Painting your 5th Wall, Part Two

The ceiling has come to be considered such an important element in a room that it is often referred to as the fifth wall in decorating. Accent painting or adding a design element to a ceiling can greatly change a space from ho-hum to awe-inspiring. Best of all, this is a relatively inexpensive way to add new design elements to your home.

So, once you have decided that you want to banish your ceiling’s boring white, you’ll need some ideas about what to do with that big beautiful blank canvas.  Here are a few to get you started:

• For smaller rooms, painting the ceiling the same shade or a slightly lighter shade as the walls can make the room feel larger.
• For rooms that have crown molding, a nice neutral color light ivory or light gray with either natural wood trim or white gloss trim can really make a room pop, and give your space a very elegant feel.
• If you don’t already have crown molding, paint the ceiling the same as the wall color but install some inexpensive trim and paint it white. It will give your room that established, elegant look.
• For those of you with daring taste and vibrant furnishings in shade of red or plum, try painting your ceiling to match these strong hues and the eye will naturally be drawn upward and give the entire room a lift.
• For those who feel artsy: Decals and stencils can add an interesting custom design element to any room that reflects your personality.
• By using two paint colors similar in tone and painting a soft pinstripe or border around the edge of your ceiling you can achieve a trayed ceiling effect inexpensively.
• If you have dramatic tastes and decide to make your ceiling color the focus of your room, be sure to support the color with matching throw pillow and other accent pieces.
• Patterns that run throughout the ceiling rather than a stenciled and decal focal point are another option. Stripes, chevrons and other patterns in tonal patterns add a graphic punch to plain ceilings and can make a room look either longer or wider depending on how you apply the paint.
• For those of you that have architectural details such as coffering, beadboard or ceiling medallions, painting the detail a contrasting color to the rest of the ceiling, will enhance the detail and reinforce the look.
• If you want to create a warm, cozy feel in your space paint the ceilings the same color as the wall but do not add white molding.
• If you like the cozy intimate feeling in a space, then try painting the ceiling a shade or two darker than the walls. This can be especially effective in an office or a powder room.
• For a striking, but subtle effect, Paint the ceiling a gloss version of the wall color. Light will reflect off of the ceiling during the day making it appear brighter. (Caution: glossy finishes tend to show imperfections so the effect works best if your ceiling is in good condition.)

Whatever you decide to do with your ceiling, just remember when you are painting the interior of your home, each room actually has 5 walls. For your best results in all of the techniques and design ides discussed above, call Andy onCall.