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Paint Lighting Design Dilemma

Should I whitewash my log home walls?

last year

last modified: last year

I have lived in my log house for 30 years. I have grown tired of the yellowy pine wood that is everywhere. Floors, ceilings, walls... all the same. I have removed all curtains and installed skylights in an attempt to brighten things up. I want light and bright and it never feels that way. It seems dark, dirty, and depressing. I have experimented on some pieces of the tongue and groove pine walls. But this is a no turning back decision. Once these walls have something on them that's it. I desperately want a change. Any advice will be appreciated. Help me love my house again.
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Patricia Colwell Consulting

last year

IMO drywall over the wood in maybe 3 places to get a bit of releif from all the wood I would not attempt to paint tht wood if it goes wrong it will go terribly wrong.Some much more and better lighting all the art is hung way too high .Lighter rugs less weird wall decor and for sure the white shelving a bove the sofa. Large pieces of art much better than a bunch od small ones if possible try choosing ones that are lighter looking. Paint the back of the canoe white add a light in it

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Comments (14)

Lisa Frantz
Original Author
last year
Kendrah
last year
I'm not sure what white washing vs painting is. However, I would caution against doing walls and ceiling white. I think you would feel like you are living in a milk carton. I'd at least leave the ceiling beams the same color they are now. Also, your furniture isn't the most uplifting, could that have something to do with it too?
Lisa Frantz thanked Kendrah
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Once brick is painted, there is no turning back, ever, ever, ever. Not even just a small section. It is not like wall paint that can just be returned to a former palette. Please do as many have advised, and wait before jumping on the paint bandwagon. I would say even wait a year, to give yourself time to truly become settled in your new place and go through different seasons of decorating. Don’t be swayed by the current decorating trends as they will change many times over the life of a house. I live in a 1880’s home that has a brick wall in the kitchen to which previous owners glued linoleum -fake tile in the 1950’s, no doubt, because it was the decorating trend of the day. That glue seems to be there to stay for eternity. So we really have no choice but to paint, but would have loved to keep the original brick if it had been in better shape.
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Need to decide ASAP. Should I whitewash the stone?!?
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Comments (25)
The picture you using for reference is white. White cabinets. White tops. Taken in daylight. I think you like the light, spaciousness of it. You took a picture of your room at night. The windows are dark. The walls and bar are dark to match the countertops. Washing the stone with white is not the answer. Quite a big change. I'd paint the walls and bar a warm golden neutral shade before I painted the stone. You could put an accent color that's a little deeper above the stove for dramatic effect. Use that dark color from your countertop as an accent (instead of the main color) to connect it with the rest of the room. That should open it up. The stone is beautiful. It's the last thing you should change, not the first. You'll love it in the daylight. It'll make the windows and the stone textures the stars. Make the walls disappear.
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Should I do accent walls in my house? please help!
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Comments (26)
Are you set on having the island a different color? In both the photos it appears that the island is the same color as the cabinets. Will you add hardware to the cabinets after they are painted? It seems to me that you can come pretty close to the bottom photo that you love but painting the island grey is taking it in a different direction.
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If I am listing my house should I paint all the rooms white . Colour?
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Comments (9)
Are the walls painted a dark or bright, or deep color? If they are then i might think of painting them. If they are more neutral I would do as jmm said first. You can always give a painting allowance in the sales contract. The chance of YOU picking the the exact colors that I would are fairly slim. Wouldn't spend the money unless I had to
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ShadyWillowFarm
last year
More pics of your beautiful home please. I am leaning towards a “maybe” for the walls. Bigger rugs with a colorful pattern would be a help - you kind of have multiple solid neutral colors. What about new light fixtures? I caught a glimpse of something dated up there. 🙂
Lisa Frantz thanked ShadyWillowFarm
eld6161
last year
Yes to painting, not whitewashing the walls. Keep the ceiling as is.
Lisa Frantz thanked eld6161
apple_pie_order
last year
last modified: last year
Paper a wall with temporary, removable wallpaper. White or a pattern. It'll give you a feel for what white walls ore more colorful walls would be like.
Cardinal's Embrace Wallcovering, Indigo, Sample, Peel and Stick · More Info

Leaping Cheetah Removable, Clementine · More Info
Lisa Frantz thanked apple_pie_order
lucky998877
last year
Yes, paint the walls and leave the ceiling. You said that you are tired of it, make the house work for you and fall in love again.
Lisa Frantz thanked lucky998877
Lisa Frantz
Original Author
last year
As for the furniture, I have to compromise with my husband. So there's that.🙄 I would love to have a computer program that would let me change the wall color virtually.
apple_pie_order
last year
The major paint companies have paint simulators that work well. You upload a photo, then choose colors to "paint" a room.
Maureen
last year
last modified: last year
Thought this article and pictures especially would help.

https://www.chrislovesjulia.com/painting-and-toning-wood-walls/

Be prepared for decor changes (I think seating can still work with the right updates). Consider whitewashing brick surrounding stove.
ptreckel
last year
Yes to Patricia Colwell Consulting’s suggestion to drywall some of the walls, NOT the ceiling, up to the line where the ceiling begins. Get the thinnest drywall so you don’t compromise the profile of your trim boards and baseboards. Paint IT, not your logs. I would place it on some of the walls with the angled boards.
Lisa Frantz thanked ptreckel
Lisa Frantz
Original Author
last year
Here are samples of different finishes.
Lisa Frantz
Original Author
last year
beeboo22
last year
Start with your furniture and decor, THEN paint if you still feel the need. If you put the same old stuff in a painted room, you won’t be satisfied that it’s “fresh and new.”
Lisa Frantz thanked beeboo22

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