ttodd posted about this designer, Charles Faudree, on another thread and patricia43 was nice enough to post the link to his website...look at the rooms on this link. They have a neutral background just like your room Lisa.

I'm not in love with your wall colour with the oak. IMO, it doesn't do anything for your space. And I think the darker tones are going to make your light carpet look out of place.

I don't mean to sound rude, but there is nothing overly special about your wood built-ins. I don't know why people are always so adamant about not painting wood. It's a matter of taste, I know, but to me white or cream painted built in cabinetry looks stunning. I had this in my previous condo office (after trying many different wood shelving options) and I LOVED this room so much. Got so many compliments on it.

The white makes a wonderful foil for books and personal objects. You can easily change accessories and paint for a whole new look, instead of having to constantly try to compensate for the wood tones.

To me, it's clear that in your heart you want painted wood -- so go for it! Yes, it's scary, but the end result will be wonderful.

Choose a lovely creamy white that complements your carpet and then see how you feel about the paint colour.

I think your room has wonderful potential but think that regardless of what other elements you add - the paint absolutely should be changed. I could see so many colors in the space - depending on your other furnishings. The current brown just does *nothing* for the great bones of the room.

Jan in wisconsin - Totally OT, but your bathroom is beautiful and may just be an inspiration for our own master bath. Am going to mention it on my thread for our pitiful bath...

Lisa - Jan's BR shows how wonderfully white wood works with brown walls. I also agree with Kailleanm that white is a great backdrop for books mixed with decorative items.

Thanks to everyone for the opinions!! I appreciate every single one of them! I'm down to 3 options: paint the woodwork. I would have to paint it the same white as the rest of my house..2. paint the walls a shade of green. Green is the only other color that looks good. Or 3. Wait til the carpet gets installed and maybe hire a faux painter to come in and do something on top of this color. Probably, truth be told...yes..my heart is wanting to paint the wood. I should probably not worry about what I should or shouldn't do..I just don't want the room to lose its coziness. I have 2 great leather brown chairs from arhaus on hold and I'm thinking a fun print ottoman. Maybe a zebra print or something. I will be in this house for at least another 10 years..til my last is out of high school. Unless..I meet some gorgeous man who wants a 41 year old divorcee:)
Moonshadow: Thank you so much!!! That is the coolest program! Would you mind also painting all the wood white so I could see what it looks like? I would be so grateful! This room is consuming my thoughts..which is a very good thing!

You don't even have a DH to consult -- so definitely go for it! LOL! The room will not lose its coziness with white woodwork. Your room will be warm and inviting because it's what appeals to YOU. You will have books, photos, personal momentos, etc, to give it warmth and life.

I would not go the faux route. It seems to me as if all those solutions are designed to compensate for what you really want. Also, painting the woodwork will be labour intensive but not nearly as expensive as all the money you will spend on accessories, fabric etc to try and get the look you want when the look you want is white cabinetry! LOL.

Here ya go, kiddo. All the woodwork is painted ;)

Those cabinets look so much better in the natural wood than the white. JMO

Moonshadow..thanks so much! I agree with brutuses..they look better natural. I'm thinking I could buy a bunch of used leather bound books and really fill up the shelves and that would cut down on the oak. I should just probably paint the walls again! Ugh! I had every color under the sun in here and just couldn't find something that I liked! I'm hoping the carpet comes in tomorrow and can get installed right away. I think I will wait for that to decide a wall color. I'll just have
to be more careful painting:) Actually, I may pay a painter this time..and send my soon to be ex..the bill!

Here is another photo with white painted cabinets very similar to yours.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

You're welcome ;)

I have been where you are and it's not fun. I did our guest bedroom 3 times before I was happy with the color, what a nightmare! (Still had the whole rest of the house to paint, too.) Just my humble .02, but I like the wall color, personally. You love it, so why not keep it and try it out for awhile ;) The new carpeting will give you better vision, too. I find the sample rooms redsox posted very soothing, especially the one with the beams on the ceiling ;)

Moonshadow..what do you think of just painting the doors and windows? Leaving all the rest? It may break up the oak..but is it a decorating faux pas? I am putting so much energy into this room..it's almost crazy! But..we do what we need to do to keep our minds busy:) I really do like the paint color too. I love this fabric from arhaus. On an ottoman or big comfy chair!
http://shop.arhaus.com/prodimg/collections/standard/all/CATANIA.jpg

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

Here's what it looks like doors and windows only. (I took the paint off the baseboards, too).

Did you mean leave the door frames in oak and just paint doors themselves? Or have door plus frame painted? (I'm tired therefore confeeeewsed ;D )

I really like the cabinets and trim painted in the white.

