How can I add a country farm house look to ?

a 1984 modular. There is a DARK Brown paneling all the way through the home. The house is in great condition. The paneling has that dark Black line going through it. I will not be taking down the paneling, at least for now. What are possibilities to decorate it?We are just purchasing it and I am looking to decorate it in a country style. I need ideas for all rooms. Thought I would start on the kitchen first. I am so excited. I will add pictures within the next few days. My 6 year old Son is so excited. It has florescent lights in the kitchen. How can I give them a country look?


  11 answers
  • Gk Gk on May 04, 2020

    You can always prime and paint the dark brown paneling in a white to resemble ship lap. It will run vertical vs horizontal but you can still have that country farm house look. Many people paint everything white for that farmhouse look. You can make or purchase many decor items for the farmhouse look so you could have lots of possibilities to hang on your walls and to display around your home. Here's a video of someone who decorated a mobile home in the farmhouse style!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjDmUgqIPVQ

    • See 1 previous
    • Kelli L. Milligan Kelli L. Milligan on May 04, 2020

      Paint the paneling and cabinets. Paint will totally change the look. Have fun.

  • GrandmasHouseDIY GrandmasHouseDIY on May 04, 2020

    I agree with the first response, painting everything white will not only update that paneling but give you that farmhouse look right away! if its possible to replace any flooring with wood-look or real wood flooring that's another great way to go for farmhouse vibes. Disguising florescent lights with old shabby windows can be a fun update too!

    • Stephanie Elaine Stephanie Elaine on May 04, 2020

      Thank you. I forgot to mention the floors are all hard wood and in great shape. Still confused on the florescent light, as to what to do with them. The kitchen for example has 4 of them that are hanging down and they have rectangle shades on them. They do not hang down low, low though. The cabinets in the kitchen are wooden, but are dark brown also.

  • Gk Gk on May 04, 2020

    You could paint your cabinets. They would need a good cleaning, a stand alone primer, and then a good quality paint like Benjamin Moore Advance, Behr or Sherwin WIlliams. Paint that is made for cabinets not just wall paint. All of those companies make a good quality cabinet paint. I just painted my kitchen cabinets and then finished by applying 3 coats of clear water based poly. It's a job but I spread it out over 2 weeks. I painted mine charcoal gray on the bottom and white on the top. They look fabulous!

  • Chloe Crabtree Chloe Crabtree on May 04, 2020

    That panelling can be painted. I would paint it white which will give it the farmhouse look you are wanting.

  • Janice Janice on May 04, 2020

    It's exciting that you have a new home and are able to redo to make it how you want it. Long ago I painted the paneling in our modular and it opened it up and made it so much brighter. Here's a video to show you what I mean. The country look you love can be brought in with different accessories and fabric pillows, kitchen curtains and maybe even light fixtures.

    https://www.hgtv.com/videos/painting-paneling-94079

    Enjoy your new place and as you make changes you'll love it more and more!

  • Libbie B Libbie B on May 04, 2020

    Paint is a quick and inexpensive way to brighten up a space. And a bonus your paneling may end up looking like pretty shiplap.

  • K. Rupp K. Rupp on May 05, 2020

    Definitely paint the paneling. Here is a Hometalk tutorial on that:


    https://www.hometalk.com/diy/paint/walls/how-to-paint-wood-paneling-no-sanding-required-3254161


    Then consider changing out your lighting in the kitchen for something more decorative like a pendant over an island(if you have one).


    Paint the cabinets....YES...Benjamin Moore Cabinet paint is awesome paint.


    Farmhouse look is everything bright with some dark wood accents here and there. Painting furniture weathered gray is very popular!


    Yes, put up some pics we can give you more detailed help! Can't wait to see your place.

  • FrugalFamilyTimes.com FrugalFamilyTimes.com on May 05, 2020

    You can switch out the floresent lighting with a new country style fixture no problem. And go for it - paint that panelling! Make sure you sand and prime it really well first.

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on May 05, 2020

    Paint the light fixtures with a high heat black paint. Start scouring places like Hobby Lobby, Big Lots, Tractor Supply, Dollar General, and such for decor items. There is a website I have made a few purchases from that are high quality and some prices are really good. Decorsteals.com You can also look on their site for inspiration. Amazon has farmhouse decor items as well. Congratulations!

  • Cynthia H Cynthia H on May 10, 2020

    A light cream color, sage or gray would look great. Paneling is not hard to paint. You can fill the grooves with spackle and sand it smooth. Scuff the paneling by lightly sanding. Wipe it down with a damp microfiber cloth to remove all the dust or use a swiffer to wipe it down. Then paint it with a sealer like Kilz. If you are using a color on your walls you can get the Kilz tinted to match, to cut down on how much paint you need. Once the Kilz has blocked the darker color, paint it your new color. Good luck and stay safe!

  • Joy Joy on Jan 02, 2022

    I primed and painted mine. Then I decided I didn’t like the look of the grooves because it still look like paneling. So I use spackling and fill all the cracks and sanded them, now it looks just like sheet rock!