Wood Paneling=Hunting Lodge

So our back two rooms (soon to be the main bedroom and office) are a late addition... and a very poor one at that. Essentially they got lazy and didn't finish off the ceilings and didn't feel like putting drywall up... easy solution? Wood panelling! 

Its not quite as bad as it sounds... they actually used really nice wood, and I didn't feel the need to vomit the second I entered the room (as happens in most faux wood paneled rooms). However, it did feel distinctly more like a log cabin/hunting lodge. Very odd for a craftsman home that definitely has the cottage vibe going on. Because we are cheap and didn't want to redo the walls immediately I decided to paint them white! I absolutely love the result, very cute cottage feel! 

Pre-painting:

Some advice before painting wood panelling!

First of all... it sucks in a big way. The panels are spaced far apart enough to where you can't just use a roller, you have to use a brush for all of the cracks and then roll the broad flat boards. Needless to say it took a really long time. But, no need to use primer! Our wood did have a finish on it, but I was able to do two coats of paint and it looked great. Our finish was probably very old though, and was a natural wood color. I'm sure if you had a dark stain the story would be different. 

Painting Tip:

For trim... If you have light/white trim here is a helpful hint for preventing color drips through the painter's tape. First tape off all the trim using painters tape. Second, paint around the tape (on the wall that you plan to do the color on) in the same white/light color as your trim. After this dries, paint your color. This way, any spots that would drip through the tape will have dripped in the same color as your trim and then sealed the leak! Thanks Meg for the advice!!!