Laurie

I vote to paint the woodwork. Seems like the wall color and woodwork blend too much. Love the wall color you picked. Does the wood trim and the bookcases have to be painted the same? Do you have a color scheme in mind for your cozy room? Why not paint the trim a creamy white and do the bookcases like a seperate piece of furniture? Maybe pull a color from the fabrics you like. Possibly a muted green, Ive seen black cabinets that look stunning or paint them a creamy color with a glaze over themor just your accent color on the back panel of the shelves like someone posted earlier. For fun a cheetah print chair would look nice since most of those prints have the carmel and browns in them. Just a thought, cant wait to see your room finished, Good luck!

Redsox, what a cool post!! I love those rooms. C. Faudree

Lisa, what about darkening the wood. Make it warm and cozy like you want.

{{!gwi}}

I think this room exudes warmth and coziness. Love the paneling. This darker shade would work very well with the color you have in there now.

Smiles:)

I would like to see the woodwork all done in a more quiescent pastel, i.e., a caramel pastel.

I don''t care for the bookcases painted white.

I would consider painting out the trim, doors and bookcases in an espresso, with an antiqued, rub-through look on the bookcases. I think it would be wonderful with the wall color. If you can do it, I would add lights in the top inside arch of the book cases, and change out the shelves to glass ones.

Then add an area rug over the neutral cream carpeting for depth. With the leather chairs, a glass-topped table, and some great lamps and artwork, it will feel cozy and restful in there.

Les-that's exactly what I thinking last night. Espresso colored woodwork. Here is a link to a photo of my wine closet right around the corner from this room. It is trimmed in espresso and it looks wonderful. There are lights in the 3 inside arches already. I have no idea how to find someone to do this painting..I'm not trying it myself:) Has anyone used the minwax gel?? I've heard it would darken the wood. I'm worried about the dental moulding, how hard that would be. The moulding is hard to see because I still had tape up when I took the photo. Also, I'm thinking I should get rid of the wood blinds and just use drapes...I don't need privacy anyway.
Thanks to everyone! Moonshadow, thanks again for the pics..I really helps to see that I don't want a mix of paint and trim. I don't think I can paint the bookcases a different color either since they are built in. It really is one seamless piece. Thank you! Thank you!
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7cf27b3127ccebf6b0577743000000026100CatG7RoyYsX

Here is a link that might be useful: wine closet

Very cool wine closet! I like how that looks, but at least in the pix with the flash on it, it reads kind of red. I am thinking more brown/black espresso. Same concept, tho.

I can't get a good match for your wine closet, but found a couple colors that might help you imagine it better. Not happy with this, but will toss it out anyway.

BonBon

Dark Fig

And for patricia, this is as close as I could get. I think it should be lighter, but then colors turn too neon. :/
Kraft Paper

Thank you!! There is actually no red at all in the wine closet finish. It must be the flash throwing weird light out! The carpet is getting installed tomorrow morning, so hopefully that will give me a better idea of where to go with this. I love the espresso thing though! I'll post a pic tomorrow!

I vote for painting the wood. I love painted wood.

And I think your wall color is wonderful and warm.

I could definitely see cozying up with a book and a glass of wine in there also!

Thank you, Moonshadow. This is similar to the color I was talking about and I think it looks much classier than the bright white or dark colors. Some of the realy expensive houses that we have been in when looking for a new home and not necessarily that we are looking at those for ourselves, but out of curiosity have more subtle color trim, not bright white, so it appears that a lower profile color in millwork is on the horizon, or has it always been? My mother had a light color but not white as far back as I can recall, it seemed like a candlelight beige color, if I recall correctly.

Lisa - When I read Johnatemps suggest to do the wood dark, I absolutely agreed. Now I've seen Moonshadows pics I feel doubly so. The dark stain defines & hilites the bookcases which are a lovely feature in this room.

No one seems to have mentioned it so perhaps I'm the only one who loves it but the *Zebra Chair* is totally fabulous -- I'd definitely get it. Would be another unique piece in your new den. I'd be thinking perhaps only one of the leather chairs to go with? (If it would work with the Z chair that is.)

You may have to tweak the wall color, depending on the *real color* of the fabric in Z chair. The OMM thing makes it hard to tell what the real colors are.

