I posted this question earlier, and somehow I think I cleared my questions out, so I'm gonna repost it. I have an older house, when a very outdated kitchen and am wanting to update so that we can eventually sell. I am including a picture of my kitchen walls, the front view and the view that I see of the back of it when standing on the basement stairs. Im not sure what the material of the wall is, it's just on the top half of the kitchen. It almost reminds me of cork, or of particle board. The pattern on it, isn't wallpaper, it's actually on/in the wall. I'm trying to figure out if I can paint over it. Someone posted some suggestions and I was going to get them pictures, but i cleared my questions, so I hope maybe I can still get some assistance :)

this is the wall from the kitchen

and this is what the backside of it looks like.