If your home needs some revitalizing, try these
ideas. They can make a big difference in your space - and your
psyche - without breaking the bank or your back.
But what if you don't like these changes after
you're done? We always recommend that you live with your new
look for a while to really get a feel for it before making any
other changes. Sometimes things need to grow on you. But don't
worry - none of these ideas is such a commitment that you can't
redo your space at a reasonable cost.
Ceilings: the forgotten surface. Most people don't
take the ceiling into consideration when designing their spaces,
and so they miss an opportunity to add greatly to the overall
design. There are many ways of making the most of your ceiling.
And it's not necessarily true that if you eliminate the
tried and true "ceiling white" treatment and paint
the ceiling a color, then the room will feel like it's
closing in on you. Go for color or pattern and see what can
happen.
Here
are some ideas:
-
When
the walls are a relatively strong color, a softer version
of the wall color can be a very effective use of the ceiling.
Or a contrasting tone, lighter than the walls, can also add
a lot by bringing more colors into the room. This treatment
will soften the colors in the room, making less of a contrast
between the ceiling and wall colors.
-
Use
a strong color for a dramatic emphasis. A recent design of
ours for a dining room specified a metallic and stamped wallpaper
- taupe with bits of red accents - on the walls,
and a stunning red on the ceiling for a very lovely and striking
effect. We've also used black as a ceiling color -
it creates a wonderful "night sky" feeling and
actually opens up the space.
-
Use
a pattern, such as a stencil or a wallpaper or a painted design.
It could be an overall pattern, or a border (a more interesting
treatment than your basic wall border). This will bring the
eye up and add some surprise and interest. Naturally the pattern
and color must coordinate with the rest of the room.
-
When
a ceiling is too high (yes, it can happen), try a relatively
dark color and bring this color down onto part of the walls,
stopping maybe 6 - 12" from the ceiling depending on the overall
height of the room. A molding can be added at this spot for
a finishing touch. This will help balance the proportions
of the room.
-
When
a ceiling feels low, try the opposite approach. Bring the
wall color into the ceiling - again 6 - 12" average. Keep
the ceiling lighter than the walls (but still add some color!).
This will visually extend the walls, helping to create the
illusion that the room is higher.
Paint. One of the simplest and most effective makeovers
is a new paint job. It's not expensive and can readily
be changed again if you're not crazy about what you chose.
And it can make a tremendous difference. Plain white walls can
be very cold and boring (although there's a place in the
design world for that also). Even whatever color you've
had can be boring after a long time. So try some of these ideas:
-
Go for a strong color. What's the worst that can happen? If you hate it, change it.
-
Or use a strong or contrasting color on one accent wall only.
The wall chosen as an accent should make some sense -
why are you painting this wall? It should be the focal point
for a reason.
-
Another
variation on changing your basic white walls is to stay neutral
- it will work so well with so many design schemes -
but combine your neutrals. Don't just stick with one
wall color. Consider emphasizing architectural features, or
certain walls, by using a number of neutrals in the same room.
You can use up to four or five without making a busy statement.
It will just be a warm interesting version of white.
-
Texturize
the walls or use an easy treatment. We're not going
to go into faux finishes or complicated treatments here. But
some things are easy and create some great effects. Textured
paint can be purchased in any color, or you can add sand to
any regular paint to vary the normal wall finish.
-
Another
simple idea is to paint stripes - either horizontal
or vertical - with two or more or as many colors as you like.
Taping straight lines for stripes is something that most people
can handle doing themselves. Or using a similar idea, paint
some large rectangles here and there as accents and as focal
points for artwork.
-
Think
about your trim color. White white is not always the best
choice - it can often be too much of a contrast to your
wall color. Even if you want white trim, look over the scores
of whites available and choose one that brings out the best
in your wall color. Whites come in every version of the rainbow
- cream whites, yellow whites, blueish whites, rosy
whites, and on and on.
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