Looks like you have a totally lovely home to play with.
:-))

I def would not paint the woodwork. From the mock ups the woodwork in not looking any better no matter the color, white.. black..tan or whatever in my opinion. The problem with the room is with the Wall color which is a *relatively* easy fix.
The whole room is one brown blah .. even with a lighter beige white carpet... I believe the room would look a zillion times better painted something Else
See if someone can do some Mock ups of some other colors
You said you tried greens that didn't look good .. was probably just the wrong shade of green with the wood in there.. and the lighting and so on.
Don't give up. The room will be gorgeous with the right wall color and carpet color :)

I def would not paint the woodwork. From the mock ups the woodwork in not looking any better no matter the color, white.. black..tan or whatever in my opinion. The problem with the room is with the Wall color which is a *relatively* easy fix.
The whole room is one brown blah .. even with a lighter beige white carpet... I believe the room would look a zillion times better painted something Else
See if someone can do some Mock ups of some other colors
You said you tried greens that didn't look good .. was probably just the wrong shade of green with the wood in there.. and the lighting and so on.
Don't give up. The room will be gorgeous with the right wall color and carpet color :)

It is difficult to "virutally paint" oak wood as the graining still shows but if you use woodfiller, it can be done quite beautifully. I think the dark chocolate cabinets will demand a lighter room color. just my dreary humble opinion.

I understand not wanting to paint natural wood, especially from a maintenance perspective--but I must honestly tell you that I think the cabinets would look more impressive if they were painted. And the oak definitely is not working with the wall color. I think some of the photos that were posted of natural wood cabinetry were gorgeous, but also looked like much more expensive/exotic wood than your oak cabinets. I think what I really don't like is what appears to be oak veneer panels behind the shelves and over the arches. I don't find the grain to be especially attractive (I really hate to criticize what anyone has, so forgive me, but I do get the idea that you're looking for honesty).

Make this room YOURS. You deserve it with all you're going through. So go a little crazy, paint the cabinets and all woodwork (I really liked the Kraft Paper and could see that with a glaze--you could perhaps even paint the backs of the bookcase openings the wall or coordinating color), add one or two curvy bergere chairs with an ottoman covered in a sexy animal print (Charles Faudre uses these and they look great) and a nice occasional table in between to hold that glass of wine. Then fill the bookshelves with leather bound books, greenery, whatever you love. I would remove the blinds and put some rich looking drapes (very full, with trim on the edges if possible) at the windows, mounted at the ceiling with great rods. If you need more privacy, use pinch pleat sheers hung with rings on a black cafe rod covered a half of two thirds of the window (another Faudre look and something that was discussed here a while ago). This would be warm and cozy, yet feminine and sexy (hey, that sound like a great personal description for a dating ad!)

Good luck!

Wow! Everyones opinions are so great!! The zebra print I'm looking at is for the ottoman, that will double as a coffee table. It comes in brown/cream. With the dark brown leather chairs, it looks great! I have a call in to a couple painters. Someone said earlier, that in my heart I want to paint the woodwork. I do! I hate this oak stain. And quite honestly, I can't see moving for so long, that I'll worry about possibly making a mistake in 10 years or so. And, maybe I will have married a millionaire and I just won't care:)
Here's my question..The woodwork in the rest of the house (except for the wine closet) is SW extra white. Including the backside of the french doors leading into this room. So....do I need to stay with that color? I'm thinking I do..or at least go to an opposite, like the espresso..so it matches the wine closet trim. Not that you can see that from this room...but..Opinions?

That's your office. When I worked exclusively in my office, I did not worry about the rest of the house. My house was traditional, but I did my office contemporary as I thought it was easier to live with. I think you paint it the color you want it, but I am just going to say, "be careful about a room full of dark wood and dark walls, dark furniture," as you might regret it. IF you go with a more pastel off-white color, it will blend as well with the white. I have an off-white colored trim in all my rooms but in the kitchen, it tends more toward taupe. It is not a stretch and if I look from one room to the next when the lights are not on, it all looks the same color, but in full lights all over the house, I can see the difference because I know it exists. I doubt a casual observor unless they are really anal would notice, but again, it is your office, not your dining room adjacent to your living room. Treat it as you would a powder room, with the colors and oomph you love but work can be depressing, especially when others are out playing and you are sitting there looking at a dark room.

I don't know but with all that wine in that super cool room....

When is the party!! I'll even help you paint.

Smiles:)

one thought-put color (or fabric) in the back of the bookcases and some black handles on the doors. I like the paint, would not paint the wood but might paint some heavy cardboard/ or tack fabric in the bookcase to break up all of the wood...

oh yeah-am thinking a deep chocolate or deep burgandy

I keep coming back to this thread , and so far , I'm liking the original pictures, none of the paint options work, imo..... the neutral and uniform background makes the room calm and serene, not chopped up which is what I feel with the paint mock ups......

an area rug would add richness; a fabulous painting/print on the wall between windows would be a nice addition. Beefing up your book selection and removing random things in your shelves would be beneficial visually.
post again once your carpeting is installed; I think you're off to a great start with the uniform color.

noodlesportland could be onto something that's easily doable and won't put a lot of stress on you ;D Someone here I did virtuals for awhile back (and I'd have to go dig it up) had built-in shelving above a fireplace or TV (I forget) and was completely stumped (everything wood in the room was white). I think she ended up putting fabric on the back wall of the built in shelving and it really did look nice!

carpet is in! It made a huge difference! I accidentally got paint on the crown moulding stain..any ideas how to get it off? After carpet..I am doubting painting the wood white...I hope I do the picture link right...I keep getting it wrong!

