dos's Profile

"I do worry about the possibility of splinters though."

Don't worry sciencegeek, as long as they are sanded properly, there should be no fear of splinters.

if this was crappy wood paneling, i would say, paint it! but this is beautiful, so i will say, don't paint it! if you want to lighten up the room, i would suggest getting lighter, more modern furniture into the space. then it wouldn't read so dark.

i agree that you should not paint the fireplace.
it needs a good cleaning and the mantel should be more substantial to create contrast and give it more visual interest. i'm picturing something thick and dark, perhaps walnut.
you also need color on the walls and pops of color with a carpet and some throw pillows.
good luck!