Eggshell on the Ceiling

12 years ago

I am anticipating some responses that say I'm totally insane, but I have to imagine there might be one or two out there who have put paint with a little sheen on their ceilings?

We moved to a new house last summer and though the ceilings are the same as in the condo we left, they feel low. The ceilings had decorative plaster swirls on them (not popcorn, plaster) and decided to have the swirls removed. The house was dirty and all the little crevices on the ceilings contributed to that. Plus I just don't like the look.

So we paid a team to come in and sand the ceilings down and then add a smooth finish on top. I decided to put satin finish paint on the ceiling in two bedrooms and I love it! There's a very, very slight glow and the rooms definitely feel taller.

I found ONE blogger (For the Love of a House) who did the same. Has anyone else?

For the Love of a House's ceilings have a bit more shine than mine, but I think the paint looks lovely in her house!

Featured Answer

twinbucklake

11 years ago

I know this is an old thread, but I just decided to go Eggshell sheen on my ceilings - bucking the Flat trend! Every house I have owned, the builder has used Flat paint on ceilings and walls and I slowly repainted everything in Satin - including ceilings and loved it. I am not a fan of flat paint - it looks chalky and white ceilings in flat, look like unpainted drywall to me. My current builder uses flat on the ceilings - I chose Eggshell for the ceilings and Satin for the walls. I have always loved Satin too - I know to each his own. My mother hates any sheen and paints all her walls Flat - So in response to your original post, no, you are not insane!

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Comments (10)

PRO
Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting
12 years ago
If you have a a very smooth ( I will not use the word perfect) ceiling, then yes it will work. Probably 95 % of the ceilings I have painted were nowhere close to perfect, so flat is the way to go to help hide imperfections
Michael
12 years ago
The worst thing to appear may be the joints. That won't be pretty!

If you decide to paint a smooth ceiling with sheen, be sure to paint it in two directions, perpendicular to each other.
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Arapaho-Rd
12 years ago
Jeanne, I've admired her ceilings (I follow her blog). Would love to try it as well but in a 60 yr old house I know there are imperfections. Worse case, I guess we could go back to flat.
jellytoast
12 years ago
" ... be sure to paint it in two directions, perpendicular to each other."

I've never heard of this. What does it do/prevent?
Jeannine
Original Author
11 years ago
Just an update...I've been putting eggshell on the ceilings in each room as I've painted rooms in our house.

I LOVE it. Just as the blogger I linked to above said, it makes the rooms feel just a touch taller. It also bounces light around a little bit.

As for imperfections, there is one room where the plaster work isn't totally smooth and the benefits far, far outweigh the fact that the few little bumps aren't "hidden" by flat paint.

Oh, and I posted about this to my Facebook page and the designer I know said she does semi-gloss on her ceilings, even when she lived in an ancient farm house.
probookie
11 years ago
The finished basement in our house has a low (7.5 ft) ceiling of 1 ft square tiles. I usually detest this type of ceiling, but the previous owners painted the tiles with glossy paint, something that I would not have thought to try. The tiles no longer look cheap, the overall effect is extremely attractive, and it looks more "finished" than unpainted ceiling tiles do.
morz8 - Washington Coast
11 years ago
The ceilings in living room, adjoining dining room my former house were 1926 coved, very textured plaster. I don't have a photo to show you, but my best description is almost in little peaks, like frosting on a cake or knife lifted design on merengue.
Pratt/Lambert eggshell, soft white. I loved it, loved the glow. I have a gallon left and am considering using it on the kitchen of the home we're in now. Or using it somewhere, possibly foyer ceiling. This house was built 1955, beautiful construction and little to hide but not without a few flaws.
sylviatexas1
11 years ago
When I saw the title of this thread, I thought, "Uh-oh! Eggshell on the ceiling: who made the cook angry???" LOL!

twinbucklake, I know what you mean about chalkiness;

I call flat white paint "rent house white";

it's just not pretty, & pretty doesn't cost any more.
Shar Souers
6 years ago
I have painted my whole house ceilings with eggshell, and love it. if, by chance I ever get anything on them, you can clean them unlike flat paint. It might give off a bit of a sheen but I have never noticed and I hate a shiney house. Flat paint on the other hand, gives me the creeps as it feels like chalk. I would rather have a tiny bit of sheen than that!