apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

here's my 2 cents...use the benches as a reading nook as you planned and hang simple lighting from the ceiling on each side. oversized pillows for seat and back rests. a wall of inexpensive drapery to hide the paneling and soften up the place a little. a large mirror or piece of artwork over the fireplace is a no-brainer and accessorize the joint with a few items that invoke the beach lifestyle....

I would do a piece of bright art over the fireplace, a mirror will just reflect more knotty pine. I like the idea of sheers, that way things are kept as bright/light as possible. I's also make cushions for the window seats and throw in a couple of bright pillows... you can pull a small stool/side table up to the window seat with a lamp on it, not sure if you have plugs right there, the knots are playing a trick on my eyes... Also a nice big rug would do wonders... a light rug, maybe an ivory shag or something... hmmm what really would be great thought is a big bucket o' Kilz and paint.

I think your best wood hell solution is going to be FABRIC, FABRIC, FABRIC! If you can't paint it, that's going to be the best way to mask things. I do think that a large mirror over the fireplace would look nice and break up the brick as well. As for reading nook lighting, a small floor lamp (the kind designed for reading lighting with an adjustable neck) would suit that situation well I think.

A mirror over the fireplace might just reflect more wood...I would do a large light colored abstract painting of some sort (do your own if you want). A nice area rug and furniture will break up all of that wood. I would put a large mirror on one of the walls, to reflect the windows and cover up the paneling. I would also make or buy light cushions for the window seats...throw some pillows around, and you could either do shortish floor lamps (crate and barrel has a great one) or you could do a small table with table lamp thing. You could also do a wall mounted swing arm, if there are available outlets..then just disguise the cords with a metal cover rail. It definitely has potential. Just keep it warm and eclectic.

I wouldn't go with sheer curtains, because you'll see the wood right through them. How about instead light-colored curtains made of a heavy fabric. Sort of like the ones in the library at Making It Lovely, but a print that suits your style:

http://makingitlovely.com/2009/06/25/the-new-light-in-the-library/

I like kahlil19107's idea of hanging lighting.

Furniture will get rid of some of the look of the wood. And art - lots of it, any of it - would help cover some of it up. The brighter, the better.

Good luck.

A big, light colored rug will undo the vast amount of wood on the floor. Your furniture will actually cover a lot of the walls. And then, if there's still too much wood showing and you don't own art, buy a bunch of pre-stretched canvases at the local art store, a quart of your favorite color of paint, and paint them and just put them up as minimalist art.

cant you paint the wood AND the fireplace white (and maybe even the floors)?

Not sheers! They're too dainty and dinky for the room.

Hmm.... It being a rental I assume you can't paint over the wood. Depending on budget and how long you plan to stay there you could create a secondary wall just before the wood paneling and paint that. Although I'm not sure if that will work with the window seats and such. Hmmm

Other than that, I tend to agree that a mirror over the fireplace would just reflect more wood. I'd go with a nice big art piece, in a lighter/brighter colour scheme plus some nice furniture in a bright and light colour.

As for lighting for the reading nooks, hanging ceiling lights are awesome or maybe a wall light that shines downwards.

Make an appointment with the landlord to discuss painting. Bring some photographs with you of beautiful painted brick (see bddw.com), and make the case to the landlord (gently!) that the wood paneling is terribly out of date, and painting it and the fireplace white would be a dirt cheap way of adding a lot of value to the space by making it more contemporary and clean.

If you can get him to agree, then you can go nuts with the decorating... anything looks good against white painted brick. One note - you'd want the curtains to hang down to just above the seat under the window. Cropped like they are in the photo is a bit tacky. Definitely invest in some nice pillows for the bench.

If you find that you really can't paint, I'd look at photos of classic lodge interiors and use that for inspiration. Maybe work with what you can't get rid of. You could even go a little kitchy or tongue in cheek if that's your bent. Rich, royal blues, yellows, and greens will help brighten it up. I agree that a strong, abstract piece of art over the fireplace would be good. You could also decide to go a little "sundance" with the place, though, and have fun with it. A bold, Mexican or Native American rug and/or textiles, a set of antlers or two, a mounted fish...? It doesn't have to go that far, but you get what I mean. Maybe run with the fishing shack/lodge look that the room is already leaning towards.

I'm for hanging the lamps from the ceiling, and an abstract painting rather than a mirror over the fireplace.

When I lived in student dorms we would pin wallpaper to the walls, even better you could make simple frames out of battens, cover them with fabric, and attach those to cover the wood panels. I'm a big fan of industrial strength velcro, but by the beach in SC the damp atmosphere can unstick it ...
Or, as others have said, get a big rug and lots of art, either refined cream/white/grey with driftwood/shell type accents, or bright colors, with more funky, beachy stuff, and leave the walls alone.
Have fun with it!

