No, it won't be too much white. It will look clean and bright. Go for it.

I think the white would look better then now. I think it would look best painted the same as the new upper wall color or one shade darker.

Maybe someone can photo shop it different colors.

I agree that I would do white, but if you really don't want that then the second best choice would be to match the wall color and let it all blend in.

Paint it all in the same fresh color as the walls -- what a HUGE difference that move will make!

Paint it the same color as the woodwork and doors.
Treat it like wainscot, make it a feature, look at it through different eyes.
Pretend it's beadboard, it will look wonderful with your 6 panel doors.
I can't see how it's finished at the top. Maybe add more trim to give it more of a beefed up chair rail look?
Painting it the same color as the woodwork will make the room look larger because your eye won't be distracted by so many breaks in color.
If you don't want to paint it white, paint it the same color as the wall except use semi gloss to define it.
It will look great. Good luck with the sale of your home.

I would not paint it super white, I would use Crystal white or another soft white and paint the trim the same white. I would change the top color to something different....a neutral cream if you like it simple or a pretty golden beige color....actually any color you like up top. A soft white will go with everything and not look as stark.

I have the same sort of half paneling in my dining room. I painted the upper wall a light green (Glidden - woodland mystery), the paneling cream (Duron - hayseed), and the woodwork and doors white (Duron - shell white). When it's painted, it looks more like wainscoting and less like paneling.

I agree that it would be an awful lot of white if you painted the paneling the same white as the woodwork. I like the idea of choosing a shade or two darker on the same strip as SW Sand Dollar for the paneling.

It's hard to tell in your pictures, but it looks as though the paneling may have trim around the top (most noticeable around the bookcase). If so, could you paint it white to resemble chair rail and make a visual divider between the sand dollar on the top and a darker color (maybe SW Sandy Ridge) on the panelling?

If you haven't already, check out the SW color visualizer on line.

joanie_b, the finish at the top of the paneling is the same as the trim around the doors - just a basic 2" door trim with the thicker flat edge of the trim facing up. It's not your standard chair rail trim which is more streamlined.

One thing I forgot to mention is that the room gets very little natural light. The windows at the den end of the room face east and there is a front porch there, so no direct sunlight after about 9 AM. The door with windows leads out onto a screened porch. So it is a pretty dark room.

Thanks, everyone, for your good ideas. Three options are emerging: 1) paint it white to match the doors, 2) paint it the same color as the walls, which will eventually be a warm beige-SW Sand Dollar which I have in adjacent rooms and 3) paint it a softer white color.

It is a ridged paneling (varied widths of ridges) so it would look similar to beadboard if painted.

I'm going to paint the walls next week and once painted, I'll get some poster board and try the wall color and whites and see what looks good.

Paint it to white to match the trim and moldings.

Here's some inspiration. This isn't paneling, but you get the idea.

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Brutuses....exactly what I was trying to convey - perfect pic.
It will give the room a seamless look and make it look deliberate instead of an attempt to conceal a *flaw*.

I think it looks great as it is. Keep it!

Nothing says "slapdash amateur remodel job" like painted paneling.

I don't care for the vinyl flooring though. That's where I'd spend any money here.

I respectfully differ with you, lee 676! I love painted paneling. It gives a room architecture. In fact, I'm sitting in a 400 sq. ft. room of painted paneling as we "speak." It was formerly chocolate brown cheap 70s paneling. My DH put 4 coats of Kilz on it, bless 'im, followed by 3 coats of White Dove. It is the softest, milkiest, light & brightest wall treatment now, and everybody loves it.

I vote to paint the paneling *and* replace the vinyl floor.

I have your same paneling in my current home and it's been painted and repainted and looks fine. We only used one coat of latex primer and then 2 coats of BM eggshell latex paint initally. Ours is on one wall in the entry and living room, so we painted them one shade darker than the walls and made them an accent. Everyone who comes in the house comments on how nice they look.