You have several choices at different price points. 1- Sheet rock, plaster and paint This is the most expensive option and will add the most permanent value to your home. 2-Wallpaper over a heavy liner paper. 3-Prime then paint the wood, it will give you a stripe effect. Let me know what you decide to do. Linda

Have you tried looking through the Houzz professional's tag or asking the people who have posted the photos that you've seen where they got their cabinet from?

We are about to lay new carpet and before we do I want to tidy up the exposed beams in our lounge and master bedroom - see pictures below. I understand the vertical round beams are pine and the horizontal is macrocarpa. The vertical beams are in particularly bad shape - lots of pain marks, cracks, nail holes etc. I have been told by a number of builders the process is likely to be very laborious - I have the time but I am a complete novice. I would like to sand both beams back and stain them a matching natural medium toned colour - at the moment the tone of each looks quite different. They don't need to be perfect I just want them to look tidier than they currently are. Can anyone recommend what tools I might use for the vertical and horizontal beams to speed up the process? Any tips on materials, process to follow? And how I might fill in the numerous gaps in the vertical beams?

Solid Wood benchtops look great with any kitchen style. White kitchens can be transformed by the natural glow of timber. Darker kitchens can make use of the many stain options there are on today's market. To Stain or not to Stain? No doubt we have all noticed a swing towards darker tones in kitchens over the recent years. Colours often taking a more contrasting approach such as, blacks, golds, whites, charcoals and petrol blues. Some may ask, where does solid wood fit into this? Walnut is naturally a dark chocolate to charcoal color; the flecked grain creates texture that looks great paired with exposed stone or other industrial materials. If the client is prepared for the investment (and many are), walnut creates a strikingly moody and luxurious kitchen design. Stained Timbers can save a considerable amount if walnut does happen to blow the budget, with USA Oak or Bamboo able to create an equally striking impression while maintaining the texture and grain of real wood. Popular standard stain colors include Light and Dark Oak as well as Chocolate and Earth. Home owners love the darker tones combined with the distinctive wavy grain of Oak that creates a true centre-point for the kitchen. Which design would you choose?