Since it's by the beach and has tons of woods, my inspiration would be "Bali/spa". Why not using outdoor white curtains like these: http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p6825/index.cfm?pkey=cweather-outdoor-drapes-shades ?
You could wrap the room in them, move them around to show some wood when you want to. I'd use mostly white fabrics & accessories to keep the room fresh and crisp and to make it look bigger. Light neutrals (light greys & greens) would work too. It would also bring a simple relaxed elegance. You could use outdoorsy furniture to play with an inside/outside theme. I'd add green plants to add to the theme: ferns, etc.
Here's some inspiration on the "Bali" idea: http://www.flickr.com/photos/villa-mathis-umalas-bali-indonesia/page5/

Enlarging the mantle with a wooden overlay painted a glossy black would draw the eye and make the brick fade into the background. Hanging a large picture or photo in a black frame above the new mantel will further pull the focal point away from the knotty pine walls. I'd personally place alternating low and high bookcases along the long wall to the right in the your picture. This would create spaces for more large black framed pictures to echo the one above the fireplace, cover much of the knotty pine and provide lots of places to store decorative pieces/books/etc.

I wouldn't curtain the windows above the window seat, having had mine pulled down by more guests than I can count! (they think they're adjusting the pillow when they're pulling on the curtain :-/) Blinds will be your friend here...roman shades maybe? Then add a rug, your furnishings and wa-lah! No more crazy cabin interior, just a cozy nook for you and yours.

I had friends who very successfully covered a truly hideous wall painting with heavy fabric weighted down with a 1x4 in a 'sleeve' at the bottom. Then they put furniture up against it and you couldn't really tell at all. It was very effective.

I agree with some bright window seat cushions and light furniture.

Walls and Fireplace: WHITE PAINT. It will make a world of difference. Then begin to add color with a painting over the fireplace, some pretty cushions and throw blankets.

White Paint: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X2QaLBTQpNs/SKy2Fk82WNI/AAAAAAAAAVM/IluZlQ69nbM/s400/Cottage Living Room.jpg

You can totally work with this - look at the Great Northern Lodge from Twin Peaks for inspiration - you can pull some great slightly kitschy/art deco/native american pieces into the space and have something that is VERY stylish. Attempting to cover up and "soften" the look with sheer fabrics and the like will only further emphasize how out of place the walls and fireplace are.

If you can't paint the walls... I'd line one side of the room with inexpensive tall white bookcases and that would take care of at least one wall and give you a ton of display space & storage. On another wall hang, or tack, floor to ceiling curtains (ikea would be great for this as their curtains come in ultra long lengths). Painter's fabric drop cloths could work instead of curtains and are a sandy color which works with the beach theme. I heart painter's drop cloths because they have a great texture. If you cover the 2 largest walls with fabric and bookcases, the naughty (sic) pine becomes a small, interesting design element. A big light colored rug or outdoor sisal looking rug would help a lot.(Check out Overstock.com and online for some cheap large rugs).
How long are you staying there? If it's under a year why not buy a roll of white butcher paper, cover the walls with it using tacks with heads that makes it easy to remove when you move out... Have a party: invite people to show up in grubby clothes...provide a lot of paint in small containers and brushes guests can paint their masterpiece. Strong libations helpful. If you don't like what you see the morning after, you're not out a lot of money.
I'm loathe to paint brick... it's a bitch to strip once it's painted and frankly, I think if you deal with wood floors and walls, the fireplace will look better immediately. Sit a mirror up there and see what it reflects... if it's not naughty pine, go for a large mirror to emphasize the fireplace as I think it's a great focal point in the room and when you place seating around it, it will be great!

Lighting and white are going to be your friend here.

the place needs to be brightened up to contrast with all the heavy materials.

i.e. white cushions for the benches. A large light area rug. Keep furniture pieces light as well, nothing heavy.

I think someone suggested a wall of light (linen perhaps) drapes to cover the wall. I dig that!

Different shades of white will work as well.

I had knotty pine just like that in my family room when I bought the house and painted it white. Even if the landlord agrees to let you paint it, it's not like painting a regular wall. The wood will absorb the primer like you would not believe, and once it's white, you'll see every gap between the panels and moldings, which we had to fill in with caulk. It took 3-4 coats of primer and the same number coats of high quality paint to get it done. For a summer rental, I doubt it's worth the trouble & expense.
heres my family room before and after- the paint does change the room completely:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36263456@N08/sets/72157621816072814/

I'd suggest bringing as much white to the floor through carpets and possible and I wc_canuck's idea about the wall hanging.

Paint is really your only option, as many have already said. Or you can go kitsch and embrace the mountain retreat feel. I think the worst thing you could do is try to hide this with some decor that doesn't match the rustic "charm" of the place.

wood paneling is awesome... duh.

weed. lots and lots and lots of it.

At the end of the day location, location, location.

