Painting a ceiling: Week 5 of the One Room Challenge™
We have officially completed Week 5 of a six-week One Room Design Challenge ™. If you are just hearing about this challenge, you can read all about how Linda Weinstein started this event in 2011! This year Better Homes and Gardens, who is the official media sponsor, will be selecting two guest participants to be the Featured Participants for the Spring 2019 challenge. What an experience that would be!If you are just joining in, you can read about my main bathroom challenge by clicking on each week. This week I'm talking about painting a ceiling.
Paint a ceiling
Vanity colour was chosen first
When I came up with my design plan, I knew I was going to scrape off the popcorn and paint the ceiling. When I solidified the floor, I then chose Benjamin Moore Blue Note 2129-30 for the vanity colour. I love the way that Blue Note is a strong colour (to go with my masculine theme), yet paired with certain colours, it could also be a great backdrop for some touches of femininity if needed. 
Wall colour was next
After choosing the vanity colour, I then chose the wall colour. I will admit, I went back and forth with the wall colour BECAUSE I was also thinking about the ceiling colour. There was no way that I was going to scrape all that damn popcorn off and not paint the ceiling a different colour other than white! In the end, I chose Benjamin Moore Horizon OC-53 for the wall colour.
Ceiling colour: Inspiration
I've always been a little obsessed with painted ceilings. A lot of my clients have either knock-down or popcorn ceilings and it is not very often I have to deal with a flat ceiling. When I have dealt with flat ceilings, they are typically painted some kind of white. When I was thinking of my own main bathroom, I was drawn to inspirational images. All of the images below are from designers that I met through the many Interior Design forums that I belong to. Last year at KBIS 2018, I had the opportunity to meet these ladies. Oh my gosh - we had such a great time and I love how social media can bring a group (like us crazy Interior Designers) together and have us feel like we truly know one another (even if we only just met in person last year)!This image below was mentioned by my friend, Laurel Bern, in her blog titled, "20 breathtakingly gorgeous ceiling paint colors and one that isn’t". 
Designer: Lindey Allen Photo: Jesse Alexis via: House of Turquoise
My good friend and fellow "saw-dust buddy", Elizabeth Scruggs with Superior Construction and Design, recently finished a beautiful home where there was clearly paint on the ceilings. How gorgeous is this???
The gorgeous bedroom below was designed by wonderfully talented Cheryl Kees Clendenon with In Detail Interiors. I love the dark ceiling and the lighter walls! This is such a great statement!
Design by Cheryl Kees Clendenon
My friend and fellow KBIS 2018 buddy, Sarah Wilson with Chansaerae Designs LLC, used a blue (the color of the sky) for this kitchen refresh project.
Design by Sarah Wilson with Chansaerae Designs LLC
Another one of my fellow KBIS 2018 buddy Christine Kohut with Christine Kohut Interiors designed this fabulous kitchen that included a painted ceiling. Isn't this a pretty sexy space?
And lastly, one last image from the beautiful and talented Jana Donohoe from Janna Donohoe Designs (another BFF designer buddy). I love the way the ceiling relates to the decorating. Let's let her image just speak for itself!
Ceiling Colour: What are my options?
While I went down many rabbit holes to get inspiration for my main bathroom ceiling, there was always one little nagging thought in my head. Do you want to know what it was? I kept looking at inspirational photos with a different color on the ceiling and I kept seeing larger spaces, like a bedroom, living room or kitchen. While there were some images of paint on a ceiling for a bathroom, nothing spoke to me. Nothing gave me inspiration. Nothing WOWED me.
Oh shit!
I purposely scraped my popcorn to paint the frigging ceiling and I'm coming up with nothing.
Inside my head
I'm going to let you in on a little secret. There are times where I get a blockage with being creative. I may stare at a design plan that I'm creating and think,
I've got nothing here. I'm drawing a blank.
When I get in those situations, as I did with my ceiling, I walk away and digest. I
- digest what it is I'm trying to create.
- go over what the main goal is for the space.
- review the function of the space.
- and most importantly, I stop trying to make things difficult. By this I mean I stop trying to be SO creative and let the space speak for itself.
Ceiling Colour: What did Sheri do?
So what did I end up doing? What was the choice? Although my painter encouraged me to go bold and wild, I felt that this was not the space to do that. While I love color and pattern, I think there are specific times and places for it. This bathroom was created around a masculine feel. It is going to be used every day (thus other options like wallpaper were just not going to be an option). The space is also only 75 square feet!I was overthinking this entire space and the ceiling was causing me a few sleepless nights. I mean, this is the One Room Challenge ™! Shouldn't I be doing something spectacular? Shouldn't I go for the WOW factor?After letting this space percolate in my brain, I came up with a solution that I'm very happy with.In the end, I chose to have the ceiling painted the same color as the walls. I know, I know... a bit boring (for some of you), but with all of the other elements that will be going into this space, I did not want the ceiling to stick out like a sore thumb. Once I saw the ceiling and the walls painted, I knew I made the right decision!
Just wait until all of the other elements have been installed!
What's left to do?
We've got one week left and while I want to surprise you with a couple of items being installed, here is a little sneak peek video of how the bathroom is coming together after week 5.
What’s on deck for Week 6?
As I organized this renovation to be done by week 5 (which it still will be), here is what is on deck:
- Counter install
- Cabinet and floating shelf (final install)
- Final Plumbing
- Finish decorating the bathroom (late Friday night)
- Write my final blog for the finished space.
- Create a video for the finished space.
- Enjoy a glass (or two) of wine! (#nojudging)
I look forward to revealing the finished main bathroom with you all next week!
