OH MY...I wasn't prepared for how gorgeous this is. And I can't believe you feel you need to change anything. We are senior citizens, too, so I can say this...why are you taking on so many projects in your golden years? Shouldn't you be relaxing? LOL. We got a 70's craftsman A-frame and were so pleased that it was move-in ready and well made, even though a little dated, which we can live with. We painted the blue and yellow walls white and they no longer detract from the beautiful wood. Got new furniture and decor. Changed out the chandelier. That's it. Done Finito.

@tracefloyd Well thank you! I didn't expect a compliment and was afraid to post photos. Maybe you like it because you're also a senior citizen, but my kids think it's too "dated."

And you're correct, we're not sure we want to go through the hassle, but the walls DO need painting just for maintenance's sake, and the kitchen cabinets need maintenance/refinishing/painting or replacing. So we're just thinking since we should do those other things anyway; at least, why not change the trim while we're at it. I still like those photos you sent where the outer moldings are white while the inner frames remain wood.

P.S. "Relaxing is boring :-) But hassles, not so great.

I wouldn’t touch the trim. Stained trim doesn’t show fingerprints or dings nearly as much as painted trim (especially good if grandchildren visit often). We had builder grade stained trim when our kids were growing up and it was great. We did eventually paint it, but it was just standard stuff - not gorgeous like yours. I regret painting it a bit now as I am always noticing dirt, chips, etc. Save yourself both the expense and the ongoing maintenance.

Does only our generation appreciate craftsmanship? Real river rock fireplace instead of fake stone facade? Real solid wood trim instead of plywood painted over? Real hardwood floors instead of laminate vinyl with plastic wood grain? Solid wood stair rail post instead of wood veneer? Need I go on?

An original Victorian house is 'dated' but appreciated by a lot of people. What about a real log cabin? What about a 30's bungalow? All dated, yes, but come on! This place is like always being on vacation in a cabin in the Pacific Northwest.....wait, what? Hmmmmm.

Ohmygosh, I *love* your house!!! Please don't paint any of that wonderful wood. <3

Nothing about the house is "dated" if it's true to the architectural style, which your house definitely seems to be. :-)

[I'm in my early 40s if it matters, lol.]

I think it’s beautiful, love the wood and the stone fireplace. It looks like an inviting, warm, happy, and loved house. The wood to me has so much character, and is more lively than if you painted it all. Lovely home. :)

@tracefloyd @One Devoted Dame @tracefloyd @Jilly @aziline

Wow you guys have given me a boost of confidence! I'm starting to think I listen too much to my daughter's opinions...

Came in late to discussion, so started with oldest comments. Wow! That is your gorgeous house, built in the 90's, with all that gorgeous wood?

Update with new fabrics, rugs, furniture, wall paint, but don't you dare paint one inch of that gorgeous wood.

William Morris:

https://www.manhattanrugs.com/William-Morris-Rugs-s/116.htm?gclid=Cj0KCQjwsrWZBhC4ARIsAGGUJup7KOcjEpJ3qiJGE3Tk-87OxjZbvfXCq6Q1wfR2bRNUUIKxPJRcO2QaAscUEALw_wcB

Your home is lovely. I agree that you don't need to paint out the moldings to update the house. You can do a lot by updating accessories (such as the living room lamp). I do think your dining room looks dated. The ladder back chairs and cupboard are more of an early American sort of look than they are Craftsman. But if they are pieces you love, then love them and enjoy your house the way you want it!

I’d paint the walls white (not off white) and see how that looks first.

Also, not a senior who thinks your house is beautiful as is. Update the decor if you want, but the house itself is great—classic.

@emilyam819 Thanks for the suggestion but I think stark white wouldnt go with this house or our furnishings. Probably not an option to just try it out because the living room walls are two stories high and we have to pay someone to paint it. Our days of climbing ladders or putting up scaffolding are over 🙁.

