That is a shame. I could understand it better if the woodwork had already been painted over before, but to paint that over is a shame, at least to me.

However, these things go in cycles. For much of the mid-20th century it was considered quite normal, even desirable, to paint over "all that dark old woodwork." in 19th and early 20th century homes. Certainly my grandmother always painted over hers. She always thought it looked "dark and gloomy."

Then, in more recent times, it has been fashionable to uncover the woodwork again. I once spent the better part of a summer in the 1990s removing paint from the doors and wainscoting in a circa 1890 house I owned.

But now I'm increasingly I'm seeing it painted over again in magazines and interior decor guides. A much lighter, mostly bright stark white, look really seems to be in these days. And that is sure what whoever painted this place looks like they're trying to follow. Unfortunately for that lovely wood.