Should I paint my wooden feature wall?

[almondbutterandjelly]

In my living room, we have one huge wall that has long hardwood planks on it, vertically.  They are an orangey-cedar look.  It was here when we moved in.  The wall is one of the cathedral ceiling walls so it is very high.  

I don't love it, and I don't hate it.  It feels dated (even though I know wooden feature walls are back in  style, but the color is really dated IMO).  However, if we paint it (probably white), then that's it.  Won't undo it back to raw wood.  If it were easy to change the stain color to something else, I would but it is not.  

So, should I paint my wall?  And should I paint it white?  At the moment, the rest of the living room is a pale yellow (with unfortunately slightly orange undertones).  I am considering painting the rest of the living room a very light blue, like we just did in our kitchen.

Also, fyi, I live in a beach town although I am not in a beach neighborhood.  Our neighborhood has ranch-style homes, mainly brick, with prominent front garages.

 

[gardenmom5]

what's underneath it?  if it's drywall - can you remove the wood and touch up?

if you want to keep the wood - and just paint it - how about a steel gray, or even a mid-charcoal gray?  in harmony with your blue, but contrasting enough to be a feature.  what will you do with your beam?

 

cedar is good for lining closets (moths don't like it.)

[EKS]

I am usually all about wood, but in this case, I'd paint it.

[almondbutterandjelly]

3 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

what's underneath it?  if it's drywall - can you remove the wood and touch up?

if you want to keep the wood - and just paint it - how about a steel gray, or even a mid-charcoal gray?  in harmony with your blue, but contrasting enough to be a feature.  what will you do with your beam?

 

cedar is good for lining closets (moths don't like it.)

I'm sure drywall is underneath, but the removal and patching process would be a nightmare.  Dh would never agree to that.

It's not actually cedar, it's just that color.  I have the same wood in a different stain in my bedroom that looks quite nice.  Not orange.

I wondered about painting it gray, but I wonder if that's too on-trend and if white would be more classic?

Beam will stay the same.  It matches our mantel.

[hippymamato3]

I'd definitely paint it! It will brighten the room right up!

[almondbutterandjelly]

10 minutes ago, EKS said:

I am usually all about wood, but in this case, I'd paint it.

Is it bad?  I can't tell.  I've lived with it for too long.  It does remind me of a cabin I stayed in once. 

[MercyA]

I would want to paint it white. I love wood, but you are right, in this case it does look dated.

Jealous of you living in a beach town! 🙂 

Edited December 18, 2020 by MercyA

[teachermom2834]

I would paint it white for sure. It would look pretty and bright and then you could change other features without painting again. For full disclosure, though, I always lean toward something neutral for any feature I wouldn't want to just paint again if I didn't like it. An easy wall or small room I'll take my chances and try different colors but something that is going to be a pain to paint I go neutral. 

I really think white will be really pretty especially because it is so tall. Also, I used to think white was boring but I'm starting to love it on walls more and more. I think it will be really pretty.

[gardenmom5]

40 minutes ago, perky said:

I'm sure drywall is underneath, but the removal and patching process would be a nightmare.  Dh would never agree to that.

It's not actually cedar, it's just that color.  I have the same wood in a different stain in my bedroom that looks quite nice.  Not orange.

I wondered about painting it gray, but I wonder if that's too on-trend and if white would be more classic?

Beam will stay the same.  It matches our mantel.

If it's not cedar, is it hickory?  similar grain, with knots.   some finishes will yellow with age - it might have been different when it was installed.

White would be classic, it will also draw the eye away from your other walls.  Is there anything else on that wall?  is the fireplace on that wall or a different one?  you don't want to have clashing feature walls.

 

yeah - it looks like it should be in a cabin in the woods.

[gardenmom5]

Just wanted to add - be sure and do proper prep work, as everything will show. Fill Nail holes, any exposed knots, etc.  you can leave the seams as a feature.  - sand any rough spots.  Then use a good primer (kilz or similar over stained wood), possibly two coats  - then you can paint.

[Katy]

Since you live on a beach another option is whitewashing it, or gray washing it. It appears to be varnished, so I’d use cheap chalk paint, dilute it with water, brush it on, then wipe it off. Repeat, mix in more water or more paint, layer in ivory or gray on some boards if you want. 

[happi duck]

I would keep it but I like throwback looks.

[prairiewindmomma]

Paint it white!!! And see above pp on being sure to spackle and prime so resin doesn’t bleed through.

[Junie]

It seems that I am in the minority here, but I would leave it.  I would paint the other walls a color that would work nicely with it.

Painting it white, I think, would look nice if it's done right, but it seems like it would be a lot of work.  If you're up for a big project, then maybe, but I think it looks really nice the way it is.

The other problem with painting it is that if you don't like it, you can't go back.  

[prairiewindmomma]

You can go back. You use a paint stripper, sand it, and restain.

[Laurie]

1 hour ago, perky said:

 

Beam will stay the same.  It matches our mantel.

I'd love to see the mantel.

I love wood and wouldn't paint it.  I would cry if I had to paint it because dated isn't a dirty word to me, ha ha!

I like things like pictures and quilts.  Would something like that work with the rest of the room if you wanted to cover the wall up a bit?

[Carol in Cal.]

I agree that it looks very dated.

And I'm usually all about wood, and don't hate 'dated' but to me that screams fake paneling from the 60s, which I know it's not, but it's really pretty sad when real wood looks fake.  So I'd paint it.

Not sure about white though.  I think I might go with a glossy navy.  For one thing, it would really pop visually, for another, you're tilting toward blue anyway, and most importantly--it would make it easier to cover the knotty panelling, which can be very difficult.  Then I'd put floating white shelves on it with some pictures leaning on the wall, portraits would be fine or even local flower closeups or a mix, and probably a white board if you would use it.  Since you're in a coastal/beachy town, I'd also put up air plants on driftwood here and there on the wall.  They are kind of a greyed light green and would look stunning against the glossy midnight wall.  If you like a beach theme, an old ocean fishing net draped onto part of the wall would also be stunning, and maybe one of those old glass floats on the shelves.

[Harriet Vane]

I wonder about sanding and bleaching it for a pale driftwood kinda look? Just a thought.

[almondbutterandjelly]

You all are so creative!  Thanks for your thoughts.  I'm cogitating.

[Scarlett]

29 minutes ago, perky said:

You all are so creative!  Thanks for your thoughts.  I'm cogitating.

I don’t think it is ‘ bad’.  But yes a little dated.  Not the worst thing ever,   But  white would be nice.  Navy might be better.   🤷🏻‍♀️

[Spryte]

I like wood, so I want to like it.  
 

The deep blue idea is really grabbing me, though.

[mmasc]

I’d paint it. I agree with the ideas above. White or a whitewash would be so pretty. 

[Corraleno]

I would definitely paint it —  the fact that the planks are so short makes it look like someone put floor boards on the wall, and all the knots plus the stripey color variations make it feel extremely busy. I would not try to whitewash it with all those knots, I think that's likely to end up just looking like an unintentionally bad paint job.

White would be fine, but I agree with a PP that something like navy could work really well. A darker color would also disguise the texture of the knots and grooves better, which will be more obvious with white paint.

Whatever color you choose, make sure to prime it really well! I recommend Zinser Cover Stain, which should prevent any resin in the knots from coming through, and it's also a bonding coat, which can save you many tedious hours of sanding. If you go with a dark color, you can get the primer tinted to something similar to your topcoat, or even just a dark gray to neutralize the orangeyness of the current stain.

[Katy]

Here's a blog post on white washing with chalk paint: http://mycottagerose.blogspot.com/2013/12/whitewashing-wall-paneling-with-annie.html

 

[Pam in CT]

I think what's off-putting to me is the high-gloss varnish, more than even the color.  Floorboards, indeed.

Also, if the varnish really is as glossy as it looks, painting over it will entail very thorough prep.

47 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

I would definitely paint it —  the fact that the planks are so short makes it look like someone put floor boards on the wall, and all the knots plus the stripey color variations make it feel extremely busy. I would not try to whitewash it with all those knots, I think that's likely to end up just looking like an unintentionally bad paint job.

