We are installing all new windows, doors, flooring, and paint. Floor is dark hardwood. Baseboards are white. Already ordered my windows/exterior sliding glass doors with stain grade pine thinking I would like to have stained wood windows/doors. Additional interior doors are mostly glass French doors, but there will be a couple solid pocket doors as well. My original intention was to stain all windows, doors, and trim (other than baseboards), but now I'm having second thoughts because I fear having all that stained wood in my house. My kitchen cupboards are white with a cobalt blue island. For reference, the picture attached illustrates the typical house style in my neighborhood (lots of interior and exterior stained wood - I like wood, but I'm trying to trike a balance). Do I... 1) Go with my original plan and stain all windows, sliding glass exterior doors, French interior doors, and stain the trim around these windows/doors? Baseboards are 5 1/2" so trim will probably be 3 - 3 1/2". Again, I'm worried this is a lot of wood - esp in the kitchen where the cabinets are painted white. Maybe it would work better if I matched the stain to the hardwood floor (which ishttp://www.johnsonhardwood.com/products/alehouse/copper-ale.html)? 1A) If yes to 1, do I get solid stained wood interior doors as well? Currently we have French doors specified in most major areas d/s except for laundry and bathroom. I'm worried having these be stained as well would be too much wood. However, the flipside would be having some wood doors/trim and some white doors/trim, which wouldn't match throughout the house, but maybe that's OK? 2) Just stain the windows/doors and go with white trim all around everything. This has the advantage of toning down some of the wood, plus it would flow nicely with the baseboard. See pics athttp://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2328937/pros-and-cons-of-painted-vs-stained-woodwork. The problem I have with this is that it's a very "two-tone" look that I'm not really sure I like. 3) Eat the cost of the "stain grade" wood and go ahead and paint it all white! Thanks for any advice you all may have!!

Thank you to this knowledgeable group! The windows will be douglas fir, the entrance door to be decided. The interior doors might be african mahogany (we'll have dogs who might scratch the doors up, so looking at harder wood). The interior walls are TBD, the exterior walls painted synthetic shingles since we don't want to deal with rotting. We got a quote of $175K-250K for exterior wood trims alone, including two decks, one smaller lookout deck - you step out and that's it and one bigger for lounging both in cedar wood. I am trying to figure out if we can keep this style and cut costs by doing painted wood outside. The inside of the house will have mostly stained wood, but will have updated look so it can go with any craftsman style. I looked at Mary Cole house (Greene and Greene), and it seems that the outside is painted, but now I think maybe my eyes fooled me. Another burning question is whether we need to go back to the drawing board and do the other flavor of craftsman (it doesn't seem to be too much change, does it - maybe mostly changing the outdoor corbel and beam styles), removing the potentially expensive fake plaster+stone chimney, We have a lot of craftsman homes in our neighborhood that have painted exterior, this will be the only Greene & Greene. We are not married to the design, and might be ok about changing style if it is not too much of redesign work. We are in San Francisco bay area, to give perspective on costs.

The problem with painting wood paneling is that you can never go backwards. I can sympathize with getting visually bored, even with a beautiful home like yours. Sometimes one wants a change to add some excitement. BUT, once you do it you're stuck with it. And I would really hate to see those walls painted. I'd like to suggest two changes: 1) I like nosoccermom's first suggestion of sheetrocking the ceiling between the beams. I'd talk to a contractor to ask if that is something that can be easily removed later. The fact is, styles change and the next homeowner - or even yourself, after another 15 yrs have gone by - might want that all-wood ceiling style back again. 2) I agree with aprilneverends that your home seems serious underlit. We finished a MBR remodel in late 2015 and the biggest improvement we made was the installation of a high-power LED lighting system. Interestingly, it went in first, and even before we did any other improvements, the improved lighting made a HUGE difference. That wasn't just our opinion, btw - even the various contractors agreed! One other point I just thought of: In nosoccermom's first photo, you'll notice the slightly darker wood floor really makes the patterned rugs "pop". Your beige carpeting so mutes the rugs, at least from the photos, I had to go back and look at them again to realize how beautiful they really are. Anyway, I agree - your "before" photos are what many folks would love to have as is!

cute house. Do you plan on having the floors refinished? they prob have life in them to get redone. I'd paint all the trim in the bathroom and get a new vanity top/sink. (unless you plan on redoing it all) For the kitchen, I love the ceiling, but everything else would need a redo for me. At the very least I'd paint the cabinets and bring in a new countertop that fits the era. soapstone, marble, etc. the living room, I don't care for the 1980's added bookcase. looks out of place. I'd prob remove that completely. Dining room is nice w/the built-ins. I like the sage green too. I've see rooms in these homes where the wood looks great but I've also seen them where everything was painted white. Some people are horrified that the old quarter sawn oak would be painted, others don't care. It's a personal choice Some of the wood paired w/white, and blue in the coffered ceiling. This is a darker stain color on the oak trim. the floors have been redone as well. two diff shades are fine A lot depends on if your decor will reflect the Arts/Crafts design. I'd suggest you look at a lot of pictures of Craftsman bungalow designs and see what you like. you can do both. both wood, and some paint. I like this one. the wood trim has been refinished, white walls w/a diff color below the picture rail. period lighting. appropriate furniture. this dining room is very pretty. if you want it white and bright, do that! Since you have a plain brick fireplace, I'd prob get some replica arts/crafts tiles and redo the surround