tiny ‘40’s cabin in wormy chestnut. Dark and wood is really dry

marynouri

3 years ago

Some have suggested tung oil to bring out luster...I’m not so sure. Suggestions To brighten and lighten room?

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Comments (9)

krissie55
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
I use lemon oil furniture polish on oak paneling and it works great. Apply a generous amount of lemon oil using a clean/new paint pad. Some people paint paneling a color of choice. Lemon oil worked great on a 96 year old antique treadle sewing machine in dark walnut. Don't think the machine cabinet was ever polished. Years ago linseed oil was put on dry old farm houses before painting.
lindac92
3 years ago
Lemon oil is mineral oil....linseed oil is plant based and will dry to a hard finish like varnish. Once you put anything like lemon oil on unfinished wood, you won't ever be able to put anything else on it unless you do a laborous sanding and scrubbing.
All talk of wood being dry is nonsense...it's the finish that is dry.
If you want to lighten your room, turn on the lamps....but I think it's cozy and woodsy as it is.
Not sure you really want shiny walls....but tung oil would add protection to the paneling....as would something like Min-wax antique oil finish....which is linseed oil with a drying agent, so it doesn't stay sticky.
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Olychick
3 years ago
I'm usually against painting wood, but I would definitely paint the ceiling to lighten the whole room/cabin.
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Patricia Colwell Consulting
3 years ago
Lightening up a space involves more lighting so start there . As for the wood it was probably finished in shellac a long time ago and that has dried out . If you are never planning on painting any of the wood then any oil product will help .You should also make the best use of natural light so get rid of the blinds and if you need night time privacy add drapery panels in a nice light natural linen for instance.
graywings123
3 years ago
Treating the wood is not going to make the room look brighter. Buy a torchiere lamp that shoots the light onto the ceiling and use an interior flood light bulb in as high a wattage as you can buy. It will shoot the light onto the ceiling and bounce around the room.
apple_pie_order
3 years ago
Trim the shrubs and tree branches that may be overhanging the windows. Consider adding a skylight or solar tube if there's a roof above the room. If you can't add a skylight, you will need to add much more lighting or paint the dark wood a very light color. Experiment with a set of four LED can floor lights, one in each corner pointing up. They run $15 or $20 each.
emmarene9
3 years ago
Paint the ceiling off white.
lindac92
3 years ago
Please don't change the log cabin character of your home. Don't paint that natural ceiling...and I don't see any blinds on the windows, but I do see a porch on the right with a roof that cuts down on the natural light.

As has been said...light all your lamps....and you could change out that very nice rug for something much lighter....but again, I love the cozy lake cabin. You want light, go sit on the porch in that rocking chair.
flopsycat1
3 years ago
Light colored furniture or slipcovers would add some brightness.

tiny ‘40’s cabin in wormy chestnut. Dark and wood is really dry

Comments (9)

krissie55

lindac92

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