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Well, Ok, so maybe it won’t be EXTREME, but I am planning to makeover parts of the house.

Our house is an old double-wide trailer. It’s on a permanent foundation, so some might call it a modular home, but suffice to say, it was built in the days when dark paneling and wall-to-wall carpeting were the hot style. I’ve already replaced most of the carpeting with tile throughout (just two rooms are left with carpet now), but the paneling is a real drawback.

It’s dark.

It depresses me.

It HAS to go.

The easiest way for it to go is to just paint over it.

I did that in the living room and it looks good — so good that I don’t have any desire to change it despite the fact that it’s been the same now for nearly 8 years.

Our bedroom on the other hand is another story.

Now, one wall of it is wallpapered with an insipid tan, peachy-color and cream striped paper that I had forgotten was even on the wall until I took a picture of the new comforter set, but the other 3 walls are the dark paneling. In there it’s not so bad as you kind of go along with the bedroom being dark and cozy — for sleeping you know. But it’s a room I avoid until it is time to go to bed because of that.

I have dark curtains at the windows — another depressing factor for the room.

So, my plans are to remove those dark curtains and replace them with something less obtrusive. We live in the middle of a 99 acre forest, so peeping toms are not a concern (unless you count the deer) and it would be pleasant to be able to look out the windows and see the flora and fauna whenever the urge struck, so I was thinking maybe some light stained bamboo shades — or maybe they should be the chocolate color I’m using as an accent — what do you think? There are only two windows in the room both of which are tall and narrow.  I’m thinking shades because those could be lowered when it was necessary to shut out the outdoors and when raised would maximize the window value.

The new comforter set is a watered silk-like material (but I’m positive it’s NOT silk as it wasn’t expensive enough for that) — very elegant looking IMO — in a sea green shade. My photo doesn’t do the color justice as it’s deeper than depicted — the flash must have washed it out some.

Anyway, I was thinking I would paint the walls a very light shade of this same color, then do one of the faux finish techniques I’ve seen in the paint store with an equally darker shade and do the trim work in that same darker shade of green.

I like greens and blues for the bedroom. I think they are restful and soothing colors. As you can see, I have some chocolate brown pillows for an accent and will carry that through in other things in the room, but not too much of it.

My office is another area of the house that needs to be redone. I want to paint those walls a very light shade of grey. I have a 12″ wide border wall paper that has Greyhounds and Leopards or Cheetahs on it that I think will look very stylish in there and give it a bit of pizazz. Since there is an awning over the outside of the window of that room, I won’t have any window treatment at all, but think I will get some fancy molding to go around the windows and paint them one of the accent colors in the border — maybe a gold that’s in it.

The last and most depressing area is the hallway. It’s the solid dark paneling and since we come and go down that hallway all the time, it really needs to be redone. It’s so dark that I have to leave the light on all the time or you can’t see to walk down it even in the middle of the day.

That will get a light shade of paint, too, although not white as that’s too stark, but certainly something approaching white. I haven’t quite decided which way to go with it, but do know it won’t be tannish or pinkish. It will either be grey, blue or green tinged. I have some fancy moulding already for the hallway that has leaves carved into it that I thought would be pretty mounted as a chair rail, but I haven’t decided whether to paint it or stain it. What would you recommend?

So, what do you think of my plans? Any suggestions to add to my thoughts on finishes and color schemes?

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