Should You Paint the Paneling? Before and After Picture Included
Here’s how the home looked when we first paid a visit to see it:
Yes, there are kitchen cabinets in the kitchen. This home was in the process of being renovated and as a result, was in total disarray. However, that paneled wall isn’t hard to miss. Perhaps considered nice, in its day, it truly dates the home.
With our recommendation to paint and having selected the colors for the homeowner, the change was incredible. Bringing in the furniture and accessories really made a difference as well.
Here’s the after picture:
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A Real Estate Staging Association Finalist for Professional Stager of the Year 2010, Kathy Nielsen understands what it takes to help sell homes quickly. Considered an expert within the home staging industry, and having years of experience, Kathy makes the perfect choice for preparing your home for the market in the Atlanta area.
Website: Home Staging Atlanta
Before and After Pictures: Atlanta Home Staging Portfolio:
Email: Kathy@HomeStagingAtlanta.com
This room looks awesome! Great job, Kathy!
Kathy, look at how those rafters pop! The painted wall really makes these architectural features stand out. Well done - Julie
Yikes Kathy, thanks for sharing this. I can think of about 500 homes in my area that would seriously benefit from PAINTing paneling and other OLD wood surfaces. Mind if I share you photos with others?
I'm a BIG fan of painting paneling. Unpainted, it just makes a room seem so dark and dingy.
Kathy - I grew up in a new home with paneling, a hot feature in its day--but that day has long gone. Your work looks terrific; great transformation.
I've often suggested that Sellers paint dated panneling as an inexpensive way to update a room. Your photos show how beautiful the results can be.
Kathy, this is Wow! Almost can't belive that this is the same room. It looks awesome!
I recently went to an Open House where the office was dark wood panelling and looked just dark and depressing. The Realtor said that they on purpose left the wood look in place and did not paint it since many male home buyers just love the wood look. ????
Painting wood panels just gives it such a more up to date, brieght and friendly look and you can actually design the room to make the colors pop.
Well done Kathy!
I love these paneling transformations! Good job, Kathy -- now it looks elegantly casual, instead of obsolete.
Amazing ... Awesome! Paint totally transformer this dated space. It's so beautiful now.
Always-always, yes! Paint the paneling. It looks just great and so does your staging.
It looks so fresh and modern, I think there should be a rule that you have to paint old paneling...lol
Kathy - Yes!!! Paint the paneling, the difference is incredible and amazing! The room looks bright and is now an asset to the home. The ceiling beams looks great now. What color paint did you use to go over the paneling? Kate
Good call on painting the panelling. It looks like a completely different (and much improved) room now. Bravo.
This project is a perfect example of the message that we stagers continually impress upon sellers which is that modernizing, cleaning and adding appeal are crucial to a successful sale. Congratulations on a fantastic transformation.
I'm so glad you posted the "before" and "after" photos of this room, Kathy. The transformation is absolutely stunning! Just yesterday we consulted with a client and advised her to paint paneling instead of removing it, retexturing walls and painting. I think that the painted paneling gives more dimension and interest that just a plain painted wall, especially if the paneling is already in place. I love it!
WOW....what a complete transformation!! GREAT endorsement pictures that show how a little paint and your vision can bring soooooo much value! GREAT JOB!!
Great transformation. Painting the panelling is sometimes a hard sell, but this is a great way to show the difference!
Kathy,
What an amazing transformation! I love the white washed look on the wall. Makes you just fall in love with paneling when it looks that good. Great job!
WOWOWOW!! You turned a dingy, unusable room into a real gem! Love the color you chose for the beams, trim and steps -- awesome job!!
It makes such an amazing difference to paint over wood and yet so many sellers, especially men, think of wood as "valuable" and just refuse to do it. This post could help to convince some of them how much more valuable painted wood can be!
Wow Huge Difference Kathy. Great Call!
Hi Kathy,
What a great transformation! And I love the way you painted the risers on the steps a crisper white. It looks smashing.
