What to do with alot of pine?

[StreetDragster]

Hi All,

I'm in the process of buying a house and I'm working out how i want to decorate it when i move in.

Its got a lot of pine (i assume pine, this is what the seller said), mostly white/cream walls, then pine internal doors, frames, skirting boards, banisters, handrails, the bedrooms have built in pine wardrobes with a wall of pine doors etc... Its throughout the entire house.
I quite like this look, but there's a lot of it. I also think that painting wood is a bit of a crime, I love the natural rings/grains/knots etc.

So, what to do to tone it down a bit? I was thinking maybe
-Remove one hand rail, remove the pine spindles of the staircase and replace with glass/stainless
-The panels of some of the internal doors. Stain them a lighter colour, and leave the frames. Or maybe use some white ash or similar vinyl/veneer to achieve the same goal, but its removable if i don't like it. Or maybe dismantle the doors and replace some of the panels with frosted glass or similar

Any other ideas? Or do people have any similar colour schemes in their house and can share a picture?
I certainly don't have the budget to be replacing with oak or anything like that.

How easy it is to dismantle a pine door to remove panels etc? I realise this is a bit of an open ended question without knowing the construction. But generally?

Edited by StreetDragster on Monday 26th February 14:17

[MajorMantra]

Rather than getting rid of it or disguising it, I'd look to the rest of the decor. Put some colour on the walls, ditch the boring beige carpets where possible etc. That way the wood will blend in better rather than standing out.

Any kind of refinishing of all that wood would be a massive effort and it'll look rubbish IMO unless you do a really, really thorough job.

[simon_harris]

Strip the varnish and lime wash it? you'll still see the wood grain but it will blend in more

[M11rph]

The room doors,under stairs cupboard and Staircase may be Hemlock? There don't appear to be many knots in it and it has a more attractive grain in places compared to the very knotty pine used for the door surrounds and skirtings.

I like the clean and simple approach rather than the above suggestion. Personal preference.

I'd leave the "Hemlock" bits and paint the remainder. Door surrounds don't look very attractive and don't match the doors either, paint them and they'll visually disappear leaving the nice wood to be a feature. Same with skirtings, either paint of replace with MDF pre-primed items.

Remove the wall mounted hand rail. I'm guessing older owners have added that to help, but it you don't need it then "away with it".

Painting pine is a bit of a pain. Very light sanding, degrease, knotting treatment (x2), a coat of Zinser Bullseye 123 before your top coat (satin/ eggshell is more modern and easier to apply). Water based so won't stink the house out for months and means you can get at least 2 coats done in a day.

House looks lovely.

[Sheets Tabuer]

Have you conifered with the mrs?

[PositronicRay]

Similar when we moved in.

Trouble is when you start painting it, you're forever at it. Chips discolouration and whatnot. Wood just wears in and looks better with patina.

I may paint the spindles (they don't take any wear) and that's about it. Maybe some colour on the walls.

We've grown to like it.

[Richard-D]

To my eyes the front door is the problem there, quite like the rest.

[Mr Squarekins]

Richard-D said:

To my eyes the front door is the problem there, quite like the rest.

Yes, I thought the same.

[Aluminati]

Sheets Tabuer said:

Have you conifered with the mrs?

[bennno]

StreetDragster said:

Hi All,

I'm in the process of buying a house and I'm working out how i want to decorate it when i move in.

Its got a lot of pine (i assume pine, this is what the seller said), mostly white/cream walls, then pine internal doors, frames, skirting boards, banisters, handrails, the bedrooms have built in pine wardrobes with a wall of pine doors etc... Its throughout the entire house.
I quite like this look, but there's a lot of it. I also think that painting wood is a bit of a crime, I love the natural rings/grains/knots etc.

So, what to do to tone it down a bit? I was thinking maybe
-Remove one hand rail, remove the pine spindles of the staircase and replace with glass/stainless
-The panels of some of the internal doors. Stain them a lighter colour, and leave the frames. Or maybe use some white ash or similar vinyl/veneer to achieve the same goal, but its removable if i don't like it. Or maybe dismantle the doors and replace some of the panels with frosted glass or similar

Any other ideas? Or do people have any similar colour schemes in their house and can share a picture?
I certainly don't have the budget to be replacing with oak or anything like that.

How easy it is to dismantle a pine door to remove panels etc? I realise this is a bit of an open ended question without knowing the construction. But generally?

Edited by StreetDragster on Monday 26th February 14:17

Update the front door as its minging, paint the skirtings, door linings and architraves, panelling, leave the doors and the staircase.

[magpie215]

Sheets Tabuer said:

Have you conifered with the mrs?

Yes definitely get her opineion first.

[Bill]

If you don't cedar way she wants to go you'll be in bother.


Our last house had all the Victorian pine stripped back. I suspect it's what caused their divorce! We painted most of it apart from the floors and doors. Yes wood can be lovely, but pine is unexceptional...

[The_Nugget]

bennno said:

Update the front door as its minging, paint the skirtings, door linings and architraves, panelling, leave the doors and the staircase.

That’s what I’d do too, but those wardrobes would have to go, massive slab of pine.

[Simpo Two]

I actually think the pine works well and keeps the house looking light. It's not offensive - but I draw the line at the huge pine wardrobe doors in the bedroom...

My thoughts:

You can't stain wood lighter, only darker. And stain doesn't work on varnish so you'd probably have to strip the finish off and suddenly it's not worth doing.

I agree it seems wrong to paint over wood, but you have lots of it and pine is not exactly precious like makore would be. Painting the staircase spindles white would be an easy cheap way to lose some of the pine.

Replace the wardrobe doors with mirror doors or whatever you like.

Painting just the door panels would just draw attention to them and make the space look fussy/more cluttered.

Either way it looks like a lovely house

[moorx]

Are those wardrobe doors actually pine, or pine effect?

Those and the front door are all I would change personally, but I don't find wood old-fashioned like some people seem to.

The house looks lovely.

[bennno]

Zinsser bin is a shellac based primer that works well.

[sherman]

I would maybe paint the inside of the front door white if replacement is not in budget.

I would look at replacing the bedroom cupboard doors though or do something to break up the slab like different door handles or mirrors

The rest I wouldnt touch.

Edited by sherman on Monday 26th February 22:56

[StreetDragster]

Some interesting feedback here, thanks everyone.

No wife, no problems...

I hadn't considered just the front door but now it's been pointed out, i agree that's a large part of the problem. I definitely agree on the built in wardrobes. I think at least three of them are going out being cut down to half height, or removed all together. I'm not strapped for space and certainly don't need 6 full height cupboards. Mirror doors is an interesting one again, thanks.

[StreetDragster]

Now that i'm in.....

This decor has all grown on me and i don't find it nearly as offensive any more.

The banister rail is going
The spindles will be replaced with metal ones
The front door is being replaced

Wardrobes-
Anyone know a source of pre-made HINGED wardrobe doors?
Sliding ones i can get all day long, but hinged are hard to find.

I need some in 50cm width, and some in 60cm width. Some floor to ceiling in height, and some 1/3 celing height.
Cabinets will be made to fit, so if there are standard sizes for cheapness thats what i'll do

Thanks

[Fatboy]

I've used doors to size a few times, always been impressed with the speed and quality:

https://doors2size.co.uk/

Website appears to be down at the moment, but the phone number is on there