@jlouise54 I agree about the lamp but don’t know what to replace it with. Our previous house was a traditional colonial in New Jersey and we brought the Nichols & Stone dining set with us because it was expensive. Not sure what to replace it with either (it‘s in the kitchen; we don’t have a dining room) and I’ve considered repainting it, but dont know what color. We also have a very traditional colonial style desk in the living room, also expensive. Its hard to just get rid of things that were expensive and are solid wood!

Avandoren — I am also a senior. The advantage of our age is that we can live with what we love! It doesn’t have to be the current trend. If you like the dining set, keep it! Especially since it’s in the kitchen - it looks very appropriate for a kitchen! If you do want to do some updating, look at the less expensive things like the lamps, throw rugs, etc. I would suggest looking at craftsman style accessories and decide which things you might want to incorporate.

Your house is beautiful. I wouldnt be listening to your kids, since most younger people seem to think that everything needs to be boring white. Your wood is gorgeous. Wood is coming back in style. Once you paint it, its a huge job to strip it back. Leave it alone. Give the walls a coat of paint, and sit back and enjoy the house.

Your home is very nice and looks well built. I'd leave the trim stained and not paint it. That being said, it could use some freshening up. I'd remove the carpeting on the stairs and replace it with a runner. I agree with you that a warm white on the walls would work better with the wood trim and the look of the house. You'd benefit from some decluttering--seems like a lot of knick knacks. I'd change out the rug in the dining room, even if you keep the furniture.

Contrary to what many think, I'm not a fan of the rock fireplace and would definitely change that, which would be a fairly large and messy project.

Here are some ideas for fireplaces and mantels for a craftsman home:

Green-tiled fireplace in Living Room of a historic Craftsman residence in Santa · More Info

Fireplace cap and cabinets · More Info

Blue Hill · More Info

PURCELLVILLE BUNGALOW · More Info

Marblehead Neck · More Info

I think the wood is just beautiful and wouldn't touch it! This comment: 'Don't listen to anyone who grew up watching HGTV :)'- lol! You'll end up with white trim and gray walls and/or no walls. I'm not a fan of this fireplace rock, though. I'd look for something for craftsman style?

I would love to own a home with such as yours. I am constantly bemused and increasingly frustrated when I look through real estate listings to see a home which is grey, white on grey, or black on gray. But mostly grey! The grey trend is stripped so many homes of life - Personally I can't wait for the trend to depart. 

And don't get me stared on laminate washed out wood flooring everywhere, even in bedrooms.....**sigh**

Your dining table is great, and works in that space. I would remove the extra chairs and try a rug with more color. I might also paint the hutch a fun craftsman color. Sherwin Williams and Ben Moore have “period” palettes for color inspiration.

@beeboo22 Thank you for your suggestions and thank you @judianna20 for the link. There's some gorgeous rugs on that site! The rug under the kitchen table definitely needs replacing (as well as the runner on top of the table) but since we have fairly busy rugs in the adjoining living room and foyer, I'm thinking the new rug should be less busy, especially since the kitchen already looks "busy." (See photos below of our foyer rug and the kitchen). We're still trying to decide if we should get all new cabinets, countertops and backsplash, or just repaint the existing ones in a creamy white, and maybe painting the island in a sage green.

The foyer rug is beautiful. What if you eliminated the little rug in front of the door and pulled this rug up to door? It would be a cleaner look, but I suspect you prefer muddy shoes get wiped somewhere else! If you have a covered front porch, you could put a rug there for wiping feet before people enter.

Thank you - you're exactly right - even with a rug outside the door, people still come in with wet and possibly dirty shoes. (My husband is the worst offender.) The rug was very expensive, so I'll settle for a little less "decor" to protect it. I can move the bigger rug closer to the little rug - it tends to move over time.

I wouldnt paint the kitchen cabinets either. They are beautiful and they flow well with the rest of the house.

I love your home and its wood. The only thing "dated" about it is that it doesn't look like a cookie cutter 2022 builder tract home. That is a very good thing.

Consider adding some green to your colour schemes. It will look great with your wood.

