Call me crazy, but I wasn’t really on board with Sherry’s latest “furniture arrangement” when I saw it in the corner of our living room. I know she enjoys lighting as much as the next gal, but a chair dedicated to staring at a lamp seemed like something straight out of Lovely Listing.
Once I looked up I realized that my wife still has most of her marbles (key word: most). She just put the chair there so she could stand on it and tape some paint swatches to the ceiling. Whew. Not so weird after all. Well, she’s still über weird, but for a host of other reasons.
We’ve been debating what to do with those large white ceiling rectangles (between the grey-washed beams) for the past few days. From wallpaper to bold color and everything in between, we’ve pretty much considered it all. Anything dark or too saturated was quickly nixed since we worry that our standard height (8 foot) ceiling just can’t handle it without feeling like it’s closing in on us. And going with an even softer platinum gray than the color on the walls is a nice safe backup idea, but we’d love to do something a bit more fun. Which is when the concept of bringing in something metallic (either paint or even wallpaper) could potentially luxe up the whole room while reflecting lots of light (so the room still feels airy and open). So we grabbed a few swatches from Martha Stewart’s new Precious Metals paint line at Home Depot:
We were both quick to eliminate the two swatches on the left (too dark) and aren’t quite sold on the other two lighter metallic swatches on the right (they actually don’t seem to read as metallic enough from a few feet away, perhaps because they’re on a ceiling and not a wall). Does anyone know a faux finishing technique to create a glossy champagne or eggshell colored metallic ceiling? I know the term faux finish can strike fear in anyone who has ever watched Trading Spaces (me included) but there have to be some good techniques out there… right? Maybe? We’d also love to hear if you have any other metallic paint experience (any specific brands you recommend?) or even if you’ve come across some metallic wallpaper that you love.
As for what we’ll ultimately go with, we promise to spill more details when we actually make a decision and have some progress to share. Maybe it’s smarter to wait to see what we’ll do in the way of art and curtains and then pick up a light tone from one of those things for some subtle fun when you look up. Like a super soft silvery celery color if we go with a green rug or bold curtain panels that include some green…
We’re clearly still in “think on it” mode. But at least we’ve got a good spot to sit down and be alone with our thoughts. And that lamp.
Update: A commenter mentioned a caption contest and it’s so on. Feel free to leave ’em in the comment section. Here’s the pic again for ya. Captions. Go.
The prize is 500 points and comment o’ the day status. You know you want that. Or do you?
Mindy says
“Where were you the night of the 5th?”
Blair says
When you said you considered wallpaper it made me think of those hammered metal ceiling tiles. Have you considered those? It would add texture! You can paint them or get them in metallic finish that you already like. It might be possible to paint them before you secure them to your ceiling, too, but I’m not sure. (I’m thinking of Sherry’s poor neck after all that work on the beams. ;D)
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, they’re definitely on our list of possibilities! It should be interesting to see where we end up…
xo,
s
Kristen Noonan says
What if you tried something like this on the ceiling? The pattern options are pretty much limitless, especially if you opt to make your own stencil.
http://www.centsationalgirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/allover-stencil.jpg
*Found on Centsationalgirl.com
YoungHouseLove says
So pretty! So many possibilities. Thanks for all the suggestions everyone!!!
xo,
s
LoSchmo says
Some friends of mine had some really awful-looking textured wallpaper in their dining room and to make it better, they just painted over it. I found a pic on Apartment Therapy (http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/boston/hot-or-not-painting-over-textured-wallpaper-091364). While Apt Therapy seems to be on the fence about it, I thought it looked really fantastic in my friend’s house. Maybe it would look cool on a ceiling with some light metallic paint??
Caro says
I noticed a lot of people recommending the Ralph Lauren Regent Metallics . . . and Sherry, I saw that you mentioned that your HD doesn’t sell it anymore, so I just want to share this tidbit: I happen to know that the Woodbridge HD still has a bunch of cans of silver base on the shelves. Perhaps you can snag some on your next IKEA trek?
We painted our living room ceiling – it’s a barrel ceiling so we wanted it to reflect light and add some warmth to the room. We went back and forth with the RL swatches but then in a moment of brilliance, checked to see what the out-of-the-can silver base looked like. . . turns out it’s gorgeous. We painted the ceiling with the silver base (no color added) and love the warm, reflective quality it adds to our living room.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Caro!
xo,
s
Amy says
caption quest..
chair -“oh yeah lamp…. i’ll show you what happens when you talk crap.”
Cyndy says
Furniture Fitting
“Stand still. You don’t want your b**bs (ahem…bulbs) showing!”
Deborah Noland says
Hi-
I would also recommend Modern Masters metallic paint I was able to purchase at Virginia Paint Company several years ago. I hired a painter to paint my entrance hall “coppper penny” and had the ceiling painted at the same time. Its a beautiful finish, gave me the look I wanted and has held up well!
