It's a BEACH house. The most I would do to the beams is white wash and let wood show through .....I'd paint the bannister ALL white. Your photo doesn't show enough to answer the other questions, but woven shades or shutters, a wood floor certainly......

If you decide painting them, wrap them first with paint grade material,if you paint them as is, it will be an eyesore. If you decide leaving them stained, I would also wrap them and re-stain. I understand natural wood and knots in it, add the natural beauty, but what they used is #2 or utility grade lumber and it's just too many knots in it, it's killing the room.

Good luck.

I like the as they are now.

leave the beams as is. if you are on the beach you dont want sand and wet towels on a wood floor, tile is really a better way to go.

Gotta side with your husband here. The beams are beautiful - they will disappear if you make them all white. And once you paint them you can never get that natural wood look back. If you must paint the bannister, I'd go with white for the top and leave the balusters natural, or paint it all white - I would not introduce black, I think it would look out of place and draw your eye to something you don't want to focus on. Agree with nnigrt re floors - think about function for a beach house.

Our vote is to leave them how they are. They are beautiful and unique. They add great visual interest to that space!

Good luck!

My vote is for the wash but not in bright white and after some selective knot primer in the same tone. You are going to want to selectively primer down about 2/3 of the knots (use a dark white tinted primer), and use a dark white / brown toned off white instead of bright white so the beams still give you dark white on bright - that would be my vote. Consider something like bm stingray tinted primer and wash on the beams. You can add glaze for more working time or put down dropcloths and use water to cut it into a wash. Test it on some other raw wood that has had tannins develop for a few years. Then put it against your white wall - your husband will get the contrast and wood grain but you'll get the quiet palette you were hoping for. They both will have architectural depth and interest.