@tracefloyd @Patricia Colwell Consulting @abcdlatham @Jilly @elcieg @jlouise54 @cat_ky @cat_ky @One Devoted Dame @beeboo22 @Diana Bier Interiors, LLC @maddie260 @aziline @partim

Thank you all for your suggestions and kind comments, and for giving me a better appreciation of my home. I've added a video of our kitchen and would again like your suggestions for how to update. A designer suggested we gut it and redo it with all new cabinets and configuration for as much as a mere $80,000 (or more!), whereas we're leaning more towards just painting the cabinets and frames a soft white, or maybe even getting new doors, keeping the tile backsplash and granite, and maybe painting the island green.

(The video makes everything look more yellow than it actually is. The painters tape on the glass door is to hold the glass in place (rock thrown by a weed-whacker) until we get it replaced.)

Count me in to the leave the wood and kitchen as is - it's a lovely house! Unless things are falling apart or you are bothered by the island cooktop/lack of venting (because real venting is AMAZING), I would let it be. I agree the wood matches the rest of the house nicely. I'd add hardware for a new touch and call it a day.

I wouldn't touch the woodwork or fireplace. Updating your furnishings is the easiest way to update your space. Can you eliminate the rug under the dining table? You could also try the entry rug in the living room to bring color and get an indoor/outdoor one to replace the two in the entry.

Last one is not the right color curtains but you get the idea.

@lharpie The cabinets do have places where the sun hits them (yes, even in the PNW) and the finish is coming off, so we should do SOMETHING. I've always been fond of painted cabinets so that seemed a good solution. Venting is a problem with the cooktop but I've heard they now make flush-mounted ceiling vents, which might be worth looking into. I agree with adding hardware but don't know which style would look best.

@er612 Thanks for taking the time to do some photo editing! It's not a bad idea, but the foyer rug is only 6x9, and even at that size, was very expensive (it's by Stickley), and the living room needs at least a 9 x 11 or larger. I actually like my living rug too and should include a better photo of it. The living room is straight across from the entry so both rugs are visible at the same time, with the fireplace as the focal point. The rug under the kitchen table definitely has got to go but I don't want the chairs scratching up the hardwood, so I've been looking for a replacement.

You might look into a braided rug for under the dining room table. I've had one under my table for over 25 years and it looks like new. They wear like iron and are a good style to complement your furnishings.

https://capelrugs.com/collections/braided-rugs

avandoren, what a wonderful thank you. That took some time on your part to do. Doesn't happen often. So, thank you for your thank you"s

Another vote for not touching the wood! The only thing I think you need to do is update some art, new lamps in the living room and a new light fixture in the dining room. Lovely house!

WHY are some contractors and designers so quick to throw an entire kitchen of solid wood cabinets and granite in the landfill? Yes, to replace with that quality is $80,000 +. I see only one cabinet that could get sun or water damage by the window. Get some light grain sandpaper and stain DIY. The rest look great and are of appropriate design.

A Flush mount ceiling fan over the stove is a good idea. It would solve the problem of fumes. The other choice is a new top with pop up fan behind the burners. Again, why, tho.

It looks like the island is painted, that would be easy to repaint. People would kill for a kitchen in such great shape.

And a double height living room? Get out! If you want suggestions for window coverings, we need a photo of the full window wall to the ceiling. If you want to paint, previous comments suggest green. Healing Aloe by Benjamin Moore is a great idea...gets raves on Houzz. BM calls it a light blue but it reads soft green on interior walls. Complements wood.

Have you gotten the hint now? lol. Virtually EVERY comment says don't remodel anything!

Even after your video, I say, do not paint those cabinets. They are beautiful and they go well with everything in the house. If you must do something, you could put new rugs on the floor. You could also replace the backsplash with something nicer (although, one you have works well). For some reason someone has convinced you that the house is outdated. I guess by some, it may be, but, your house was built with love and care and maintained with love and care and is still beautiful. Its a gorgeous house.

I won't add any more advice to the excellent suggestions already present. My comment is to tell you how much I like your foyer rug. It is beautiful and fits into your house very well. Stickley furniture is fantastic and it appears the rugs are also wonderful

Another rug idea is to use the foyer rug layered over a larger one, like a seagrass or sisal.