..Whatever color you choose, make sure to prime it really well! I recommend Zinser Cover Stain, which should prevent any resin in the knots from coming through, and it's also a bonding coat, which can save you many tedious hours of sanding. If you go with a dark color, you can get the primer tinted to something similar to your topcoat, or even just a dark gray to neutralize the orangeyness of the current stain.

+1 on Zinser, though I probably would try to figure out a way to run a belt sander over it as well. Prep is all.

 

On color, I really like the idea of gray. Not dark gray, something like the color of the band of the "6 hours ago gardenmom5 said" band below.

6 hours ago, gardenmom5 said:

what's underneath it?  if it's drywall - can you remove the wood and touch up?

if you want to keep the wood - and just paint it - how about a steel gray, or even a mid-charcoal gray?  in harmony with your blue, but contrasting enough to be a feature.  what will you do with your beam?

with the beam either the same gray, or a darker shade.

[Corraleno]

31 minutes ago, Katy said:

Here's a blog post on white washing with chalk paint: http://mycottagerose.blogspot.com/2013/12/whitewashing-wall-paneling-with-annie.html

That's a good illustration of what I think the OP's wall would end up looking like, except with all the knots and stripes showing through and the grooves between boards visible. Obviously the person who did that project liked it, but to me it just looks like a really bad paint job.

I actually like whitewashed wood and used a lot of it in my last house, but it was more like the second photo, which requires removing any existing stain or finish and sanding down to raw wood. But that wouldn't work well with the OP's wall because of all the knots (and it would not be worth the huge amount of labor required to get the existing stain and finish off anyway). 

[Corraleno]

OP, here are a few images of wood paneling painted navy blue. Obviously the paneling isn't the same, but it can give you an idea of what it could look like if that's not something you had considered before.

(ETA: I would not paint the beam or mantel, the beam seems to be a more neutral (less orange) wood than the wall, and it would look great against painted paneling, whether it's white, navy, gray, or something else. A light blue-gray could be nice, too.)

Edited December 19, 2020 by Corraleno

[Melissa in Australia]

I would leave it, but hang something on it like a huge tapestry or a quilt to break it up a bit

[Melissa in Australia]

Or put a really big bookshelf against it

[almondbutterandjelly]

You guys are tempting me with the navy.  

Yes, I do think it is hardwood floor boards on the wall.

Yes, it is quite shiny from the varnish.

I'm leaning toward white.

Thanks!

[Carrie12345]

I can kinda sorta look past the “dated” issue, but that’s still a WHOLE LOTTA wood wall right there, regardless of the decade! 

I would choose to paint (and plan for that to be a nightmare) and still look for ideas to break up the space into something more... visually diverse.  It’s just a lot of wall!

[wintermom]

I think this wall needs to be seen in context to the rest of the room. Walls paneled completely in wood are very common in Norway, and they can look amazing. They can be very warm and cozy, with a timeless look that never fades. Painted wood will never have that same 'living' quality that stained wood has. Before painting over it and losing all those gorgeous wood grain features, do a lot more exploration. Perhaps it's simply the shiny finish that needs toning down.

It looks as if this poor wall is out on its own with no other features to include it in the room, but its impossible to see in this photo. I would look through a lot of photos of European homes and see if you can get some ideas of how to create a warm and cozy atmosphere in the room. 

[TechWife]

I would paint that in a heartbeat, but I am a fan of light and airy rooms. I would strip the varnish off, sand it and whitewash it. I would work to make the knots less prominent but wouldn’t eliminate them entirely. Although it looks great, I would shy away from the navy as it will look dated at some point. If you whitewash it you could still do a faint pale blue on the other walls. If you paint it navy then I wouldn’t do the other walls in the room in any shade of blue, I think it would be too much. 
 

Just for informational purposes, dark blue is the 2020 “color of the year,” which is why it is showing up in so many magazine spreads. For 2021 there are two colors - a medium grey and a bright yellow. If I use the colors at all, I use them in accent pieces, like pillows, throws and vases. I did a lot of navy accents in our new house this year. It will be easy to throw a yellow print pillow beside the navy stripes on the couch. It would be much harder to paint a wall if I had done that and tired of it in a few years. 
 

You can download the Home Depot app and there is a tool on it that allows you to take a picture and then “paint” it using the paint colors they have available. You might want to play with that some. 
 

ETA - The Home Depot app is called “project color.”

