniture, it would balance the rustic-ness. Also light neutrals with a few bursts of deep, bright colors...

Dear Lordy Lord - unless this house is in the Adirondacks, please paint all of it before someone stages a Knotty Pine intervention at your new house.

There's just to much.

I understand the whole "rustic" feel, but you can get that with half the pine. So I'd either remove the backsplash and use a natural-feeling, local stone in it's place, or remove the cabinets (but my vote is for the backsplash).

If you really don't like the wood (like most of the commenters here) don't buy the house.

If you do like the wood, but think it's just too much I would just paint the trim and the kitchen cabinets to add contrast.

I don't think the wood necessarily contrasts with modern furniture, but if your furniture is mostly wood, it'll look crappy.

Basically, if you have/are willing to paint your furniture get the house. If not, don't but it and find something else.

Yikes! Paint it...immediately.

I agree with operagirl79 in that you should go light. One might also consider staining the windowsills/baseboards a darker shade - much like the photo used in today's Roman Shades piece: (http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/dc/roundup-roman-shades-and-matchstick-blinds-on-the-cheap-085179).

Simplicity can convey "rustic" just as easily as floor-to-ceiling timber.

PS - I bet you could score a fantastic mantel at at thrift or salvage market

What about something between paint and stain? Or something like whitewash?

http://www.coastalliving.com/homes/decorating/total-beach-house-00400000040351/page6.html

http://www.coastalliving.com/homes/decorating/paradise-found-00400000002903/page5.html

http://www.coastalliving.com/homes/decorating/homes-decorating-00400000027779/page3.html

http://www.coastalliving.com/homes/decorating/key-west-getaway-00400000002907/page3.html

I don't know if that's too much of a beachy feel for you.

I think that straight up paint could be awful if not done right, though- makes me think of people who paint over bathroom/kitchen tiles. Just makes the problem worse.

I answered "other" because I don't think it needs to be all or nothing. That IS a lot of wood (wood backsplash???!!!) I would definitely paint some, or even most of it, but you could leave some parts unpainted for character.

Instead of painting for accents, I'd think of it the other way around. Perhaps leave the fireplace wall unpainted,or the lower kitchen cabinets, but for the love of God, paint the backsplash!!! (or tile it!)

This looks like it could be so much fun. Be sure to send "after" pix.

I agree with eden713, don't buy the house if you really don't love the pine.

Otherwise, buy it and freshen the look with light colored furniture and natural details. I'd go for a Scandinavian cabin look--lots of white with a few pops of color but no heavy iron work. I think the kitchen would look a lot better with a cream/white colored countertop.

Good luck.

Knots can be terribly difficult to disguise even under a great paint job. I would advocate for new cabinets first and painting what you have second. If you paint, I would hire it out to a skilled professional to make sure those knots don't pop through your new paint job.

Laugh? I nearly cried. Funny comments.

I would take all of the doors off of the top cabinets. Make it more open. Its just too much pine.

I don't think you should paint. Respect the house and work with it. I like the retro feel, especially if this is a vacation house and not your residence. Bright textiles, rugs and furniture would be nice as well as a tile or metal backspash and some cabinet hardware. Redo the fireplace, add a mantle and some tile or stone. There is so much that can be done here without destroying the pine walls and cabinetry.

I was going to say "paint", because that much pine would drive me to orange-tinged insanity. But having seen the second picture it looks almost like a log cabin, and I think a painted wood cabin would look pretty strange. So I'm going to vote for option Other - buy a different house!

It reminds me (as is) of a solar decathlon house I saw a few years ago. The wood wasn't the problem; it was the AMOUNT of wood and the fact that their student designers slanted it to be creative. Too much sameness in one space.

However, whoever did this house in the first place probably did what made their hearts sing. Don't do what designers or stylish people tell you is right- do what will make you feel peaceful when you walk in the door. Do you walk in and say, "Wow, cute! I love it!"? Then leave it, and over time, you will come to know what is right for the house.

Though I did have to laugh- I finally got my workplace to agree to knock down and paint the horrible wood paneling in my office. I thought I'd cry if I had to spend one more month looking at knotty wood paneling!

PAINT! Zinzer has a spray primer just for knots and that is a worthwhile investment. I have a knotty pine room in my rancher that I painted about 5 yrs ago. Wash with TSP, lightly sand with fine grit to give the surface some tooth. Wipe down. Prime VERY well (2 coats), then paint. My old room sucked the light and very life out of everything. Now, it has a nice cottage-y feel.

i would paint some of it and leave some of it.

Lord, I hate pine. :)

i am with the paint some walls leave some pine as accent group.n i agree that you need to be caredful about the knots-mor coats of primer on these? or a special product to block them out?

i think you should work with it..but keep it clean and elegant..if you chose to upgrade your furniture with all white accents (including the sofas, curtains and side tables) it would almost be like a haven of pure relaxation...plus you wouldn't have to take the time and energy to paint all that pine. i'd also get rid of all the iron work and freshen up the space by adding clean and modern artwork..or even black and white photos.

