Nothing is dated if it fits the style of house. If you're worried about everything being too "woody" though consider swapping out some of the wood furniture items for something else.

Thanks for your suggestion - I'm not too worried about the house being too woody - just worried that particular wainscoting is dated

Are you looking to sell your house? If not, then don't worry if it's "dated" or not. Most items date at some point.

In order to increase sales of products, marketers want to make one feel dissatisfied with what one has and get what is new - marketing 101. It is fun and interesting to see what is new in home design and when features become worn, replacing them with something new can make sense. However, avoid feeling that something is "dated" because unless you can afford to redo your home every 10 years (or less) you will feel dissatisfied with your home a good deal of the time:)

Not a pro and my opinion only, but if it were my house, I would keep it but make the walls very light. I would also update the handles.

I am hearing that maybe YOU are tired of all the wood. I agree that unless you are ready to sell, no need to change unless you really have developed a dislike for it.

No, it's not dated. I can't peg it to any particular decade, and it doesn't smack of an overused trend that has come and gone. It does hint at the house being built before WWII, but if that's the case it's vintage, not dated, and totally appropriate for the age of the home.

Thanks Rehka A - which handles do you mean? Doorknobs?

Also, I probably was not clear - I absolutely love the wood in my house. It's just that I have no eye for what - in clothes or home decor - is fashionable or up to date. I don't plan to sell for a very long time, if ever. I have been re-doing many rooms in the house - bathrooms I just did were in poor shape and were definitely dated. I replaced the kitchen cabinets with beautiful cherry ones built by an Amish cabinet maker. Now just wondering if the wainscoting should go...

Isn’t that ”wainscoting“? Why is the word “barn” in there? Before I opened the thread, I thought we were going to be talking about shiplap, because your title said “barn”. Shiplap was indeed a fad that is now over. But what you have is classic wainscoting (it appears from the photo at least). Been around for hundreds of years and is not going anywhere.

I would just paint the walls a brighter color. And you can get wall air registers in stained wood online which will look nicer than the metal one you have there, and change the look for the better.

Doesnt seem dated, but the pictures in the gold frames do seem dated - possibly the brown paint/brown wainscott/brown furniture/brown granite is dating it - if you show photos of whole room maybe you can get suggestions on a decorative refresh

I think it's very pretty.

I don't think ANY of your decor looks dated, but would suggest that you not stagger the hanging of your artwork as has been done. Hang the pieces side by side or one atop the other. Staggered hanging (unless going up a stairway) IS a rather fusty, old-fashioned look in my opinion.

Wow thanks these are great comments and suggestions!!!

Shannon_WI - I said "barn" because the wood is barn wood - the old weathered unfinished wood from a barn (or perhaps suposed to be from a barn).

Yes, I meant doorknobs

I agree that this would depend on whether you will be staying in the house or selling. If you are staying, then the choice really depends on your own style and preference. If you foresee selling soon or in the future, the market preference needs to be considered. That would depend on the the property location. I know for one that some parts of the pacific northwest considers waistcoting as a desirable feature. Based on current home builds through, you don't see much of waistcoting.

I’d need better photos, but that looks as if it might be real, old fashioned wood paneling. (Not remotely the same as that fake sheet paneling from the 1970s.) Generally you see it in fine, old homes. If that’s what it is, I wouldn’t touch it other than to condition it periodically.

It’s not dated and neither are the gold frames imo. Looks nice. I’d keep it.

I'd paint all that wainscoating white in a flash, then paint the walls another color. Painted white that wainscoat would look classic, timeless and fresh.