Paint ceiling first before deciding on the beams

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/10/2006 (6956 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DEAR Debbie — My husband and I are at war regarding the vaulted ceiling in our great room. It is wood with beams and one of us wants to paint it and the other thinks that is sacrilege. Can you give any guidance as to when or if it would be acceptable to paint a wood ceiling?

–Tina and Tom

DEAR Tina and Tom — When I first came to Canada from England, I was amazed at the amount of wood used in home interiors, and not just richly clad walls in expensive libraries and dens. Wood is plentiful in this country, applied to ceilings, as full wall panels as well as wainscoting and floors. I received numerous requests for painting over basement panelling and was confused until I learned that these panels weren’t always good quality, but rather they were made of inexpensive veneers, plywood and pressed board. I also received concerns that predominantly wood rooms were gloomy.

Natural wood is beautiful to be sure, but it does absorb light and I personally feel that too much wood can overwhelm a room. This is a fairly permanent choice, but if you do find that your room is too dark, why not paint it?

I produced a Facelift for a family room the homeowner wanted to feel more inviting. Even though she loved the wood and beam ceiling, I painted it white, chose a warm red for the walls and oversized artwork with a white background. This was a big decision, but it helped to highlight the architecture and bring the ceiling down to human scale. This surprise was a success for everyone. Perhaps you could start by painting your ceiling white and leaving the beams natural. This would make a good compromise.

DEAR Debbie — I am painting my kitchen, which has a cove ceiling. I’d like to keep the ceiling pale, but paint the walls a darker shade. The windows and doors and the upper cabinets are all at different levels. My problem is, where do I draw the line between ceiling and wall?

–Linda

DEAR Linda — You could choose a moulding strip to make the divide, or simply mask off a straight line. The divide should be just below the point where the cove or arch of the ceiling flattens out to the wall. I am assuming the cupboards, windows and doors are all below this line. Measure up from the fixed features so that your line runs parallel to the top of the cupboards and frames. I suggest you put a touch of colour in your ceiling paint, and I would also keep the contrast between ceiling and wall minimal, for example, a pale blue ceiling and a lavender wall. Then paint all the trim, including the moulding if you are using it, white. This will highlight the beauty of the room’s architecture and look splendid.

Please note — In a recent column on refinishing a series of old window frames, we did not post a warning about lead paint. If you are stripping back layers of paint that were applied years ago, the chances are high that the paint used was lead based. Pay special attention to pieces picked up at yard sales, including old cribs. Proper care must be taken as airborne lead is a health hazard. Scrape rather than sand, or use the wet sanding method. Wear a mask and clean up safely. For in-depth instructions on dealing with lead-based paint, please search the Internet for “removing lead paint from wood.”

Debbie Travis’ House to Home column is produced by Debbie Travis and Barbara Dingle. Please e-mail your questions to house2home@debbietravis.com.