Momlady says
This probably isn’t exactly what you’re looking for but the background is a very interesting take on the metallic look and may give you some ideas.
http://www.cuttingedgestencils.com/chinoiserie-ceiling-stencils.html
YoungHouseLove says
Wow- that’s so intricate! Thanks for the link.
xo,
s
Jennifer says
I’m a decorative artist and this is what I recommend.
Modern Masters (warm silver is a favorite) mixed with a little Blue Pearl glaze (metallicmart.com). Paint your ceiling a shade darker than the metallic color then apply the glaze cross-hatched with a 4″ soft brush. Pounce it with a white folded terry shop towel to take away brush strokes. Please feel free to email me if you would like more specific instructions and product information. I teach beginning finishing classes to homeowners. Good luck!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much for the tips Jennifer!
xo,
s
Annie says
Caption:
YHL version of talking around ‘the water cooler.’
LauraC says
like
;-)
Karen says
“Lampie, dear…your curveless body and big head have finally gotten to me. I can only sit here looking at you for so long. And don’t give me the “But you know I light up your life” bit. I’m outta here.
Alicia says
Mrs. Chair: “Does this lamp make my butt look big?”
Mary @ Porch Flooring says
CAPTION: OK, so shed some light on this for me, Lucy Lamp.
gini says
Despite his traditional Parson roots, he could not deny his attraction to the tall, aloof modern one lingering in the corner.
blake says
Benjamin Moore has some great pearescent paints. You could heighten the effect by going with a high gloss. “pearlescent white” is nice, or “veil cream”, which is more of a greige-y metallic.
Heather Millington says
Definitely DO NOT go with Valspars Metallic line! Bummertastic! After the 7th attempt and 3 free gallons of paint from a Valspar representative that we happened to catch at the right time at Lowes…we had to finally go to our own “press down firmly and drag roller to give scraped effect” look! Still in progress and thankfully it is definitely looking better!
Not to be a hater but Valspar Metallic line hated on us so….
beth says
Hey you two! Your blog is one of my favorites and you have given me the opportunity to get some info. This past year I saw in a magazine where someone painted their walls and then waxed them to give it a glow. It looked awesome! Does anyone out there know anything about this technique? It sounds perfect for your ceiling as well as my bedroom. Lets hope someone knows what I am talking about!
Janet says
caption..
” did ya hear the one about…?”
Jessica says
I just thought I would chime in and mention that I came home with some Martha Stewart Precious Metals paint in “bone” for an entryway stenciling project, and it is definitely shimmery and metallic once it’s up and light is reflecting on it. For my project it worked great because it is against an eggshell green (Martha Stewart Beach Grass). I think it would look wonderful painted on a smooth ceiling!
Melissa Grollimund says
I’m really looking forward to this answer, i checked out the metallic paints at Home Depot a few weeks ago to paint the back wall of my china cabinet, and the man told me it’d be over $50 dollars a can, I can’t wait to hear an alternative to that!! My china cabinet didn’t cost THAT much (thank you Petersburg antique stores!!) I’m dying for an alternative, because it really does look beautiful!
Faith says
“so… do you come here often?
Michele says
lowes has a paintable quatrefoil wallpaper if you go that route for the ceiling.
jeanne says
“the handsome black leather chair spotted the dainty yet strong lamp from across the room. Those two dangly chains beckoning to him. He had an uncontrolable urge to be near her.”
Laura S. says
“This is our Dedicated Time Out Corner for when either one of us becomes too outrageous in our decorating ideas.”
Anna A says
You’ve probably seen this article in your browsing…however this is a great article on how to create wallpaper using metallic paint pens and a steady hand:
http://www.dykast.us/scraplog/the-curse-of-the-dreaded-long-hallway-and-what-i-did-about-it#cpreview
YoungHouseLove says
WOW! THAT IS INSANELY AMAZING. Totally intimidating but so much fun! It looks amazing!
xo,
s
Caralyn says
Caption:
Faced with the possibility of being stuck in the naughty corner for some time, the lamp was given a place to sit; he refused all offers of chair-ity lest he be considered a stool-pigeon.
momstheword says
Caption: “Now you just stand in the corner and THINK about what you did!”
Cristina says
Caption:
Nobody puts Lamp in a corner!
;-P
annabelvita says
My vote is for a pearly grey/white quatrefoil wall paper or stencil…
Christin says
Not sure if someone posted this already because there are too many comments to sift through but here’s an idea:
http://www.ralphlaurenhome.com/products/paint/Techniques/?haid=30
Maybe one of the techniques on there will give you an idea. I had a friend do her bathroom using the color washing technique and it turned her regular teal paint into a metallic teal. It was very cool.
kelly says
“You light up my life.”