Edited December 19, 2020 by TechWife

[KungFuPanda]

If I didn't hate it, I'd try to work around it.  You can add a large piece of art to change the focus a bit.  You could add lighting.  You could even choose your blues to compliment the wood tones so that they look really nice together.  I'd be tempted to add lights and make it a plant wall.

Edited December 19, 2020 by KungFuPanda

[Tap]

I would want to paint it, but to do it right, will be an absolutely nightmare to do so.  If it is floorboards, and prefinished, the finish will be very hard to deal with!!!!!!!!!!! If it is real wood, was just treated with a stain and shellac, you are going to have to sand it before painting to get the best results.  If you skip this step, and only use primer, you will want to make sure to do at least 2 coats. Otherwise on a wall that big, you will see the glaring inconsistencies.  Figure about $100 in your budget just for primer,  2 brushes and 2 rollers (2 layers). Primer equipment is usually shot after one use, I usually buy inexpensive supplies for it, or use old ones that can be tossed. Allow a full 24 hour (preferably 48 hours) between layers. I would upgrade to the highest grade paint you can buy. I would likely pick Benjamin Moore's kitchen cabinet paint. I would expect to use over one gallon, likely 2. Your wall is fairly big, and you have all the grain that is going to hold onto the paint. Going bright white will need 3 full coats, to get an even color and a quality feel. Going dark like Navy on a large wall, will need 3 coats for intensity, otherwise it will end up blotchy when you step back from it. I would budget about $100-150 for paint. 

If you want a smooth look, I would likely use a grain filler first. It will need to be applied by hand, with a putty knife and sanded afterward. If I was doing the project, I would expect it to be 2 days work  and do 3-4 coats. It will make a huge difference in how the project turns out, Plan $50-100 for grain filler and supplies.

 

[almondbutterandjelly]

Okay, you guys wanted context.  The computer desk is "washed gray." (The knickknack shelf above it will go away.)  The bookshelf is antique white.  The recliners are brown.  The large shelves and TV stand are espresso.  

The dining room area you see with the checkered wallpaper is going to be wallpaper-less and light blue very soon.  I think we may paint the living room light blue also.  I am just so torn on the wooden wall.  I'm not changing the beam or mantel.  I like them fine, plus they are this weird splintery wood that would be horrible to paint.

Forgive my less-than-designer and somewhat messy room.

 

[Calm37]

Oh, I like it now! I didn't understand it was part of the opening to another room.

We painted over paneling a few years ago, and even with prep work, that paint has scratched off easily and in several places. I was just in a much older home with all the rooms painted paneling, and same issue there, paint scraped off in odd places. You would have to get a lot of that varnish off to change that scenario.

I really like KungFuPanda's idea of working with it. There are some large framed or paneled world maps in many different colors at Amazon for less than the cost of all that paint. Some would work with your orangey color, but would cut back on the gloss of the wall. Or perhaps even some fabric hangings of some kind.

[Carol in Cal.]

You know, oxblood as a color would work there as well, and blend in with the fireplace better.  Plus it would go with both the paint you have now and the proposed light blue.

[Laurie]

Thanks for the additional pictures!

My own preference with high ceilings like you have is to keep the walls and ceiling the same color.    I would choose one of the light colors in the bricks to use as the wall/ceiling color.  I love brown and blue together, but I personally wouldn't paint the walls blue and have the ceiling a different color, but that's just me.  

[kbutton]

If you’re going to have to do a lot of sanding to prep for paint, I think it would be worth trying a lighter stain and less glossy finish in a small area before painting.

I wonder how it would look if you put a strip of molding at typical ceiling height and then did something contrasting above and below that strip—say, paint the lower part, but leave the upper area as wood (maybe less shiny finish).

**ETA: This link has a couple of ideas where the wooden wall is not all one color. They are in a kitchen though. https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/g2624/wood-paneling-makeovers/

 

Edited December 20, 2020 by kbutton

[BeachGal]

A darker color, a blue, charcoal gray or espresso maybe, would hide the shadows you might see around the seams of the individual wall boards if you were to paint it white.

