Joe Barta said:

I remember distinctly seeing a caption below one of the pictures
noting that while the wood paneling and various woodworking were
currently a natural type finish, when the home was built it would have
been common for the woodwork to have been painted, and in fact this
interior had been stripped of paint at some point. I thought... paint?

As I thought about it further, even though it seemed odd *to me*, I
suppose the rooms would look damn fine painted.

Much fine woodworking is indeed painted, but I still cringe to think
of buying that $7 bf walnut and painting or staining / glazing it.
That's what poplar is for... :-o

Temporal perceptions have altered the general public consensus on what
"looks good" in this decade. As the commonplace and mundane woods of
yesteryear faded to synthetics, gypsum and latex, we now find
ourselves celebrating natural woods once again. I suppose in times
past, being surrounded by unfinished wooden bowls, spoons, tables,
chairs, and well... everything, paint was considered quite upscale.

The changing fortunes of time continue to wreak havoc on expectations.
Now that wood isn't so common, we yearn for what was once concealed.

FWIW,

Greg G.