I honestly LOVE paneling! My conceptual staging business has really taken off due in part to women who are at odds with their spouses about painting the paneling.
~Michelle
Wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it! If this doesn't convince homeowners to paint wood panelling I don't know what will. Brilliant work. Congrats on a job well done.
What a transformation! I can think of very few instances where painting does not help update paneled walls. I want to share this with a client that I met with yesterday. It might just change their minds. Thanks for sharing your results with us - what a pro!
Kathy: I agree - that paneling had to go. What a difference a can of paint made. I actually love the look of painted paneling and I think it updates a home with a very small investment. Thanks for sharing your wonderful photos
In our Westwood remodel the 3rd bedroom had paneling 6' up the walls. We thought of taking it out, but instead painted it a warm khaki color, the portion of wall above the paneling and ceiling a light bisque. A good primer and can of paint can work WONDERS for paneling - great colors on the architectural wood beams & stair treads as well! Lovely (as always!)
In our Westwood remodel the 3rd bedroom had paneling 6' up the walls. We thought of taking it out, but instead painted it a warm khaki color, the portion of wall above the paneling and ceiling a light bisque. A good primer and can of paint can work WONDERS for paneling - great colors on the architectural wood beams & stair treads as well! Lovely (as always!)
What an amazing transformation! I find it sometimes a little difficult to convince some sellers (who haven't yet realized that it's not about them anymore) to do this, but it is always such a great look when it's done. Thanks for showing this!!
Hi Kathy,
Yse, paint the paneling! I can't think of a bigger return on such a small investment.
We painted the panelling in a home we had and it WAS absolutely the best decision! Good topic for a post :-)
wow! what a difference that made! Sometimes those neutral colors can enhance the paneling more than the original!
What an amazing difference the paint made Kathy! I am glad that paneling is no longer popular...it is so dark and gloomy! Pat Kennedy mentioned your post in her blog. I'm glad she did!
Hi Kathy, Huge difference for me. The lighter room sems larger and more casual. Happy 2010 to you !
Unequivocally, YES, it should be painted and your amazing photos speak 1000 words. Great job on this transformation.
Kathy - I saw this in a re-blog and meant to come over to say, nice job, but got sidetracked. Nice job the transformation in the photos speaks volumes. Definitely PAINT the paneling!
outstanding transformation!
That was a beautiful change. Talented stagers can do so much to help!!
Nice work!!! I had a listing that had paneling like that EVERYWHERE and he never got around to painting it like he said he would. Needless to say it never sold. It actually just expired with someone else and I called him and told him about Obeo.com and how a buyer can "paint" the walls, etc. with their software in the home pics if he was still unwilling to paint it. He did not listen and has re-listed with the other agent. It just sit there, I think.
Those rafters really do POP!
David
I had a listing that another Sacramento agent could not sell. It was a great location, so the problem was either pricing or condition. Minute I walked through it I saw what was wrong. First, the upstairs' bedroom walls were purple. But apart from that, in the living room, half of the walls were old wood paneling. Week after the seller painted that paneling a creamy white, the home sold. The moral is if you can't get rid of that paneling, then paint it! Your photos are the proof!
Kathy- found your post via Pat Kennedy. Yes, yes, yes, paint the paneling. Very inexpensive to do and man, how it brings the room into the new milennium.
That really looks wonderful! So many homeowners could benefit from just this one thing when getting ready to list!
I'm a strong believer in painting paneling. It can brighten and update a room at the same time. Great results in your room. The floor and beams contrast beautifully. congrats!
Wonderful difference! Painting brick is sometimes a good solution, too.
Thanks. I needed this example today. The pix say it all.
Kathy - I haven't seen paneling in years, but painting it is a must and you have the pictures to prove it.
GREAT JOB. That's the way to keep it budget friendly. If you took it down and had to replace with drywall and then, mud/tape and then paint. Not only would it blow a budget but it would take so much more time then just putting a good paint job on it.