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To paint the ceilings or not to paint the ceilings?

Gilbert-Ian
9 years ago
Hi everyone! My husband and I recently purchased a home and plan to move into it soon but we have a couple of problems.
1) We need to furnish the entire thing!
2) We love the home but need to put our stamp on it. My husband is adamant in keeping the colorful ceilings as they are. Me, not so much. I may have to sit this battle out and give him his way because I will be making the decisions with the decorating aspect of this project. The previous owners apparently traveled the world quite often and spent A LOT of money on bringing the places they visited into their home. The kitchen is French inspired while the formal living room (shown in the photo) was inspired by a trip to Italy or something. I can't recall. We are eager to make it our own but don't know where to start. We are very serious about hiring an interior decorator who lives here in the United States and wouldn't mind traveling to where we live so he or she can basically help us select colors, furnishings and all those lovely things to make this space livable. We are looking for a luxurious and upscale feel because the home and grounds are worthy of it. Our style is modern, with a little bit of traditional and eclectic. We want it to match the home so everything is cohesive and transitional. Oh, and we love color. How can we make it our own while still keeping the ceiling in the formal living room? We are opened to professional and non-professional opinions and suggestions. Any leads as to who we can hire would be excellent. Thank you!!

Comments (25)

  • apple_pie_order
    9 years ago
    Where is the house located?

    Your ideabooks indicate large scale, formal taste with colorful aspects. Try the "find a pro" tab or page through some of the photos after selecting the style you like.
  • Tammy Smith
    9 years ago
    Please, please do not paint those ceilings. So beautiful! IMO kitchen flooring needs to go, but the brick is gorgeous as well.
  • Tammy Smith
    9 years ago
    Some. Of the brick walls..I meant to say... The brick walls by the fireplace are charming, but the stove hood and brick flooring needs to be changed.
  • Gilbert-Ian
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    Thanks for replying everyone! The previous owners traveled extensively and brought their travels into the home. This includes the great room ceiling idea (Italy) and kitchen (France). I feel like I am losing a lost battle on the kitchen demo+remo. It's too expensive right now what with the purchase of the home and all. The home is located here in Texas. I was thinking brightening up the yellow walls with a fresh coat of yellow paint in the great room. As for the kitchen, I agree it doesn't go with the home. I wish I could do something to change it without it costing too much. I like the idea about changing the stove top.
  • Gilbert-Ian
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    I meant to say "fighting a lost battle" in the above comment.
  • Tammy Smith
    9 years ago
    For now, maybe you could just switch out the stove hood...stainless to match the stove, and then the kitchen flooring. You could just paint out some of the other brick walls for the time being....but depending on your decor, I would leave the brick around the fireplace. Who knows, maybe when you paint out some of that other brick, and with the flooring change, you may just want to leave the painted brick. I would love to have a home with this much character to work with!
  • Gilbert-Ian
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    tkailua, those are excellent ideas. Okay, so the stove hood will be replaced.
    What do you mean about painting the bricks and walls? Do you mean physically painting each brick? I had this idea but my husband thinks pairing the bricks will ruin the kitchen. What type of flooring would fit in a kitchen like that? All that brick seems excessive and overpowering. I want it to at least match the rest of the home a little. But we just can't afford it right now.
  • Gilbert-Ian
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    *painting the bricks
  • grobby
    9 years ago
    I would live in the house and give it a try without changing anything. Quite unique and you may get attached to it. Certainly some nice work.
  • PRO
    Servant Remodeling
    9 years ago
    The first image, I will call it the living room. All that wood and those beams would look amazing in their natural state. Just the bare wood with a nice to stain.
  • Gilbert-Ian
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    Grobby, it certainly appears that way. Neither of us are crazy about beams in a home but everything about this property and its grounds is magnificent. My husband wants to decorate around the kitchen and great room. He wants to Remo the kitchen in a few years.
    Servant, I'm afraid that may not be an option at this point. He loves the colors.
    I want to find a professional who can work the decor into the existing ceilings without making it look dated.
  • azhomes
    9 years ago
    I would definitely find a designer who could incorporate the ceilings in the design. I don't think an amateur could accomplish it without looking hodge posh.
  • PRO
    Nancy Kempf Fine Art
    9 years ago
    Hi there! Beautiful home with large spaces...lucky you! As an artist I feel the great room ceilings are fabulous. I think when you fill the room with the correct proportion furniture the ceilings will play an important part but recede a bit. I can see using the colors in the ceiling in the area rugs, artwork and accents. The sky is the limit....this will be a fun project. Have fun....post photos during and after
  • Gilbert-Ian
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    azhomes, I'm with you 100%. I don't even know where to begin.
  • Gilbert-Ian
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    Nancy, thank you so much for the encouragement. We are set on hiring an out of town decorator. There are just so many.. :'(
  • Gilbert-Ian
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    Goodness Nancy.. You just made me see the light at the end of the tunnel. It brought a smile to my face. This should be a happy time.. Full of creativity.. Not one of stress. Thank you once again. :)
  • PRO
    Nancy Kempf Fine Art
    9 years ago
    You're welcome Gilbert! I've had my share of renovation moments of why did I do this to myself? But now that it's over (whew) it's possible to laugh. I have a Q...how large is the living room? It looks huge!
  • sherflex
    5 years ago

    Nooooooo, ! Please dont paint those ceilings so much character..

  • PRO
    BeverlyFLADeziner
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    All that faux finishing has to go. It could be a spectacular house. Don't kid yourself about the value of the ceiling paint. It's different but not good or special.

    The same people that are saying don't paint over the ceilings are the ones that would tell you to don't paint the wood.........well the wood is already painted. I would have the ceiling and beams soda blasted. Here are some before and after pics of beams and walls that have been soda blasted to protect the quality of the wood. Getting things back to natural IMO is always a viable option to consider.









  • kmg11
    5 years ago

    Wow, lots going on in the house for sure. Everything seems very 'faux' style, including the ceiling. Like you, it's not really my style, so I would be inclined to paint it. If it was a Michelangelo work of art, that might be a different story! I would paint the ceiling and walls the same color. I do like the idea of the natural beams in such a grand space! That would look quite nice.

    The kitchen with all that brick is just too much and visually overwhelming. I agree the rooms don't work as a whole and need a cohesive plan. Paint is cheap, so I think I would start there, then figure out a room by room plan, maybe letting the style of the house be your guide.

  • PRO
    Flo Mangan
    5 years ago
    Biggest issue is the kitchen brick. Totally inappropriate. And just not attractive. For budgetary purposes, i would start with kitchen and whitewash or stain that brick. As a minimum you could paint the hood brick black. The entry is wonderful and a long table in that space with a great transitional chandelier would be wonderful. I would paint the walls in the great room BM Simply White and get a couple new chandeliers that go more “transitional” and wait on the ceiling. A large light color rug and some nice scaled light upholstery furnishings will change the look and feel of the space. Start with those 3 areas and see how it feels to you. A large rug in that entry is needed as well. You could use that space for dining if there isn’t a formal dining room and if it is as large as it appears! What a great project and i wish you the best. Going to be soooo much fun.
  • acm
    5 years ago

    guys, original post is four years old! I'm guessing they've done what they're going to...

  • jbtanyderi
    5 years ago
    Decorations on that scale could work if the ceilings were 3-5 metres taller. From the picture you’ve sent, the whole decor is extremely pretentious.
  • PRO
    Flo Mangan
    5 years ago

    Love to know how you are doing with this home? Did you buy it? I must admit, I didn't see the date, 2014!!! Why does Houzz post this stuff in the "new dilemmas?"

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