A friend of mine....Shannon H is redoing her whole kitchen. She gutted it last July in preparation for
having it all redone by November because she always does a big Thanksgiving.
But....here it is like a week and a half before Thanksgiving and the carpenters and plumbers are still in her house.
The kitchen is just about done but now she is thinking of redoing the floors and walls in the
adjacent living room and dining.
(Thanksgiving will have to happen elsewhere)
The living room has paneling original to the 1957 ranch house.
I've said for years that if it were my house...I would have painted that paneling first thing.
She has left it a light wood color.
But now she is ready to change it and when she told the carpenter/painter that she wanted it painted
a creamy white to go with the kitchen they told her that she should tear it out and sheetrock it.
When she told me this the other night...I said, "Whose advice are you going to take mine or your contractor?"
Yesterday I sent her all these photos I'd gathered from Pinterest showing how great painted paneling is.
It's way better than just plain sheet rock especially in the sort of house she has.
A 1957 cottage/ranch.
I know you all will agree with me. I love the way all these rooms look.
I'm hoping to she keeps the paneling....I'll let you know.
It's good enough for Vern Yip. What more reassurance could a person need?
What do you think....paneling or sheetrock?
I totally agree with you! Love the examples you pinned. Painted paneling adds great texture and character. Shelley from The House of Smith's just posted a tutorial on installing planked walls.
ReplyDeletei definitely prefer the painting paneling. besides the add texture and dimension, i love the fact that hanging art etc. is so easy on paneling...no searching for studs or having to use wall anchors
ReplyDeletedefinitely paint the paneling...did mine and am so happy with it!
ReplyDeletePainted paneling for sure! No sheetrock, ugh. You're guiding her right. I've never regretted standing up to painters, what I've regretted is the one time I let myself be talked into a flat finish on bedroom ceiling instead of a pearl finish. Hope your friend's contractors are out by Christmas!
ReplyDeletei'm crazy about it. so much texture and interest. gorgeous eye candy today!
ReplyDeletemichele
There are 3 good reasons to paint the paneling.
ReplyDelete1. It will add charm and character to her house and embrace the original features in a contemporary way.
2. That paneling is going to get tossed into a landfill and sit for 100 years. We are too quick to think of disposable solutions when we should be thinking about ways to use what we have and make it fabulous.
3. Money. It's going to be a big mess to take down and I am sure her contractor won;t be cheap in ripping it out and drywalling it, priming it and painting it....and of course then she'll need new trim....
I agree with everyone, love this look! we painted a basement that had paneling and we all loved it.
ReplyDeleteKeep the paneling, Shannon! No pressure from any of us though, haha. We had to lose our paneling to reclaim our 9 foot ceilings (the ceilings had been lowered and 8 foot paneling put in), and it still makes me sad. All of those rooms are gorgeous!
ReplyDeletepaint!! we have painted paneling through the years and it is so easy and adds character that sheetrock will NEVER add!
ReplyDeletewe have even painted it again and again over old paint.
love these images too.
Ditto to what EVERYONE said.
ReplyDeleteI mean, REALLY!
WHY would she listen to a contractor instead of you.
I say paint the paneling! It's a lot more charming than sheetrock. Love your blog. Keep blogging!
ReplyDeleteHelene
Hi Nita, Such lovely photos you shared with us today. It's always a treat to visit your blog. I hope your friend, Shannon, listens to you...and all of us!
ReplyDeleteThere was a time when updating your home meant pulling out all the old stuff. Now it's more sensible and stylish to embrace it.
In fact, if she has a dated brick fireplace and mantle, encourage her to paint it, too.
I think you gave such fantastic examples. I personally really like painted paneling and have some in my office/classroom and kitchen.
ReplyDeleteAngela
I love all of your examples. If she doesn't agree with you she is crazy! Who listens to contractors give decorating advice anyway, heehee? Keep that paneling.
ReplyDeletePainted paneling gives such a lovely texture and sheetrock is expensive. I see it as a win win.
ReplyDeleteGood advise! I hope she listens to you too!
ReplyDeleteHave a good night.
Tammy
I love painted paneling. The look it gives a room is something you can't achieve with sheetrock. Plus the cost of new sheetrock is astronomical compared to paint!!
ReplyDeleteJudy
Another vote for painted paneling! Jana in Texas
ReplyDeleteGracious....no contest....paint the paneling! The contractor just wants to separate her from her $$$ !!!
ReplyDeleteLove the painted paneling... save the $$$ from the drywall and spend it on something fabulous for the room!
ReplyDeleteMary
For years I had painted paneling in my family room and got more compliments on those walls than any of the sheetrock walls. They had something, maybe character, that a flat plain wall doesn't have. Tell her to paint them, she'll love them...
ReplyDeleteThe paneling is so much more interesting!
ReplyDeleteI live in a 1961 cottage ranch house and we painted the dreary paneling immediately. When we remodeled my contractor replaced it with sheetrock without asking, and I was very upset. Painted paneling can be so pretty!
ReplyDeleteAnother vote here for paneling. It looks posh when painted well. Sheetrock is just plain common.
ReplyDeleteI think they both look nice. Here is my dilemma. I have half logs in the family room that I want down. I have never seen that style painted. And I have the drywaller to do it, if I could only talk him into it.
ReplyDeleteBliss