Dark varnished wood work in the living room

last month

When we moved into our house about 12 years ago all the timber in the living room had been varnished quite dark. The old style wall paper and furniture worked with it but our furniture is very different and didn't work. We've changed it since but my wife (much to my frustration) won't allow me to paint the woodwork white and insists it must stay dark wood. The large corner sofa is a darkish grey and the carpet a mid grey. We want to wall paper it as the walls aren't great and the last wallpaper covered it well. But I can't think of what type of colour or patterned wall paper would work with this set up. I've been looking online and can't find a single picture of dark woodwork in a living room to get ideas, probably because no one wants this anymore. Does anyone have any suggestions? Anything would be most welcome. Thanks

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Juliet Docherty

last month

last modified: last month

Our old house, (we have moved recently). It was a mammoth job but it shows the before and after. Woodwork painted Shaded White F&B.

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Comments (14)

Isla Cherry
last month
last modified: last month
Paint the woodwork white. I'm on your side it will transform the space. I have seen it done really well. Grey and white are classic. The only dark woodwork that looks great to me are those baronial style houses in Scotland or a Harry Potter style of interior. Interesting that your wife won't allow you to paint it. I always paint over dark brown woodwork. It looks much more modern. If you don't fancy white any neutral shade would lighten it. Think sludgy grey, taupe, beige, greige etc. I'll find you some examples. Imagine if all this woodwork was dark brown like yours?

https://www.houzz.co.uk/photos/sheri-olson-traditional-living-room-seattle-phvw-vp~698475 It really does make a huge difference.

https://www.paintersenterprise.com/painting-oak-wood-panel-walls
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Tom Lew
Original Author
last month
Yes I think that's the problem, she doesn't want it to look modern unfortunately. Which is a shame because with lighter woodwork I can come up with a million nice designs. But she likes the old fashioned cottage style that the previous owners had it. Which would be fine if we had old style cottage furniture, but we don't. So some how I need to try to find a wallpaper colour and design that will go well with dark woodwork and grey sofa and carpet. I'm not sure it's even possible if I'm honest, but I'm definitely open to suggestions. Maybe I've got tunnel vision and can't get past the woodwork colour which is making it difficult to envisage anything else. So I think I need some ideas from people coming at it from a different angle. Ironically my wife has no suggestions other than the wood stays as it is😂
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It is possible to paint over but it will need thorough preparation. The varnish you speak of could be a scumble finish which would need stripping back with a varnish remover for the most success. If it is a more recently varnished finish you might get away with sanding back to key and then using either an etching primer or a primer such as Bin Zinsser. If it is not properly prepared the new paint will sit on top of the varnish and, when dry will just scrape off.
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minnie101
last month
Do you have photos of the room so we can see the furniture style and the rooms architecture?
minnie101
last month
Or if you don’t want to add pictures you could just add lining paper. Plaster pink normally works well with dark brown and grey. There are loads of shades around including dirtier shades so not too pink
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Sonia
last month
What age is your house? Dark woodwork can look good if you have a very old house or cottage, like Hatfield House for example which is all dark Tudor wood, but if it’s a 1980s house, I agree with you. Paint out the dark wood. You could paint the woodwork to go with your wallpaper choice or classic white. Below is a wallpapered hall with dark wood and the other is with the woodwork painted to match the wallpaper. Last pic is a rather busy wallpaper with white skirting. Without seeing the room or your wallpaper choice it is a bit difficult to advise further.
Tom Lew
Original Author
last month
Apologies for my delayed response, ive been working all day. I will do my best to put some photos on here if I can work it out. It's not a very grand room unfortunately 😂. It's just a mid terrace property built late Victorian.
Isla Cherry
last month
I'll do my best to offer another version with dark woodwork :}}
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Isla Cherry
last month
A bit of background which might give you some ideas.

https://www.tablero.co.uk/articles/1235-victorian-wall-panelling-explained/
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Isla Cherry
last month
An incredible transformation @Juliet. It's hard to believe it's the same house :))
Sonia
last month
Juliet you’ve shown how painting out the dark wood can transform a space. Looks beautiful and love the splash of colour from the oriental rug.
PRO
PAINTFORME
last month
Hi Tom,

Sounds like solutions are two:

1. Change the floor colour. If it's natural but varnished wood floor, we could sand and re-varnish in light colour or clear.

2. Paint and wallpaper the room. We could help with this tasks too. As long as you're in London area.

Other than that, it's hard to provide any opinions without seeing the space.

We hope this helps.

www.paintforme.co.uk
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Oraanj Interior design
last month
Hi!

Working with dark woodwork can create a striking and timeless look if paired with the right elements. To complement the dark wood, consider wallpaper with a subtle pattern or texture that adds depth without overwhelming the room. Neutral tones like taupe, warm beige, or soft greys with hints of warmth can bridge the gap between the woodwork and the grey sofa and carpet. Alternatively, jewel tones like deep teal, forest green, or even a muted mustard can add richness and contrast to the wood while maintaining a cosy feel. Look for wallpapers with metallic or embossed details to reflect light and prevent the room from feeling too dark. Adding accessories like cushions or throws in complementary colours can further tie the elements together and create a cohesive, inviting space.
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Wumi
last month
Have you considered leaning into the 'darkness' and painting the woodwork a dark colour instead? A rich dark blue or green maybe. Dulux Heritage has some nice dark colours.
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Dark varnished wood work in the living room

Juliet Docherty

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Isla Cherry

Tom Lew
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Dark varnished wood work in the living room

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Tom LewOriginal Author

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