apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

if tearing it out is an option, I would start there. that would also expose the wiring for you to add wall sconces instead of the over head light, which is always nice. Good luck!

Don't tear it out - go with the flow.
Hang mirrors and use brightly colored rugs, upholstery and artwork.

Removing the paneling and starting from bare studs is an option and would probably produce the most attractive finish. However, it would also be the most time consuming and most expensive.

If it were my house and I was operating on a budget, I would use a white glaze to cover the paneling until I decide that I'm ready to take the plunge and do something more. The wood's features would still show through, but I believe this would lighten up the hallway. Unless you just replace it, the knots, joints, rough areas, etc., that are there will probably show through, so why bother trying to disguise that it is there?

I like honest use of materials, so I think it is okay if you can still see the features of the wood. And if you try it and hate it, you're only out the cost of the glaze and the hour that it took to paint it.

I quite like the irregular quality of the panelling, and think it would look gorgeous painted a creamy white in a high gloss.

A row of beautifully matted (i.e., a 12 ply mat) b&w landscape photographs from the area (cabin=nature setting?) in black frames would provide a wonderful contrast.

If you go that route, replace the light fixture with a beautiful black (crystal, not acrylic) chandelier...
http://www.tripadvisor.fr/LocationPhotos-g186370-d667644-One_Three_Nine_Bath-Bath_Somerset_England.html
...and maybe cowhides (with brown and black) on the floor, if there is room...

Frankly, the two doors at the end of the hall are more of a design issue -- the one with imitation panels and the other with the glass lights. Neither of them seems quite right -- they should be simple and very neat in design. The New England Screen Door Company makes the sort of interior (and exterior) door that I am trying to describe.

I asked the same question recently, about one of our bedrooms which is paneled the same way...I painted.
Actually, I primed first (and if my paneling was in better shape I would have had to sand and seal the knots) with Killz and then did two coats of semi gloss white paint. It looks pretty darn good but was a KILLER job.

Paint it a white and don't spackle. The effect will be very clean and barn-ish. I made the mistake of spackling knotty pine before painting and because I didn't sand it enough, you could see the spackle shadows. Ugggh.

paint paint paint!...Freshen it up with some beautiful light reflecting colour. Farrow and Ball's estate emulsion is a water/clay based formulation. Beautiful matte finish...reflective qualities due to the clay base...high pigmants and a truly green product ...certified 0 VOC!

I'd try art, better lighting, and a rug first. You never know if you can live with something like this until you try. And going back to natural wood from painted wood is tough stuff.

Paint it, paint it, paint it! If knotty pine isn't your style, then a different rug isn't going to make you like it any better (I'm not a fan myself). A white of off-white shade will open and brighten that space, no doubt it, without completely losing the cabin-ness of its character.

I wouldn't go crazy with the spackle, but to note, blackbird is definitely right about the priming. If you don't seal those knots up, sap can seep through and discolor your paint. Kilz is a good brand, and also Zinsser.

ah, the eternal knotty pine question! I am in the process of remodeling a house that seems to be entirely made of knotty pine, kitchen and all, and we decided to paint. We used some other hard-core primer, then a pale yellow. The wood sucked up a lot of primer, but you have to do it if you're painting. And our walls were by no means in perfect shape, but it's 1000% better than before.

It depends on your budget or how much work you are willing to do. Our house had knotty pine, and in one area we are going to paint it, and the other we have torn it down completely and put in new drywall.

I usually hate this stuff but yours looks rather nice.

First, for the hallway, I would replace the door to the exterior rather than rip down the walls. A door with a lot of glass/windows would let in the natural light and let you see the great outdoors. Besides, the door that you currently have is the standard issue and looks cheap. If replacing the door is an option, I would go for that first--something custom if you have to. It will be money well spent.

In the entire house, replace the switch plates and outlet covers with something more up-to-date.

Also, spend your money on better lighting solutions. The fixture in the hallway is completely wrong for a cabin (not to mention for a hallway).

Overall, it looks like the last owners really did a lot on the cheap and you're going to have to commit to bring your place into it's own, cool character.

Check out some 60's and 70's design books for ideas but change the color schemes to something fitting your lifestyle. The Frank Lloyd Wright house posted earlier this week is a good reference too.

The bad news is that if you or your wife loves "country cottage" or Cape Cod style, you're never going to get this from your cabin. Try to embrace the natural character of what you bought and it will totally shine. :-)

I've seen some amazing things done with knotty pine and milk paint. Casein (milk) paint will produce historic character, and coupled with a modern light fixture, could be a really interesting treatment of the hallway. It should reveal some of the texture of the wood, while lightening and brightening the space. You could try some milk paint on a sample of knotty pine to see if it's something you like, first. Another plus, with milk paint, is that it is all-natural and non-toxic!

It also looks like this hallway is very orange. Is there maybe a way to have the lighting be more of a plain white?