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WHAT TO DO WITH DARK PANELED WALLS
Reader Jennie DiMarco writes that she has paneling on 3 walls, and a
dark brick fireplace on tbe 4th wall in her family room. In spite of
adding new lighting and light carpeting, she still feels the room is
dark and dated.
Many homeowners in Erie can identify with Jenny’s dilemma. Choosing how
to invigorate such rooms is determined by your budget and your self-help
abilities. Unless you live in a grand home that has the finest wood and
architectural moldings in a given room, you should consider putting a
new face on the cave-like walls that graced our homes from the 60’s
through the 80’s.
The costliest, but the most complete transformation would be to tear out
the paneling and replace it with drywall. Box in the fireplace with oak
plywood, add a deep mantle, and dress it with appropriate moldings.
Stain the fireplace a warm color, and then choose a light color for the
walls that blends with your carpet and furniture.
Jenny didn’t mention where the new lighting is, but 2 spotlights work
well over a fireplace, and spacing canister lights around the perimeter
is ideal. Nothing shows off wall color more than the downward wash of
spotlights.
If the paneling remains, and it’s the old style laminate surface, then
it must be lightly sanded and primed for paint to adhere. If the
paneling is solid wood, especially if it’s pine, then you must seal the
knots with polyurethane, and then prime and paint.
Kilz is a great all-purpose primer that keeps stains from showing
through the paint. Another Kilz product also protects against mildew.
Once painted, the grooves in the paneling just appear as a textural
background that works well with country and transitional styling.
After the walls are lightened, decide if the fireplace now serves as a
nice contrast against the walls, or still looks too dark and
unattractive.
If the brick still detracts, then it would be best to box it in for
staining or painting. You could also lighten the fireplace by priming it
with Kilz, and applying a French vanilla semi-gloss paint.
The bottom line here is the dynamic duo of color and light. You want a
comfortable and relaxed atmosphere in the family room, rather than the
spotlight in the tunnel look.
Wall color will be determined by your carpet and furniture shades. If
you chose a warm beige carpet, then a light to medium tan, sage green,
or golden tan would be a good choice.
If your carpet has gray tones, and your furniture has cooler colors,
then you might like the current trend toward colors that mimic the
shades found in natural stone. The grays, tans, and browns are subtle
and sophisticated.
Be sure the wall color blends well with the surrounding rooms. The
darkness of the shade depends on how much natural light comes into the
room. But whatever the shade, color trumps old paneling every time.
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