Anita says
Funny. It looks like your chair is in Time Out.
Eates-A-Lot says
Unbeknown to Sherry and John, Lamp and Chair were star crossed lovers and it wasn’t until one glorious day when Sherry required the services of Chair that enabled the dream to finally come true…and then the Beast roared from his suite and the love affair was over.
Nikki G says
Hi youngsters,
I have a totally random question for you: I was wondering if you used anything under the plates (to hold them in place) that you had on display on your dining room ikea shelves in your first house. (Whew, that was a long sentence!). I swore I saw mention of some putty or something in a post or comments at one point, but I just did a search and can’t find what post it was in. If this sounds at all vaguely familiar, any help would be appreciated :) Thanks! I LOVE your blog (just finished reading all the archives!)!!
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, we used chunks of poster putty (they used to only sell it in blue, but now they sell it in white, it’s squishy kind of like Silly Putty). They also call it earthquake putty in some areas (since it secures breakables in case of an earthquake). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Nikki G says
Oh yay!!! Thanks so much for the info! :)
Kristin F says
I used Ralph Lauren metallic paint for a bathroom ceiling about a decade ago. It was very metallic, not just a sheen, I don’t remember color name but it was a dark silvery color. What I remember when I did it is: it was very thick, which isn’t hard in a small half bath, but a 25×15 room may be a bit tricky (you think your neck hurt after the beams?!), it had a lot of texture, and it was smelly. Again, this was a decade ago so I’m sure formulations have improved, but what I’ve seen in paint sections are more the sheen like what you brought home versus a true metallic. Good luck!
ps: I’d suggest instead of metallic you pick a color and add that glaze solution they sell, it does a great job of adding depth and sheen without limiting your color choices. I’ve done lots of faux in the past (no more though, too time consuming!) and the glaze always did better than just watering paint down.
Cayce says
“Darling, you light up my life. Will you marry me?”
(On a side note, you are my favorite new blog and I just told a woman about it at Home Depot the other day. We were both perusing the paint aisle and she was asking a guy who worked there for step-by-step instructions on how to paint her cabinets. He looked scared and I’ve never talked to a stranger like that, but I HAD to tell her about your site. :) It was really more a of a public service, I felt. The guy at the paint counter even wrote down your blog address to tell other people who ask. I live in the Raleigh-Durham area, btw.)
YoungHouseLove says
That’s amazing! Thanks so much for spreading the word. Wow!
xo,
s
mary says
Did you see the post about the Opulence Pearl paint Centsational Girl loves? It is beautiful!
http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2010/01/my-new-best-friend/
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, we love Kate!
xo,
s
pam says
My first thoughts about painting a ceiling is “I never want to do it again.” so it always clouds my judgment. I’m looking forward to seeing what you end up doing.
Photo caption, “So, Lamp, are you ready to tell me you’re sorry?” Chair wouldn’t have put Lamp in the corner for time out for just a minor infraction…
KIMBERLY N says
Caption:
Though the lamp was in time out it refused to sit in chair as it was told.
Amy says
CAPTION: Chair to lamp, “You turn me on!”
Elizabeth says
i love lamp. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIvNYrMIJWg
Hilary says
“Move over buddy…I didn’t go with the new decor either…”
Julie Ball says
“Here’s lookin’ at you kid! (er, um, lamp!)
Robin says
I don’t mean to be rude but I think Sherry probably WAS using her chair for lamp watching until you embarrassed her about it. Now she’s all “I’m taping” and stuff to save face. :)
blackwhitereadallover says
He knew his parents would never approve of him dating a household fixture, but she was the light of his life. Skulking in corners in secret made him feel like a fake — or as his mother the Queen Anne would say, “faux” — but he loved the way she made him glow.
Dianne says
In honor of Catalog Living…my picture quote is…
Elaine figured she should have been more specific when she told Gary she wanted to see more light in the living room.
Ellen says
For anyone who is a big “Full House” fan and enjoyed the episode where Michelle was put on time out for swimming in the kitchen – “This is no fun, no fun, looking at the waaalll.”
Sally@DivineDistractions says
Paint the ceiling in a soft gray then go over it all with the Pearl metallic. It’s a beautiful look without looking like a “Faux Finish”. It’s much more forgiving than the other metallic paints, so you can apply it with a brush in a hash mark application ( looks like brushed metal) or roll it on for a softer finish. Good luck!
Kristin F says
pss: any thoughts to doing the “tin” ceiling squares instead? my husband keeps pushing for those, but we don’t really have a space big enough to carry it off.
YoungHouseLove says
They’re definitely a possibility! Scroll back for a bit more info on why we worry they might not be the best bet for us (our beams aren’t evenly spaced). Hope it helps!
xo,
s