Thanks. I like that one best too. Hopefully this series of photos will persuade him as well. I think it is a pretty clear decision. There are 5 doors into this room. What would you do with them? Would you paint those white as well? I kind of like the white trim/dark doors look (see link below for examples). I thought of stripping them and staining (since they could be removed from the house, stripped and refinished off site - easing lead paint concerns), but they are sort of cobbled together (extra wood added top or bottom, whatever necessary, to make it fit). I worry that the old paint might be the only thing holding them together! I also worry that there's milk paint or some other penetrating finish that won't come off (I found that on a built-in cabinet, original to the house, in an adjacent room), or that it just won't be very nice wood under there and won't be worth the expense. Would a faux wood finish (painted) on these be an acceptable compromise? Or do you think that would just look fake in comparison to the real wood floor below? If no faux - white? Or some other color? Here is a link that might be useful: Thread about dark doors with white trim

I guess you could hire somebody to try to make one more panel for that stubby piece of wall. I don't think you can make it right with just paint.

Well, if you are doing a wainscoting, you need some way to end the wainscoting, which is why I was asking what you are doing at the baseboard level. With "real" wainscoting, you would have an end piece of trim... but since you aren't doing "real" wainscoting, you need to put an end piece from the chair rail down to the baseboard...otherwise there is no way to transition the colors. My vote would be skip the chair rail and skip the wainscoting, and just do the gray throughout. Optionally, you need to pull the baseboard in that area and do something different. I personally would not run a chair rail all the way down the hall, but that's me!

as for the white kitchen idea, no, it won't look out of place. for the other rooms, I'd prob paint the crown white, remove those corbels and the twisted spindles, and this hideous boob light!: the molding pieces around the door/window? not really appropriate to the style home. Ditto the wood columns (are they necessary for support? ) and all the cross beams. I don't mind the wainscot, but it all depends on the style you'll be doing w/this room. There's a lot going on. I'm sure the previous owners had the type of furniture that went w/all this ornate wood trim. do you?? This isn't a craftsman or victorian, or old english cottage, so I wouldn't be upset about removing or painting any of it. if you paint all the wood white, including the all of the trim, and paint the walls a darker color (other than white) I think it would look fresh. I'd still remove the dated elements like the banister and spindles and corbels do a little bit first and see how you like the look. you can always paint all of the paneling/wainscot down the road. (if you do, apply a coat of Shellac over the wood. if anyone decides they want to go back to the wood, it's easier to remove the paint since the shellac will act like a barrier between the two. you said you're putting down tile that looks like marble?? in these rooms? why?