I second Seaside's suggestion though, honestly, I lived in a knotty pine place temporarily and I just embraced it since it was a rental and I couldn't paint it. I had slipcovered linen sofas, a lot of natural textures (I hung large framed pictures using fishing line, from the ceiling joists, because the landlord wouldn't let me put any nails in the walls), fresh orchids (they're only $10-15 per plant in bloom) and large houseplants Everywhere (to distract the eye and cover some of the paneling), and I just pretended I was living by the beach in Malibu... which takes us right back to Seaside's suggestion!

With the fireplace, I like my mirrors but I agree that you might be better off with a big light-coloured piece of art on the main chimney breast: I'd then have two matching small mirrors propped against the wall on each side where the mantle wraps the column, and small matching lights (currently I'm in love with the Ikea Lykta, which is dirt cheap) right in front, in the white glass, so the mirrors throw the light right back out, and add a sense of space.

Lots of light rugs and cushions on the window seats as well, that would make the biggest difference, at a very reasonable price.

I'd say you should embrace all the wood paneling and view it as a challenge.

I'd go with a cream or ivory rug and curtains (not sheers, but something heavier, with a subtle texture), white-upholstered couches, side chairs in contrasting bright colors and/or patterns, big pieces of art (you can use a ceiling hanging system if you can't nail into the paneling), a few big, leafy green plants, accessories in glass and metal. Finally, white flokatis on the window seats plus a few colorful cushions, and hanging lamps as others have suggested.

With some white furniture, a white flokati, and some surfer chic accessories, you'll have an enviable beach place. It looks intimidating empty, but as long as you don't fill it with dark man-cave furniture, it'll be fine.

Get an area rug or FLOR tiles for the floor. Get one big (and I mean big) piece of art for one wall and a set of three smaller pieces/prints for another.

Consider a folding screen in white or a black frame around white shoji screen, or a metallic, to go behind the sofa and break up the wood wall. Alternately, floor to ceiling bookcases, lighted, could really change the whole room depending on colour of the cases, whether you line the backs with wallpaper or paint them a contrast colour, and what you put in them. Doesn't have to be a whole wall, either.

Buy some lamps that can take bright, powerful bulbs, to get some light in there.

White/cream/light upholstered furniture. Cream/ivory/white curtains but not sheers - canvas or linen or something with some weight that won't show the wood through.

With a nice rug and good lighting and furniture arrangement - you could have a LOT worse problems to live with than a brick fireplace and hardwood floors.

One word - white.

If you can persuade your landlord then paint all the wood paneling white. I once lived in a house exactly the same wood walls in the kitchen and hall/stairwell. I painted it all white and it looked great - even better for you, it had a slightly beach-house feel (and we weren't near the beach).

I think it's more important to paint the wood than the fireplace, as there is more wood. So you might be able to haggle with the landlord - start by trying to paint both, compromise by just painting the wood.

If you can't paint then I agree with other posters about hanging fabric over the walls, Ikea's curtains are long enough that they should go floor to ceiling for you.

Go with the reading nooks idea - it's a good use of the space. Either hang lights from the ceiling or beg the landlord to let you do a wall sconce on each side. Sheers would probably let in the most light in a room that looks very dark.

I'd go with art over the fireplace - the mirror will just reflect panelling and make you feel overwhelmed again. A large area rug should help cover up the wood floors and tone down the wood hell feel. Keep things simple and light - I'd even go for a white couch if it's possible - to distract from the panelling.

Echoing: White! White! White!

If I couldn't paint, then Brusselssprout in Manhattan's idea of heavy curtains Bali style would be my choice.

If you do want to paint, then yeah, have a very in depth conversation with you landlord first,make sure you both agree and that s/he doesn't take out of your deposit, or worse, thinks you have violated the terms of the lease.

My sister's cottage looks a lot like this (only the fireplace in her cottage is cleaner and quite charming). She put in light colored carpets and floor coverings. It made a big difference. In fact, light floors with some light artwork might be enough.

I've used light colored book cases to disguise a dark wall before. That works pretty well. If you don't want to add the book cases, you could also do fabric covering on the long wall--find a lighter colored pattern that you love and mount it top and bottom across that long wall.

If you keep with the cottage-y theme, you can make this attractive and fun without painting.

We bought our 1836 Connecticut Federal 3 years ago. They had done "updating in the library, dining room and the living room with pine paneling in the 60's. We lived with it for 1 year and couldn't stand it. In the dining room it was just one wall with the fireplace. The others are white plaster and white painted trim on windows and baseboards. One day I went out and bought primer and a very pale off white paint and painted the dark paneled dining room wall. As the one post said it took coats and coats, but when it was done it was gorgeous and we didn't look back. We went on to paint the living room- outstanding. The library is the last room left. It is not the paneling but a wall of bookcases and a door (lovely wood) but that dark dark pine from years of aging. I think the only thing holding us back is that all the books have to come down and we are also considering insulating the walls from the inside. (This is a post and beam house and you are not able to do a conventional insulation from the outside).
In your case sheets on sale might be the answer. You could put up batons and hot glue the fabric in place. You could stay with an off white or go crazy with a print. I think in a temporary situation that could work and you could return it to its previous condition without much trouble