Two Ceilings

This week I have begun work on 2 ceilings in a client’s home. One ceiling is in the kitchen, the other in the Family Room. At first we talked about stenciling on some beams or perhaps doing some faux beams with a wood grain technique. In the end, it was decided to install 1" x 4" boards. I will be painting these and doing some wood graining.

Nothing too exciting happening yet, but here are the before pics from both rooms. Oh… the Family Room is shown with a light gold glaze inside the wood beams and I had already begun to apply some texture to the ceiling in the kitchen before I remembered to snap the pics! The beams are just bare wood at this point. I did put a light yellow glaze on the center panel in the kitchen (where the 2 lights are hanging down). A large stencil design is going in this space.

I have done a ton of work in almost every room in this house, so you will be seeing a lot of my previous work over the years in many of the upcoming pictures. I absolutely love being in this house in December because it is decorated to the hilt for Christmas!

This rose swag stencil design on the soffit is something I did a few years ago. This rose swag design is a stencil from Melanie Royals collection. I did this a few yrs ago to coordinate with the window treatment fabric.

In the kitchen, I am applying some texture to each panel of the ceiling, except for the center. I started out using a powdered plaster that I have to mix w/water. That is what you see here. I decided it was too much work and it was not troweling onto the ceiling easily, so I switched to joint compound. I’d normally go with a plaster or Aqua Stone for a wall, but since durability is not an issue on a ceiling, the joint compound will give me the same effect I am looking for, for less money.

Here we are, back in the Family Room. I have taped off for a border and have begun to stencil my pattern. I am using, once again… Melanie Royals Crossed Garland.

This shot gives you a closer look. You will note how dirty my stencil is, no doubt. That is because I am in the camp of stencilers who do not clean their stencils after every use. I find I usually damage the stencil by cleaning it often, no matter how gentle I am when doing so. I only clean if the design becomes clogged and I am not getting a clean repeat.

At first, the entire center of this rectangle was to be stenciled w/this design, but today we made a few changes. I am just going to do a wide border at both ends w/the design and a narrow border on both sides. A wine colored border will be on the outside of the design where you see the blue tape, and a wine colored rectangle will be in the center of this big panel. On top of the center rectangle will be a gold design.

The design will come from this fireplace screen. I am going to trace it, since it is the exact size I need. You’ll see… but probably not until next week. It will take me the remainder of this week to finish stenciling that crossed garland pattern and then to glaze the panels in the kitchen. I like having the 2 rooms to work together because I can let one dry while I go and work on the other. Also, I have a hallway that connects these 2 areas that I am also working on.