What are some clever ideas for walls that are ugly 70's wood paneling?

They do make a felt product that you use to be able to wallpaper over paneling. I love wallpaper for the texture and there are so many patterns unlike Grandma’s florals!

Dark paneling in the living room can be depressing. If you'd love dove gray painted walls with sharp white trim, don't rip out paneled walls -- just treat them like regular walls and paint them. A coat of white primer will ensure that your top coat goes on easier and stays true to color.

Another designer and I brainstormed when she was hating the darkness of her paneling, but didn’t want to have to redo the wall since it was glued down. I suggested she choose a pale pretty blue to make it look more outdoorsy. She did and she LOVED it! It was to be a temporary fix before tearing the wall apart but she kept it!

I would say if you can't or don't want to remove them, I've seen some homes where the dark paneling has been painted a bright color (like white) and the results are gorgeous. You would never know what was underneath! Good luck! Hugs, Holly

Paint is a miracle worker. Clean it well, prime it and paint. It has a cottage feel that is very clean and fresh.

Paint it, it will look great! Use a bright/light color and don’t forget the trim 😊

Take a good photo to the paint department of the home improvement store and ask them what will work for you. They have the best selection, the most up-to-date materials and most important, the most informative sales staff to get you what you need for a professional job.

Yup, paint is an amazing transformer! Here is a link to my DIY & decorating blog, Simple Decorating Tips, showing a simple bedroom that had paneling and all I did was paint it a light grey. If you are going to paint paneling that has never been painted before, I'd recommend using this bonding primer. It will adhere to the paneling, preventing the paint to scratch off.

Thank you all for your suggestions.