To prep, use a pole sander and maybe 120 grit sand paper to lightly sand. Then use a wet cloth and/or tack cloth to remove the dust. Fill, sand and prime holes. If going darker, maybe roll on Gardz primer which is a milky-clear primer, before painting.

eta: Here’s a modern pixilated version of Girl with the Pearl Earring that could look cool against a dark wall.:

https://www.ixxiyourworld.com/en/products/ixxi-images/meisje-met-de-parel/?carousel=149782

Edited December 20, 2020 by BeachGal

[MeaganS]

I would definitely paint it. White probably, although navy would be cool. I wouldn't do gray because gray undertones can be tricky to match with other colors in the room.

Not quite the same but here is a bookshelf/built-in wall that I recently redid and I think it makes a huge difference in how the room feels. I'm all for painting dated-feeling wood, although I know there are die-hard wood fans out there and I got some backlash from a few Facebook friends about it when I posted I was going to do it in my feed.

 

[Corraleno]

3 minutes ago, MeaganS said:

I would definitely paint it. White probably, although navy would be cool. I wouldn't do gray because gray undertones can be tricky to match with other colors in the room.

Not quite the same but here is a bookshelf/built-in wall that I recently redid and I think it makes a huge difference in how the room feels. I'm all for painting dated-feeling wood, although I know there are die-hard wood fans out there and I got some backlash from a few Facebook friends about it when I posted I was going to do it in my feed.

 

Wow, that looks amazing! Totally transformed the space.

 (I'd be tempted to paint the wall behind the TV the same color as the bookcases, or even put some beadboard back there and paint it)

[MeaganS]

4 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

Wow, that looks amazing! Totally transformed the space.

 (I'd be tempted to paint the wall behind the TV the same color as the bookcases, or even put some beadboard back there and paint it)

I honestly didn't even think of that. The original wall was orange and I hated it. I painted it before we even moved in which is probably why it didn't occur to me to do something with the wall behind. Dh has always felt like it was off. I'll have to think about that. 

Also thanks! It was a lot of work (more than I anticipated) but we just finished earlier this week and I'm still riding high. 

Edited December 20, 2020 by MeaganS

[BeachGal]

@MeaganS Your “new” bookcases are gorgeous! That was well worth the effort.

What type of paint did you use? I’m thinking of painting some bookcases but I’m not sure which type of paint to use.

[Scarlett]

OP do you know what is behind that wood?  It might be easier to remove it than try to paint over varnished wood planks.  

[almondbutterandjelly]

6 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

OP do you know what is behind that wood?  It might be easier to remove it than try to paint over varnished wood planks.  

I'm pretty sure it's drywall.  Unfinished, untextured drywall.  

[Jann in TX]

You have a lot of texture/color going on in that room (too much really)-- you have a whole wall of brick and a whole wall of wood (that does not coordinate) plus flooring and paint colors...  I'm totally for painting the wood--it would help bring your room together.

I would suggest talking to a professional painter or someone at a paint store-- there are products that you can 'paint' over the varnish that will etch it in such a way that the paint has something to grab onto... if you do not sand the varnish off or use the chemical treatment any paint WILL scratch off.

White would be my choice as you already have white baseboards...

[MeaganS]

3 hours ago, BeachGal said:

@MeaganS Your “new” bookcases are gorgeous! That was well worth the effort.

What type of paint did you use? I’m thinking of painting some bookcases but I’m not sure which type of paint to use.

I used Benjamin Moore Advance because it had reviews for being one of the strongest and I wanted to make sure the paint didn't rub off since we use that book case a lot. So far so good, but I also sanded and used two coats of primer first. 

[Carol in Cal.]

12 hours ago, MeaganS said:

I honestly didn't even think of that. The original wall was orange and I hated it. I painted it before we even moved in which is probably why it didn't occur to me to do something with the wall behind. Dh has always felt like it was off. I'll have to think about that. 

Also thanks! It was a lot of work (more than I anticipated) but we just finished earlier this week and I'm still riding high. 

I don’t know that I would paint the wall to match, unless the white is giving you glare around the TV screen.  

I love the crown molding!  That and the cabinet pulls took this right out of 80sDom.  (I have oak bookshelves like that.  I am so done with them, but they are solid oak, as DH keeps reminding me.  They are not built it but we are stuck with them forever.)