Yes we are replacing treated pine with a hardwood this time but I just want to make the right choice. Still it's nice to hear you are happy with it . Anything will be a big improvement I do like the idea of an Australian hardwood that is from sustainable sources though . I gather it's been down a few yrs and you haven't experienced the shrinkage someone else complained of ? Thanks for the feedback . This site is great :)

samr63, Honestly, I think this space is quite beautiful and perhaps you're thinking too much about the elephant in the room so to speak!! If there is one thing I have learned on Houzz, is that there does not have to be a specific style in one room and what I mean is, you have a modern bed but it doesn't take away from the antique fireplace nor vice versa. Definitely as I mentioned earlier, the tall boy doesn't gel at all, nor do the bedsides, but purely because of colour, so I would out them and match the bed with your bedside tables and just stop, the room is very elegant and I really can't see anything seriously wrong with it!!! Perhaps a lovely painting on the bed head wall would soften the room as it's a shame not to use at least one of the picture rails in this room!!! Good luck with your decision. Cheers, Barbara

Old post here Anne, but it really comes down to the style of your home too and keeping that style as part of its character, assuming then that your furnishings and such would also be in keeping with the style. Focus on the big picture. A lot can also depend on the colour of the stain too, some look really rich and beautiful while others can be very heavy and depressing. As I said here originally, paint on timber is a lot of upkeep and work, although there are undercoats and paints now that mean you don't have to rub back each time you paint like you did years ago. If the style of your house is right, I do agree that white finish on timber does make the house look a lot brighter and it sharpens the colour of your walls too. Another option that would be a lot of work, is to rub back the timber to remove the original colour and then use a liming varnish. Feast Watson do a range of this, it is very easy to use and it dries quickly. You could use the white in that, which will still allow the grain in the timber to show through and you can keep adding coats until you get the level of white you want. I did some beds that were originally a really deep mahogony colour with this, I ended up putting 4 coats on but am thrilled with the result. It does give a beach vibe if that will work in your home. Another suggestion - some paint companies have a feature on their websites where you can download a photo of your room and "paint" it with their colours. Perhaps you could do this and "paint" all your timber white - that might help you decide. Good luck - it is a big decision to make when there is no going back.

i was once told that "any wood matches any other wood" and that's helped me live happily with mismatched timbers for many years..of course it's probably possible to sand and stain the floor (ask a laminate timber floor supplier) but it'll be a tedious waste of sweat and tears for an uncertain result..what about make sure the walls, ceiling, architraves and skirting boards all look great and don't worry about under the hearth if it's not being moved, maybe add a matching trim around the hearth and plan a new floor for "later"