When homeowners move into a new house, they may have paneling, a fireplace surround, beams, or built-in cabinets in wood and may not know whether to keep it in its original wood state or paint it. The answer is: it is entirely subjective.
Today, most people want a light, bright home. To get it, they use white on the walls, and optimize light from windows and with lighting. Even if the woodwork is exquisitely made from the last century, if there is an abundance of it, it still can absorb all the light in a room. If this is not the atmosphere you want, paint it. You can paint part of it, and keep highlights, such as painting all the paneling and walls light, and keep the fireplace surround or beams in their original wood.
The texture of wood is a grounding influence every room needs; it reminds us of nature. The patina of old wood is even better: an old chair, sideboard or table; then you have soul and history. There is an attitude among some that wood is sacred as is and should not be painted, that extends from built-ins to furniture pieces. I think you can create the aesthetic you want for your room.
The answer to the dilemma is balance. Balance some natural wood with painted elements, and balance the mid-tone, light and dark colors in a room. If your walls are a light neutral, you can afford to have a few dark pieces in a rug or piece of furniture and some very light elements in window coverings or furnishings. And mid-tones, colors with a Light Reflectance Value of around 50, are helpful to balance the room.
I help people with their color choices for paint jobs in northern California, Contra Costa and Alameda counties. Contact me through my website Contact page.