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Design Dilemma Home Decorating Living Rooms

stripped pine or dark grey gloss panelling?

6 years ago

Hi peeps, I'm planning on dark grey walls, white cornice and ceiling and a white painted floor in my north facing living room. The chimney breast will be exposed brick. Once it's stripped, shall I paint the bay window panelling dark grey? Or just wax it? Photos of the room and some inspiration pics below.

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J

6 years ago

I vote wax. The timber is looking lovely already.

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Comments (16)

Sam Potter
Original Author
6 years ago
oops meant to post these pics too
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chloeloves
6 years ago
I say wax it too! Got a labour of love on your hands there but I reckon it will look gorgeous
Sam Potter
Original Author
6 years ago
I was surprised how good the pine looked. I instinctively love it but was a bit worried it's quite a dated look.
Jules Mc
6 years ago
Yes waxed pine. Will add warmth to the grey scheme.
PRO
User
6 years ago
I'd try stripping some of the window frames. They are most likely to be in a not so good condition. I suppose it depends on whether you want the windows and the panelling back to their natural state? Or, do you want just the panelling stripped back and the windows painted?

If you want all the same, then strip back some of the window to see if any of the wood needs replacing, as it is fairly likely i'm afraid. Thus, you would probably have to re-paint them in order for them to look right. Then decide if you want panelling to match the windows or to be a stand alone feature.
Jonathan
6 years ago
I think that should you have the stamina to strip all of the panelling and window you will find some of wood won’t be good enough to leave unpainted. Personally I would paint the wall and the paneling and skirting in the same wipeable Matt paint- be sure to choose a grey with an undertone of something else to avoid the battleship look. I would paint the ceiling a pale shade of the wall colour and then the coving and ceiling rose a soft white- the ceiling colour will help to make the features more prominent.
Be careful removing the plaster near the coving so as to not loosen the coving - an angle grinder will help get a straight cut below the coving. Personally I would rather see the plaster replaced and a feature fireplace added as I think it is more in keeping with the remaining features in the room.
Given that the room could be gloomy you will need to add gilt and mirrors, a pale rug and lots of different lighting sources.
Sam Potter
Original Author
6 years ago
Hi all, Thanks for all the advice and ideas. I've ordered new timber sash windows. They come painted white as standard. Still not sure about waxed vs painted panelling. I have four days to decide if I want a dparticular colour other than white on the window frames.
re rest of the room. I do like the idea of a 'grey with a hint if something else'
Resh
6 years ago
We had the same choice to make and decided on paint. Very glad we did. It looks cleaner and more contemporary than the old wood ever did.
PRO
User
6 years ago
Hi Sam, I think if you're having painted windows, then the panelling too needs to be painted. I think it will look disjointed having both options, ie painted windows and stripped panelling.

I think you can have white windows and then paint the walls and panelling the same colour for continuity.

Or, you have everything stripped..............but it does start to get a bit dark
I think i'd paint.
Sam Potter
Original Author
6 years ago
hmm. The new windows do complicate things. And I'm not so keen on the wood fest pic above. Though was always going to paint the floor white. Another factor is that a stripped bay will pull focus from the exposed brick chimney breast and in a fairly small room that might be too much going on.
Sam Potter
Original Author
6 years ago
Resh, loving the understairs cupboard arrangement btw. I'm planning on reorientating the access to mine to the side, which will put it in the new kitchen, and putting the fridge in the tallest cupboard, (possibly without a door) with extra storage cupboards alongside. I was thinking of having concealed 'push to open' doors without any architrave, covered in a wallpaper or painted mural.
PRO
User
6 years ago
Love the idea of the exposed Chimney breast. Agree with the wood fest.........good term. Not sure about painting a floor white, could be a bit impractical. Plus, you have great light from the big windows, so something darker will just make the ceiling look even higher.
Resh
6 years ago
Thanks Sam - although those doors are actually a WC and a cellar! See below. We stripped the chimney breasts too. I really like the look:
Resh
6 years ago
I found a before shot for you. I definitely prefer painted wood. Much smarter!
Sam Potter
Original Author
6 years ago
Well, the stripping is all done. It looks pretty good. next weekend I'll sand it. Still not 100% on dark grey paint vs natural wood colour, but as I don't need to decide straight away that's fine. I hope the new horribly expensive white painted sashes don't look horrible. They will match the floor and ceiling.

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