Keep the naughty pine, and replace those horrible countertops with white marble.

I'm with the "let the house keep its character" crowd. In 5 or 10 years time everyone will be saying how boring the tight grain of the currently fashionable woods is and seeking out the yellow knotty pines and oaks that are now so unfashionable. Think of yourself as avant-garde.

I would paint the walls, and the doors of the cabinets, but the leaving a smidge of wood adds a nice something.

I think it is lovely and am with the 2 or 3 others who recommend the "wash" look. I lived in a 1720 saltbox where all the wood had been washed in different colors: blue, red, off-white...the knots showed through but it was much more updated than what seems to be the case here. I like the pictures sfumato provided - wonderful.

There is a great product called "milk paint" that provides a lovely wash. Not sure if it works on wood, though.

I'd leave it as is, personally. But if you decide to paint it, leave the cabinets alone. I think they'd be the best way leave a little of the original wood charm if you're going to do it that way.

Well, I hate the thought of painting wood, probaby because I grew up in the quintessential MCM suburb and never had a chance to see it. But that's me and my neurosis.

Currently I'm loving the various lines of (Swedish?) furniture that juxtapose white paint with a variety of stained woods. Sorry I don't have an example at hand... but maybe you could play with that? Dunno if it would work as well with a house as it does with a chest of drawers, though.

in the kitchen I'd leave the cabinets, but tile the wall/backsplash with something modern.

The pine might be a bit much in the rest of the house, but I'd kind of hate to see it all painted over...

Paint!! Seriously - paint 95% of the house. Leave a wall or so to remind yourself why you painted the rest, eehr, I mean as an original feature.

1) Not all woods are created equal when it comes to staining and painting. Pine is a soft wood that doesn't take stain evenly unless it is properly prepped, and even then can be a nightmare. If you are going to stain, the protective coating over the wood will have to be sanded off completely and judging from the pictures, that will be a daunting task. And if you paint, those knots will show through. In any case, consult an expert because you could make matters worse with a slapdash solution.

2) If you really hate the pine, you should decide what you wish the home to look like and, before you purchase, get an estimate for an actual renovation that includes removing the pine altogether. The price of the home plus the cost of the renovation is the true cost of purchasing the house you want to live in. If you can't afford the combined cost, this is probably not the house for you.

I wouldn't even consider buying the house - that quantity of pine is a deal-breaker unless they are giving the place away free. I am a great DIYer, but I think it would be so time-consuming and expensive to make this look like you want that it would be best to purchase something more in line with your style to begin with.

this is awful.

you would have to gut it in my opinion.

If it was just a bunch of pine kitchen cabinets I would say paint, but since it is a whole knotty pine house I say respect the pine or buy a different house. The pine as it is, at least looks very intentional. You can make it look both intentional and attractive with the right furnishings.

I think I might change the backsplash (and counters), but would probably leave the cabinets and the walls in the other rooms as pine. I think it is charming, and I'm always sad when people homes that had nice retro vibes into cookie-cutter, pottery-barn, robot homes.

Knotty pine can add warmth & contrast to otherwise "cold" modern furnishings. Done right, it could be really interesting and awesome!

We've got a whole wall of it (real wood, tongue-in-groove, recovered from a museum in DC and distressed from years of wear) in our living room. It's definitely provided us with a design challenge (avoiding the cabin/pirate ship look), but it gets tons of compliments and we really dig it. Our decor would be considered masculine-vintage mixed with modern.

And, believe me, I've had knotty pine-related panics. In my distress, I found examples of modern, awesome interiors that contain wood paneling. Here are some of them:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/theholidaygirl/3307194954/in/set-72157614388774058/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/theholidaygirl/3447694269/in/set-72157614388774058/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/theholidaygirl/3342071692/in/set-72157614388774058/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/theholidaygirl/3306364409/in/set-72157614388774058/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/theholidaygirl/3420155826/in/set-72157614388774058/

Go with your gut & do what you like. Good luck!

Do you get the feeling we're all prepared to show up with brushes and rollers if you give out the address? (we could form a club) Is the lot this place is on really special? And how attached to your modern furniture are you? Personally, if I were sitting on the fence over this, I'd paint the kitchen first, then see how I felt about the remainder. For the right price with a pretty view this is worth it. Keep us posted! Good luck!

