To da_jg_king...This thread is about Stephanie's dilemma and all responses are directed to giving her some suggestions....its grown to be a rather long article and it is unlikely that anyone will respond to your dilemma. Why don't you start a post about your house and put up some really good photos to give Houzzers a "look in"? I bet you will get lots of respnse if Stephanie's post is anything to go by. Its hard to imagine your environment and make alternative suggestions without having photos. Cedar or any timber panelling can be deceptive depending on the area of the room and on the lighting that would change during the day..really need photos! I'm sure Houzzers would love to pitch in with suggestions...some of the ideas given to Stephanie might inspire you too! I love the challenge of natural timber. I've come across and advert for a beautiful new paint colour from the RESENE company..They have some amazing stuff that gets me quite excited imagining what I could do with some of it...You ask for suggestions for flooring that would look good against cedar walls....You do not say whether you want colour suggestions or materials suggestions...so...Go to the RESENE paint site and have a look at all their paint products, you might be inspired by the colours and that could lead you to other ideas...like tiles, floor renders..etc. Lately I've had a "thing" for a definite shade of Wedgewood Blue..( and I don't particularly like blue in my environment), but there's something very appealing about a dusty, light, warm-looking exact BLUE...leaning neither towards green nor purple...a perfect blue that I just love next to my timber walls.....That might be a clue for you...though it would depend, as colour always does, on the natural hue of your timber walls...Wood has its natural colour variations according to its type that also change with age....lots to consider. Put up some PICS! Yes?

I have been advised on another thread of mine to use "cedarshield". I've written to the company, it has a 5yr warranty as opposed to standard oils, and looks good. also a natural Australian made product that helps prevent burning/fire. I have begun replacing my tired brown/grey cedar boards with new, and plan to buy this product very shortly...

We are looking to renovate and paint front of our old cedar pole home - would love your ideas.

Agree on the cedar , and I'm not sure what condition the roof is , but if you do need to paint , keep it similar and light . The areas I would focus on are the door and the gutter . The brown gutter does nothing to help , but keeping in the 'organic' spectrum , I'd go a mid to military green for the gutter . The door and the window frames around it I'd go a mid yellow -- say a mild buttercup or similar , so it stands out but still looks organic . The small deck and wires I'd demolish , go wider so it stretches from below 1 window across the door to the other side , so around 3 metres long , but with uprights and a pergola style roof -- all done in monument or similar OR if you can source the sizes , maybe cedar . Possibly have a bench seat one or both sides , even marine plywood cupboards under them . They are still liable to get wet , but use for garden tools , hoses , spray items , or sitting on or decoration -- sort of get that rustic thing going . It just needs a boost around there , but anything too shiny or modern or tacky will distract .