help with dark rooms!

10 years ago

We recently bought a new home. It is a gorgeous mid century modern and the entire ceiling throughout the whole thing looks like this (these pics are from the listing - not out stuff)

In fact these pictures show the rooms (living/kitchen/dining) that I'm having a hard time with. The wood paneling is not painted but is still darker. The large beams that cross the house are sadly painted a very dark brown, almost black. If we could have picked out the wood ourselves we would have gone with a nice light white pine.

A couple things I know for sure we're doing: new paint on the walls, some lighter neutrals or off white colors, white trim, and painting the kitchen cabinets white (currently a dark oak). New floors eventually, but that is a long ways down the road. What I am stuck at is the ceiling. What would you do? Paint the ceiling white? White wash? Paint the beams white and leave the rest?

For contrast and comparison here is the family room. This room used to be a garage and was converted some years ago to living space. The ceiling is the same but the stains are not. The panels are lighter and the wood beams are unpainted. Consequently the room is lighter. I don't think I'll touch the ceiling in this room.

(My pups are modeling the updates we have done to the room thus far for friends on facebook)

I found this house, also a mid century modern, on houzz. Inspiration pic! They painted the ceilings white. I think it looks great but when I brought someone in to quote me a price on painting them he REALLY pushed hard against it. Yes the ceilings are cool as is, but so dark! Once we paint there is no going back...

Midcentury Living Room by San Juan Capistrano Closet & Home Storage Designers Tara Bussema

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Comments (5)

ogrose_tx
10 years ago
I would paint the walls a light color, lots of lamps, lighter colored furniture and rug, then take a look at the ceiling. That dark ceiling really does bring down the height a lot, a lighter color would really open it up beautifully..

My DH was the same way about painting our 70's paneling, dark beams and fireplace, then when we decided to remodel he suggested painting them. Go figure. They all look so much better and it really lightened the room up.
erinsean
10 years ago
Would it be possible to put in skylights? If not, paint will make things lighter.
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User
10 years ago
Go to a lighting store and talk to a lighting designer. This isn't a "decor" question as much as it is a functional system question. To make it brighter, you need more light.
mag77
10 years ago
I agree with Hollysprings - you need to get with a good lighting designer - do that before anything else. In particular, the cornball hacienda chandelier has got to go.

I love mid-century modern and I love this house. It's beautiful.
rosie
10 years ago
As an appraiser, I saw many Mid Centuries, many Craftsmens, and many Victorians (a big part of the reason that I became an appraiser), a whole lot of which were rendered more livable (as their owners and next owners saw it) by painting dark wood light, as well as a whole lot treasured for their original finishes. And worth more for it -- if they were in the right neighborhoods, historic where people look for historic homes.

You're hardly alone in not being happy with the light-absorbing quality and often the heaviness and masculinity of historic detail (much of it constructed in the days when husbands did not need to consult their wives if they chose not to). You're not even the millionth to consider taking the big step of painting old wood.

Note also that almost all of the people who speak against the "sacrilege" of painting the wood had the chance to buy their own wood finish "authentic" midcentury. Until fairly recently, most were very affordable. That was because most people didn't want them and went for builders' special painted drywall. Now most people still don't want them. You did. You chose to make this your home, and this is your choice in all meanings of the word.

I fully understand and value the conservation of historic properties and their styles. I once was a volunteer with the Pasadena Conservancy. But I also believe it's extremely important that homes be suited to their use and that they should be adapted as necessary over time so that they continue to be.

Your question is whether you might ever want to go back, and also, for economic and cultural reasons, whether you're in a historic area where original construction is especially valued. We are in an era when wood paneled walls and beams are out of style. This does profoundly affect how we see them. They will inevitably come back in style and be newly treasured though, especially homes like yours, and that will just as inevitably give a new gloss to how we see them. Like almost everyone else, you'll almost certainly have a whole new appreciation for the look of wood more then. You may not wish to live with it more, or you may long for the original wood paneling. Thus, this choice is about knowing yourselves as much as possible.

While you make up your mind, a famous decorator once said that (extremely paraphrased because it's been a long time) that the way to brighten a dark room is with excitement, not painting it white. He was talking about entry halls, but you get the idea. More prosaic steps like good lighting with more lumens, limbing up any trees, and so on can augment the excitement too. :)

Enjoy your wonderful home.