Homeowners are finally giving a little TLC to one of the most overlooked parts of the home: the ceiling.
Paint jobs, murals, ornaments and much more are popping up on ceilings in homes of every shape and size, and adding a fresh spark of visual interest to their overall design schemes.
Builders raise the roof
Much of this trend has to do with a shift in the homebuilding industry toward building taller rooms, says Janice Clements, interior decorator and president of Clements Interiors.
"Until recently, the standard ceiling height was eight feet, so too much ceiling decor would overwhelm the space. Over the last five to 10 years, as the housing market has boomed, builders wanting to add extra value to their homes have been raising their ceilings to nine feet, and sometimes as high as 11 feet with a coffer in the ceiling, to open up the rooms," Clements says. "The higher a ceiling is, the more you need to add something to it to make it interesting."
Chuck the stale popcorn
A few decades after it became a decor norm, many of us are now realizing that popcorn belongs in a bowl - not on the ceiling. The chunky white cottage cheese-like stucco that adorns the ceilings of so many homes today originated in the 1970s as a way to enhance the acoustics of a room. Today we know that's not true; we also know that it's almost impossible to decorate a popcorn ceiling.
Before you decide to get rid of your ceiling's popcorn, you'll need to determine how old it is. If it's from the 1970s or older, it may contain asbestos, in which case you'll need to hire a certified expert to remove and dispose of it.
If asbestos isn't a problem and you're handy enough to do the work yourself, educate yourself first. The process can be quite involved and time-consuming, and you can expect a mess of dust and debris. Ask for advice at your local home building supply store as they will not only have the right qualifications to help you out, but they may also be offering an information session on the process.