Here is a link that might be useful: pictures

I don't think I did the link right...again! Try this.
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7cf26b3127ccebf0daca06c1e00000026100CatG7RoyYsX

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7cf26b3127ccebf0daf9cad8b00000026100CatG7RoyYsX

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7cf26b3127ccebf0dae2d6c9200000026100CatG7RoyYsX

Lisa, I think that looks nice. For now, I would do nothing, just sit on what you have done and if you decide later you cannot stand it, then do something but I think it looks good just like it is. This is a much better picture than I have seen before.

The room looks a lot better with your new carpet installed :) The bookshelf doesn't look so bad, but I think you mentioned that you don't like oak stained wood in one of your posts (I hate the look of oak stain as well, BTW) so... if it was my room, I would definitely go with dark walnut (or something similar) for the bookshelf first. I would leave the rest of the woodwork the way it is now. Once your bookshelf is done, you can decide what to do about the rest. The bookshelf reminds me of 80s too much right now, and I think painting it white will add country look to your room (I'm not sure if that's the look you're aiming for). Good luck :)

Thank you! I have a painter coming today to give me an estimate of staining it
darker, or painting it. I hadn't given the country thing a though..but no..I'm
not looking for country! Drapes and furniture will make a big difference too. feels so great to get rid of the green carpet!

Wow, lisa, it looks great! What a difference flooring can make! ;)

I'm with patricia, I think it looks really nice. I'd sit on it awhile and see how it feels to you.

However, since you're getting an estimate, I went ahead with doodles with new carpeting ;)

Some are below. I did separate by wood (doors, trim, crown, built-in) so I can paint/leave any combination of wood you'd like to see. IOW, just doors + trim, just built-in, or whole room, etc. so any combination/color is just a click away, feel free to ask ;) I'm getting ready to leave, will be gone most of the day, but will check in later.

Oh, in answer to your question about getting paint off the oak, try just rubbing it with a damp cotton rag (t-shirt material), well wrung out. Paint will eventually start to dissolve a bit. To get the worst off, wrap it in a thin layer around something that won't gouge the wood, like a plastic, non-serrated knife or plastic putty knife. (Wouldn't use a metal putty knife, that will gouge if you slip.) Goof-off will also work. Rubbing alcohol will also take if off, but that might harm the finish of the wood.

I'm not liking the darker colors, I'll try to get something better on there. Virtual paint doesn't render well as a 'stain'. ;)

Original, as is with new carpeting:

Cream

Homespun Linen

Sleigh Bed (med brown)

Shiraz (Dark Brn)

Ebony(ish) Saddle

One more for now, this brown looks a bit more like darker stained wood, I hope:

Rare Earth

Looking at all the great mockups that moonshadow did, I am wondering what it would look like to do all the trim and the doors in the same white you have everywhere else in the house, and just do the cabinets in the ebony?

I'm rushing to leave, but couldn't resist Ms Les' request ;)

I used the one labeled "ebony" above, I can tweak it later if anyone has other requests. (Not sure what do to with that crown, so to keep in consistent around whole room I did in cream rather than ebony. Bad call? )

Thanks, Ms. Moon! I think that is perhaps better than all the woodwork and doors being dark - what do you think? Would love to see some hardware added to the doors, too.

Thank you Moon!!! I had a faux painter here today and he suggested painting all the trim a creamy white and the bookshelves glazed on top of the white. He showed me pics of a kitchen he did it in and it looked beautiful. Not cheap...but hey..this is my therapy:) If I have him do it...he will start Dec. 1st. I will most
definitely post pics when its done. Thanks so much!

You're welcome Les and Lisa ;)

Lisa, sounds like you're onto something that you're excited about! Have you taken a peek over in kitchens forum, specifically the gallery of "finished kitchens'? There are quite a few in there that have cream or white cabs with glaze and they really are very pretty! If this is your therapy (and I'm all for therapy of this kind with what you're going through in your personal life) then go for what thrills you and makes you happy! You deserve it! ;D Just my humble .02, but I think the right shade of glaze would warm up the built-in and tie it into that wall color (which I really do like). Would love to see pics of it when it's all done if you opt to do the paint/glaze!

Of all the photos I like the first ones Moonshadow did with only changing the doors and molding to a nice white color.