I concur with the many people who have suggested painting part of it. How much; tinting, pickling or thick paint is perhaps less important of a decision as I can imagine it looking good in various manifestations-- the pictures uploaded by other posters confirm this.
I could be naive about the work involved here but I think the pine is not a deal breaker. I personally would probably keep the ceilings and perhaps some of the walls unpainted but I'd paint the rest.
I'm not sure about the kitchen. I actually like the idea of the pine back splash and would probably take of some of the doors, and paint the cabinets except that I don't think it really goes with the counter and the black appliances. I think harmonizing that is your priority in the kitchen. Whether that is tiling the backsplash and painting the cabinets or changing out the counter and appliances so that they work with the cabinets is perhaps more of a budget issue.

One thing to keep in mind. Some people go CRAZY for this stuff. We had a kitchen once with 56 cabinets and drawers of this so called 'pickled pine.' Personally I hate it, but when we sold the house, people went NUTS over it, and increased the bids for the house. Go figure. So if you ever plan to sell, I'd consider leaving it alone. But if this is a forever house, PAINT!

Been there, done that. A little wood goes a long, long way. I purchased a 3 story A-Frame that had clear heart pine tongue and groove floors, ceilings, and walls. It was fantastic when I bought it, but OMG...enough already after 2 years.

Feel free to paint, it's YOUR house.

I would paint. Absolutely.

But you should bear in mind that pine knots will eventually 'burn' through the paint if you choose a light colour. But if you don't mind the yellowing that'll come through in a few years, go for it!

I like the whitewash idea from the above poster. Then you get the best of both worlds.

If painting is not your thing, I would recommend filling the insets of the cabinet doors with something like:

1) Cork panels - I did this with my white cabinets and get rave comments from visitors all the time. Lets you pin up cool art, postcards, recipes while you are cooking.

2) Metal panels - use with magnets and/or paint them the color you would like with spray paint.

3) Paint with black Chalkboard paint. Another utilitarian idea that you could even combine with the metal panels, making a magnetic chalkboard area.

Oh, I forgot to add - if you want to stain instead of paint, Minwax makes a whole bunch of cool custom colors.

Consider whitewash, like Sarah Richardson's cottage.

What about painting the floors and cabinets a high gloss white? You'd still have the contrast with your mod furnishings but you'd also have a more contemporary tie-in.

Buy a different house.

Let someone else who is thrilled with knotty pine buy this one.

Buy a different house.

Paint it!!! You could even switch the cabinet doors in the kitchen for something more modern. I would paint the trim around the windows a different color (probably the trim white and the walls a different color), add a tile back splash in the kitchen and a mantle around the fireplace... or at least a shelf, it looks naked!

The only way that wood would work is if you went totally country or western and if your furniture is modern, that's just not going to work.

My personal taste says "Paint! Now! Paint!" but I strongly dislike knotty, overwhelming wood. However, knowing it's a country house ... if you plan on reselling this anytime soon, I know in the "Northwoods" region, this look will always be in demand, much like the rustic wood furniture, plaid and deer heads (shudder!). A compromise I agree with would be to leave small doses of the wood and paint (perhaps white, or shots of barn red for a "country feel"?) But I say do what feels right, and what you'll enjoy.

don't buy the place! you did say EVERY room, right?

unless it's a TINY place, it will be a lot of work to get it to something you like and can you live with it that long if you're there every weekend all summer/year?

stt64 - I like your idea - I was thinking of a whitewash style before reading it. I normally hate painting wood, but there is way too much here. That would probably look the best. I'd probably do that everywhere this wood is besides cabinets and just leave them alone. But completely painting out this wood would be more horrific than having it - at least go with stt64.

I LOVE bare wood and am normally a 'don't paint it ever' person. But knotty pine is one of the ugliest woods ever. I don't think I would even buy this house.
But stain the kitchen cabinets first, live with it for a while, then start painting/staining other rooms. Just don't try to do it all at once.

i would do a mix. pine and white would look great. i think the photo of the kitchen looks so woody because of the cabinets, not the wall. what if you painted the cabinets white, leave the walls wood, and if you have extra money sitting around replace the counter tops.
through the rest of the house, paint certain walls white, or even cover with drywall and attach furring strips carefully between board so that you can change your mind later (or save it for the next owner).

i think that part of the reason you are attracted to this home is the appearance. it gives it great warmth.

modern furniture, if mostly neutral with some accent colors could be wonderful.

good luck. start out small, do it in steps.

i would paint it. i love wood and am not usually pro-paint, but this is just so overwhelming.

I've seen beautiful Scandinavian interiors with wooden walls, but if that's not your thing, consider whitewash (as others have mentioned). Painting knotty pine is really, really tricky, and it often looks horrible a couple of years later.

Check out this house on Desire to Inspire today: http://desiretoinspire.blogspot.com/2009/05/warning.html

It looks rustic inside, but still clean - there's tons of pine, but the white wash or whatever they did, with the smooth white walls, makes it look so comfortable and clean. I appreciate the second-home aesthetic, but there has to be a way to do it without feeling like you're trapped in a sixth-grade woodshop project.

