A Paneling Predicament

Roger,

I am a big fan and live in Austin. I have lived in a large traditional home in the suburbs for the last 17 years and plan to down-size in the next 18 months. We have a large upstairs game room/media room that still has one wall with nice paneling and moulding. Should we paint it or keep it as is? Most people who see it for the first time like it. I think if this was our forever house we would update it to a wall unit with built in TV/storage. I don't think I can afford that type of update.

Nan H.
Austin, TX

Dear Nan,

Paneling is all the rage now in home and commercial design. If the paneling is in good shape and is getting a positive reaction, I think it would be a mistake to paint it. So many homes have walls that are nothing but featureless sheetrock. I think we are going to see an increased interest in homes with unique surfaces that introduce texture and color into the space.

People often resort to painting or removing paneling because they feel it makes a room too dark. Keep this in mind as you prepare your home for sale. The careful selection of accent colors, lighter window treatments, and lighting will keep the room nice and bright.

Best of luck!

Roger

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