I wouldn't touch the ceilings let them reign! But for all other trim, I would re-evaluate some of the wainscoting for removal to update the look and paint all trim. Perhaps there is a room in the house you'd prefer to keep all the original trim in for old times sake.

​There is no need to deface any of the wood. The door trim and other trim help tie the ceiling to the rest of the room. The problem is the white cabinets and walls are too wimpy to stand up to the power of the wood. And, is it possible a layered lighting scheme would aleveate the darkness in the pictures? Or did you just snap them on a dark day?

Try to imagine differe.nt colors for the walls and cabinetry and test your image with objects of those colors brought into the house. Or paint large boards with test images. I would

Sorry, didn't finish... I could see painting the walls a darker tone and cabinets a lighter tone of the same color...one you love beyond fear. Deep blues, deep greens, even eggplant walls and a lighter brighter purple. But you have to love them. It will be powerful. Add a thorough layered lighting scheme. Contrast with some blazing white countertops and white pottery. 

You may not like all that. White everything is so popular. But I am trying to help you by providing an alternative, because I infer you feel it would be painful to deface the wood, and I sympathize.

I think they are beautiful, whats the look youre going for? Do you feel like you want to brighten your home up?

To me it looks like your white kitchen is not connecting to the space. I am not sure if this is the answer to your dilemma, but here is some inspiration. Maybe just paining some of your ceiling white will help. I would take down all the wainscotting. I don't thing it works. Painting it white, may help, but only if you paint the whole wall white, not just the wainscotting.

Avante Interiors · More Info

Thank you for this. I’ve seen similar pics, which lead me to wonder if I should paint the ceiling and not the beams. We love the ceiling. It’s 9.5 feet high and creates such a warm space. I think I will start with the trim and wainscotting, as others have suggested and see if we can tie it all together.

Your wood has dark knots an a brighter area. Follow that. For inspiration, look at willowware or delftware with it's bright blues and dark blues, or an evergreen forest, with it's brighter green candles against an almost black foundation, or a rose all one deep red but darker in the depths. You live in NS, where much of the year it can be dreary. Choose color!

And have the bright white counters to bounce the outdoor light onto the ceiling and into the room.

I would leave the ceiling, and the trim. It ties the entire area all together. I would remove the wainscotting, since it doesnt look like it belongs there. The white cabinets are not a great look for your house either. I would paint them a color that does go with your home and furnishings. Its a beautiful house.

I agree about the casings and such, I would leave them natural as well as the ceiling and remove the wainscoting, or paint that out. Painting it white just adds another layer of something different and cuts the walls in half.

If you remove the wainscotting or paint it, the ceiling will feel like it's going to fall down on you. You need the wood below to balance the wood above.

https://youtu.be/fVjpKcAcZnw

I’m in the pro paint camp- I would keep some wood- probably beams and doors and paint the rest. I also dislike most wainscoting as it tends to chop up the walls.

Its funny, many people are super reluctant to paint wood so they just live with it. its blasphemy almost, Im a person who likes to change things up and i dont want to be held back by paint guilt. Its a real thing tho.

For the love of everything remove the stuff on top of the cabinets. You use lights to make a space lighter. And the cabs are a poor choice for the cabin feel ceilings, they scream subdivision.

The big new skylights will make everything look different. Try them out for a few months. If you still want to paint then, spring weather is good for painting.

Is there a dog-safe location at eye level to display some of your pottery from up top of the cabinets? You can trade objects every month or two.

I am just in the camp that considers the wood and beamed ceiling the primary thing that keeps this room from looking just almost every other room in the United States. I feel like the people who think the "not painting wood" is about some sort of silly wood worship, need to consider that it may actually be more about not homogenizing how every single house is "supposed to look" by covering it with white paint. Why not just go all the way and cover it with drywall, too?

I like the wood, but white ceilings can make the house a lot brighter. If the house is dark on dreary winter days, then paint. If it's not a problem, keep the wood.

I think it might look good if you just painted the beams.

I like the wood ceiling. agree about just doing the beams in white?

maybe a nice white wall? the wainscot?

leave the ceiling for last after everything else is done.

I'd probably paint all of the pine door casing and baseboards white.

what I don't like are these modern pulls on your cabinets. they do NOT work w/the style of the home.

White beams wood ceiling:

or leaving all wood. these types of handles are a little better

White ceiling wood beams? Love these school house pendant lights.

This green is a nice color w/the wood.

The cup pulls and some open shelving w/soft green subway tile is pretty w/the wood.

or this white

white beams in the other room

white ceiling wood beams

The skylights will make such a huge difference, I wouldn't do anything until you live with the after effect of those for 6 months. I think it is the white cabinetry that is the off note here. Consider painting those in a color to compliment the wood. Maybe Crisp Romaine. Don't forget to add LED lighting underneath the upper cabinets. Rugs on the floors will add some variation, pattern and color.

Crisp Romaine 686 Paint · More Info

So how do i prepare the wood? And you say adding a tinted glaze… adding it to what?