I agree with eden, azure, and theloudestyeller:

Hun, if the wood bothers you that much, i think you should consider another house. There are plenty of folks who have suggested the whitewash look, which would strip this house of all its character. Knotty pine isn't for everyone -- and this house isn't for everyone. Don't do permanent damage to a house that you aren't completely happy with just to make it look like every other house on the block.

If you want to tone it down a little, take off the cabinets like was already suggested or play up other parts of the hosue. Get creative or get another Realtor.

Paint nothing!

Instead, invest in "better" furniture and other amenities / finishes ( faucets, etc. ) as part of your normal living. I would look at small things, like upgrading the switchplates in the kitchen as well ( the plain white ones stand out quite a bit ).

One of the things you could do in the living room is an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling curtains in a solid tone ( preferably white ) as a cover to break some of the pine up.

In the kitchen, simply remove a fair amount of the doors on the upper cabinets. Wrap them with butcher paper and store them someplace high and dry for later.

Consider ways to maximize the natural and artificial light you have. I think the knee-jerk "Paint it!!!" comes from so much wood feeling dark and heavy. For instance, a really beautiful mirror ( and a mantel ) might be really nice above the fireplace.

Embrace the character of your home.

I gave up reading all these comments, so forgive me if this suggestion has been made. I'd suggest whitewashing all of the pine, you still get the detail of the pine, however it's light and refreshing.

Sarah Richardson had a similar issue on her show Sarah's Cottage, http://www.hgtv.ca/sarahscottage/episodes.aspx?sectionid=300&categoryid=6183229123912999176&postid=67408

Paint it, white wash it stain it, anything to tone down the knots

The white wash wouldn't be any hard to remove than layers of paint, southernbohyne. And if only used in small doses would help. I'll make the kitchen an example - leave the cabinets be and focus on whitewashing where the back splash would be and maybe at least one wall. It would still be a country look which would still sell the house later. Layers of bold paint will make it unsellable.

I'm sure you can decorate around anything. Heck, that's half the fun...

Enjoy your new home.

Paint the trim in bright enamel and treat the pine as a backdrop for your modern decor. It's a blessing in disguise, because it will force you to be extra spare and judicious with your furnishings.

My bedroom was just like this when I moved in. I painted it white and it's made a huge difference. The place is 10 times more light and airy. Definitely paint it!

Yes! Yes! For the love of GOD, yes! At least whitewash to make the room lighter if you're afraid of losing the texture.

PLEASE paint it.

I agree that the pine is a challenge to decorate around, but I have to fall on the side of leaving it alone and challenging yourself to make it work, because it can be a great look with the right stuff. I had a similar problem with my knotty pine kitchen cabinets. I was in a very love/hate relationship with them until I started decorating my kitchen and honoring the existing 1959-era "bones" of the house. Now I am quite fond of the cabinets, and I would never think of painting them. Knotty pine also looks great with a fun, Todd Oldham-esque interior, if you're into that look. I know it's not for every body, but I'm a big fan.

You should definitely paint or whitewash at least the walls and kitchen cupboards because that is very powerfull naughty knotty pine.

I'd leave the ceilings for a little touch of cottage.

Look at what Sarah Richardson did at her own cottage on her show on hgtv.
www.hgtv.ca/sarahscottage

Absolutely DO NOT paint the pine!!! There are lots of people out there, including myself and my husband, that love and want the pine as is, especially with all the knots in it! For those of us that love the very rustic feel in the country, we would hate to see anything done to it. If you must do something, do slight changes, such as a different back splash in the kitchen. It is very hard to paint the pine without still seeing the knots. If it's too much pine for you, consider looking for a different house and leaving this house for someone else who really appreciates the rustic pine. It's not easy too find a house with all that pine, so why ruin it for someone who would love it? I personally think it's very warm and rustic and just love the photos, so if it's not for you, please consider looking for a different house.

I know this is an old post, but someone might stumble on it with the same dilemma. For God's sake, please don't ever destroy a natural material for the sake of some trendy, "modern" change. For every single person who thinks this knotty (not naughty!) pine is horrific, gross, terrible or whatever, there are as many who actually appreciate natural pine wood materials as they are. Whatever is "modern" now, people will laugh at in 20 years anyway. Consider the old "modern" avocado or burnt orange kitchen appliances. Or remember those abstract patterned, sherbet-pastel wallpapered walls from the 80s. They were the height of "modern" design at one time. If you find a house with lots of real, natural wood that you want to hide, please either have it carefully removed and sold to someone who can appreciate its beauty, or try to find another house that doesn't pose such a decorating problem.

(As an example, my 1890s Victorian home was "updated" at some point in the 1970s with avocado green paint all over the wood staircase. It's anyone's guess how much the final cost will eventually be once we are able to get all that terrible paint off the wood)