Hit the Ceiling...with paint!

Domino Mag. Soot paint from Benjamin Moore

Picking a paint color for your wall can be challenging, making sure the color is coordinating with the furnishings, and is harmonious with the look of the room. What you don't usually think to do is to paint the ceiling! I've been seeing a lot of that lately and it looks quite fun. It can either make the room look very cozy and warm or it if you do it with enough drama, it can raise the ceiling as well!

This Sills Huniford sitting room has a light lime green painted ceiling. It really draws attention to the beams above and draws your eye up. I really love that ladder off to the left with the newspapers on it--like a library.

Sara Story, who is always quite fun, used a magenta paint in this long kitchen area. I think it works well because there is so much light flooding in from the window and she used little purple and grey accents around the room.

You are, of course, never limited to just paint on a ceiling. Using ceramic tiles reminds me of an old villa or estate somewhere in Europe--perhaps Italy! Robin Bell used this Moroccan tile design in an outdoor space. I think it makes the space look very exotic, yes?

This is a child's room from Domino. Using wall paper on the ceiling is also a fun idea. The walls are a plain light green color, while the ceiling is the element of interest. This is a sweet and whimsical idea for a child; they can lie in bed and look at the stars! This is Osborne and Little Firibata Star pattern.

From House Beautiful: the walls are nearly the color as the ceiling and is only separated by a nice thick moulding. Quite pretty and classic in this small kitchen.

Exposed wood beams such as these add to the "lofty" feeling. These look like they are stained and even have brackets. Interior by Fern Santini of Abode.

This little den by Eric Cohler is one of the most creative ones I've seen. The colors in the room are gorgeous and you can find each one of them on the ceiling in the cross word puzzle! I wonder if it was customized for the client, and what it says. I love how the lines of it flow right into the lines of the windows and the curtains. SO amazing.

This living room has light chocolate colored walls, but is mainly covered with wall to wall bookcases. The top part of the wall then moves right into the ceiling so you're not sure where the wall ends and the ceiling begins. The blue color is agua vert by Philip's Perfect Colors. I love how they kept the mouldings white, even on the fireplace. They're such a beautiful architectural element.

Another ceiling treatment that I've seen is tin ceilings! Apparently they are quite affordable and definitely adds a vintage look to this room. Usually they are used in kitchens, but in a bedroom can be interesting as well. By Kathy Andrews Interiors from Point Click Home.


You can read more about ceiling treatments in Point Click Home HERE. I super wish I could paint the ceilings in my apartment. Usually they are painted the plain white and I'd love to add something fun like a painted ceiling someday. Do any of you have painted or wall papered ceilings? Thoughts? Feelings?


Alicia B.

Hello Yellow

As I was working on a blog about the color yellow, I started reading things everywhere saying that yellow is coming back in! I read up in Metropolitan Home, Southern Accents, from what I could understand in Marie Claire Maison, and Miss Raina from HERE. I, for one, could not be more excited. I love yellow (it also looks good on me) . This yellow is sunny, happy, intense. It's just what we need right now in the world of grey winter. Also, so sorry about the lapse in blogging, I've been busy with my REAL life (who am I kidding, I mean school. I have no real life anymore). Yes I do.

In this room of neutrals, the bright yellow floor length drapery really brightens up the space by Sills Huniford.

Meg Braff chose bright yellow and white Clarence House wallpaper. Look how it reflects on the opposite wall in the shell mirror!

From Marie Claire Maison (amazing mag), this yellow so citrus-y, it almost looks greenish.

I know this one isn't as intense, but I found it very soothing. I love that bookcase that goes all the way to the ceiling and the yellow tone-on-tone wallpaper. By Libby Cameron.

Karen Marcus designed this adorable space in a house in Colorado. Yellow wallpaper, painted wainscoting on the outside of the tub (amazing idea), and yellow painted walls. I super love that painting above the tub (Rothko?).

Sheila Bridges created a sweet happy little scene with a lamp, table and book with a sunny yellow backdrop.

Victoria Hagan uses yellow paint on the walls and yellow fabric for the floor length drapes. She even extends the yellow with that mirror on the back wall.

Diamond Barratta, who love bright colors, really played up the yellow in this room. So sunny and feminine.

Fashion designer Lisa Perry used a very intense bright yellow in this mod interior.

It seems as if yellow looks great with nearly everything; blue, brown, giltwood, green. And if you didn't want to be one of the cool kids and redecorate entire rooms in yellow, you can add little accents. Paint one wall, add some throw pillows, a bright yellow painting or poster. A little can go a long way, too.


Alicia B.