skip to main content

Paint Home Decorating hallway

What to do with Hall Woodwork!

3 months ago

Hi there, I’d like some advice on what to do in our hall please. So we’ve recently painted our hall blue, which we love and goes well with our white skirting boards and paintwork upstairs (not shown).

However, in our downstairs area, we have a lot of this 1970’s UK style woodwork which looks really dated (BTW please ignore the quality of coverage at the stairs, it needs a second coat). This wood is on the skirtings, architraves, the staircase itself and an inner door.

So as I see this we have a few options:

Paint the wood white. If it was just the skirtings/architraves this would be my go-to option, but I think if we do this to the inner door it’s going to look cheap as there’s a lot of wood there and I'm concerned about the finish I'd get over this much wood. Suggestions welcome!
Sand the wood and hopefully get rid of the orange look and apply a different stain/varnish. I wasn’t sure if the colour of the wood is natural, so I tried sanding a small section (see the area that I’ve encircled in red in the bottom photo), but when I did the surface appeared to whiten almost like it has a layer of dust on it. I’ve no idea why it looks this way - if anyone knows why this would happen, please let me know!

If anyone has any suggestions or answers to the type of wood, it'd be greatly appreciated!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (2)

Gargamel
3 months ago
last modified: 3 months ago
I like the wood. If in the budget I would replace the white doors with (more interesting) wooden doors which could be stained to match the woodwork. It depends on what look you are going for. Every piece of woodwork in my house has been painted white which shows every speck of dust and every gouge.……but it does make it nice and bright.

Have you wiped off the sanded area on the railing to get a better idea of what colour the wood is? If you restain it, are you going to stain it to match the current stairs?
HU-350945172
Original Author
3 months ago
Hey thanks for the response. We just feel the amount of wood of that colour makes the room look dated, but equally - painting it all white is too much. I sanded down a little more then wiped it off. The sanded down wood colour is the same as the non-sanded, so I guess that is the actual wood colour, but there's a varnish on it (as the duster has an orange tinge to it).
Related Discussions
What to do with this hallway?
Q
Comments (5)
Oh, I like your nice old staircase and door frames. People are drawn to light. Could you emphasize this hall as a warm, sheltering transition to the lighter rooms it opens to -- and enhance their appeal as destinations -- by painting the hall a darker value? If the value harmonized with those of the woodwork (waxed to a nice glow?) and the floor, that would draw it all together and simplify it visually also. Right now the comparative ly slight difference in the woods is being underlined by setting them all off against the high-contrast value of the white walls. Simplifying by creating harmony would then also allow attention to focus on the destinations, and also on other points of special interest as they are passed up close--art, the door frames, etc. A couple of nice paintings, perhaps, in the same range could help create a layered look without getting "spotty." Oils tend to add texture, and so of course do rugs. If the floor still seems too light compared to the woodwork, might a rug over most of it would adjust that? (Speaking of "spotty," paint that register to blend with the floor?)
...See More
What to do with this hallway area?
Q
Comments (2)
If you don't want the white bead board look for your wainscoting/paneling for the bottom half of your wall, there are wood and wood looks available, too (including bamboo, though I'm not a fan). If you don't want to invest in cedar or redwood or some of the more expensive wood paneling, there's this light colored one that looks good at least in the pic. Would want to see and touch anything being considered first before buying it -- or make sure it could be returned if you hate it. https://www.google.com/search?q=peel+and+stick+white+wainscoting&client=firefox-b-1-d&source=lnms&tbm=shop&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwia3vuW9bDyAhUDElkFHQmxD9QQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1366&bih=615#spd=17953413995505439033
...See More
linoleum floors in hall bedrooms and dining room. What do you think
Q
Comments (2)
Please provide a little more background to your question. You will never successfully match real wood to man made…
...See More
What to do about bumpy woodwork?!
Q
Comments (2)
I'd use a chemical stripper followed by some sanding to take it down to bare wood, especially where it needs repair. Then build it up to the desired contours with multiple applications of restoration wood putty. I use a powdered type that is mixed with a latex additive. Allow ample drying time and then sand between applications. Re-prime and paint when you like what you see.
...See More

Related Stories

DIY PROJECTS Pocket Hole Joinery, the Beginning Woodworker's Best Friend

Make a wide range of sturdy wooden pieces with just this little bit of know-how

TRADITIONAL HOMES My Houzz: Art and Antiques in a Louisiana Center-Hall Cottage

Pink azaleas greet visitors to this couple’s eclectic and art-filled 1890s home in New Orleans

COLOR Wake Up Your Woodwork With Black

Strike a dramatic note with black window frames, shelves, stairs and more, making features stand out or blend in

MOST POPULAR 11 Nominees for the ‘She Shed’ Hall of Fame

By Becky Harris

These special sanctuaries let busy women get away from it all without leaving the backyard

ARCHITECTURE ‘Wolf Hall’ Style: The Secrets of Tudor Architecture

By Luisa Rollenhagen

As American audiences watch a new TV series about the politics of Henry VIII, we explore the elements of his era’s distinctive style

THE HARDWORKING HOME How to Tap Your Hall Closet’s Storage Potential

By Laura Gaskill

The Hardworking Home: Check out these design ideas for every space and budget

ENTRYWAYS No Entryway? Create the Illusion of One

By Becky Dietrich, Interior Designer

Create the feeling of an entry hall even when your door opens straight into the living room. Here are 12 tricks to try

TRADITIONAL HOMES Houzz Tour: Redo Shines Light on 19th-Century Newport Beauty

By Mary Jo Bowling

The renovated Rhode Island home boasts gorgeous woodwork, an appealing wraparound porch and a newly spacious kitchen

DIY PROJECTS Neat Little Project: Build a Mail and Message Center

Centralize bills, notes and coupons with a wooden piece that's half cork, half shelving and all DIY-proud

CHRISTMAS Photo Tour: New Orleans Spreads Its Cheer

These 6 New Orleans neighborhoods deck the halls, verandas and wrought iron balconies to get in the holiday spirit

Sponsored

More Discussions

Desperate Exterior Paint Dilemma - Brick AND Siding

9

Desperate for help..half brick, half siding Colonial

16

Color choices that would look good with these tiles?

12

What color should we paint an adjoining bedroom to coordinate?

3

new build: Paint dilemma

2