I'm going to agree with everyone who advised against a total renovation of the kitchen, UNLESS you are unhappy with the layout. If you want to lighten the look of the room, then paint the cabinets or just the island.

I am constantly bemused and increasingly frustrated when I look through real estate listings to see a home which is grey, white on grey, or black on gray. But mostly grey! The grey trend is stripped so many homes of life - Personally I can't wait for the trend to depart.

Holy moly, yes! A million gazillion times, yes. My family is in the unforeseen situation of being in the middle of a sudden job relocation (previously, we had been searching for land to build a house; already had our architect and everything), and THE GRAY!

I have strongly disliked gray from a very young age (mid-teens), and it's all I see. :-( Nearly every single house I'm looking at is covered in gray, and I feel bad, but I'm gonna ask for a bit of compensation to redo gray carpet and paint. (Even if I'm denied, I can't think of another way to send an anti-gray message, you know?) I'm not even considering homes with gray wood/tile, because it's such a pain to rip out.

I've always been fond of painted cabinets so that seemed a good solution.

I thought I'd drop this little link in your thread here, for inspiration, in case you hadn't seen it:

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5590582/cpartist-s-kitchen-finished

If you're unfamiliar, CPartist is a regular poster on the forums, and she built a brand new Craftsman house a few years ago. Her use of color is amazing. <3 The fixtures, furnishings, and rugs in the rest of her house are worth studying, too, if you need/want any ideas for those, too.

Thank you for reconsidering "remuddling" your house! lol

MIllennials just have different taste than people in our generation. I don't know that either generation is right or wrong, but they like different things. Isn't it a rule that you don't like what your parents like? So this is another vote for not painting any of the woodwork. Also, I can tell you that if you're looking for a warm white paint, SW Alabaster is very popular (with everybody). If it's too light, Greek Villa, Shoji White and Creamy are other popular colors. If you like BM look at Soft Chamois, Swiss Coffee and Acadia White.

@kandrewspa @One Devoted Dame You've all been so kind to take the effort to make suggestions and send links, and I'll be looking them up. We were watching a youtube video of Benjaman Moore colors of the year and liked some of them very much too.

For any of you following this thread, you've definitely convinced us to NOT paint the molding. We're still undecided about the kitchen cabinets and the fireplace, and are currently looking for a new rug under the kitchen table. My husband is thrilled when he thinks of the money we'll save by following the advice we got here. This is my first time using Houzz and it certainly has been rewarding!

I didn't specifically mention your fieldstone fireplace in my last post. It is drop dead gorgeous.

Hahaha, husbands are always glad when their wives get advice not to spend money!

@Ann Van Doren I was thinking about the fireplace because the stone is not something that you find in a Craftsman home. Changing out the fireplace would be expensive, and looking around for ideas t that show a stone fireplace which isn't in ski country, I came upon this photo:

What if you add more of the maple above the mantle?

River Rock is common on the exterior of craftsman homes on the porch pillars. So not a stretch on the fireplace, although fancy tile is the usual.

Lovely home. Think kitchen is fine as is although cabinet hardware would be a nice addition. Im one of the few that would change the fireplace- dont think use of river rock works with style of home.

@pkpk23 @partim The pillars on the front entry and around the garage are also river rock, and its not really that uncommon in Craftsman Style homes. It‘s just not my preference and makes the house feel more like a cabin in the woods to me, while the rest of the house feels a bit more formal. We are also looking into tile. My husband, daughter and the decorator all think it‘s just a veneer and wouldn’t be all that difficult to replace. Hope theyre right!

Yes, the river rock looks like a cabin. We had it in one house. Kind of loved it one day and hated it the next! This fireplace surround and mantle in the picture you shared looks like it goes with your beautiful rugs! Take the money you were going to put into painting wood into a fireplace you will love.

Just for future reference, Pratt and Larson makes beautiful tile that would work very well with your craftsman home.

Here's some lighting fixtures we're considering: