Thanks for all your feedback on my to paint or not to paint post the other week!! I didn’t expect so many comments, it was nice to see what you all think 🙂
We’ve been thinking about it a little more about the painting situation and I wanted to let you know where we’re at. Since the entire house is post and beam I decided to play around with the main room (living and dining lower and my office upstairs) today.
Here’s the room as is.
and here’s a few (roughly) photoshopped drawings. I decided to remove the fixtures and include a few glass globe pendants instead (2 shown, but we’d probably have 3 ..) (also, David and I both dislike ceiling fans .. prior to removing and reconfiguring the lights, we’ll see how it goes this summer ..)
1. white walls, wall beams, and banister, ceiling as is.
2. white walls, beams, and banister, ceiling stained darker and more neutral.
3. Beams stained darker and more neutral, walls, banister and ceiling planks white
4. Walls, beams, and banister white, ceilings stained darker and more neutral.
5. white wash the beams, banister and walls white
6. Walls light gray, beams and banister white (probably not, while I love a light gray, white goes with everything .. I definitely don’t want to be painting this again in a few years)
7. white walls, beams, and banister
Like I said in my last post, I know that painting the wood won’t be for everyone, but in the end we have to do what makes us smile 🙂 Right now, I’m leaning towards leaving the ceiling as is (at least for now). I think the wall beams have to be white, I hate how it chops up the wall now. We still have a good bit of time since we’ll be in Ohio for another month or two.
If you have an opinion, I’d love to hear it!
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number 3, with the existing light fixtures!!! they are unique, the globes are so common.
good luck with the choice and all the painting. I hope you will get some help 🙂
I LOVE LOVE LOVE option 2.
Number 3…Love that look. Also agree with the first comment… I love the light fixtures that are there now… you don't see those everywhere!
Hi Megan! I like the pendants too, but want to try something else for now.. We'll be keeping them in storage so we can swap them back if we want 🙂
not the globes!! 😉 something more dramatic!
I like 2 and 6 🙂 I think you need some colour on the walls but I think you should leave the ceiling as it is at the mo, at least until you've lived with it a little while. You might regret painting it and it'll be hard to get the paint off once you've done it – just my two pennies 🙂 good luck x
I like the white wash beams and white walls!
LOVE #2!
option 3
I'm in love with #2
#2!
I think option #1 is a great place to start eventually moving to option #2 when you've rested up from all that painting. This is going to be really beautiful when you're finished!
I think option #1 to start out with and eventually moving to option #2 when you're rested up from all that painting. This is going to be so beautiful when you're finished. I'm jealous and can't wait to see what it looks like when it all comes together.
I like the white walls and posts for the same reason as you – less choppy. I like the ceiling as is or darker – or what about leaving the beams and painting out the rest? Like ceiling #3 but white posts on the walls?
I like them all except for 6 and 7. 7 in particular begins to look a bit hospital-y and sterile. I would also say that, though I also dislike ceiling fans, you may want to live through both a winter and a summer with them before you decide to get rid of them. They can be a real life saver with summer heat and even in the winter to move the heat that rises to the ceiling back down — it can save you a ton of money because so much heat gets trapped up in the high ceilings.
You're so lucky to have such beautiful beams in your home! Gorgeous! We got a lot of flack for painting all the trim in our house white, but I absolutely love it. It just makes everything look so fresh! If you paint it all white, I would recommend painting the walls in a color–even if it's an off white. We used Kitten White by Glidden, which is just enough contrast to make the white trim really pop!
I think #7 is my fave, followed by #3. Whatever you do it's going to look amazing!
I vote #2! I'd love to know what color stain you would choose to make it look more natural. We have beautiful wood floors in our home, but they also have that orange color and Ive been thinking about going natural at some point. Thanks!
option #5
Having lived in a log home, which we whitewashed walls, post & beams, I can add that it's going to be a lot of work!! But definitely worth the effort on the front end of your home plans. Your option #2 is lovely- the vertical mass of the fireplace is an important element in connecting the floors & ceiling, so leaving the ceiling unchanged is a good idea if the chimney remains dark, in my opinion.
I like #2 and #6 (but with the ceiling remaining wood and ceiling beams painted white like in #4.) I love the grey and its so neutral it will go great with any decor. Cant wait to see what you choose!
I love #3 or #6!
I adore #5, easy on the eyes but it seems more "you" somehow. After that, #1 is really very nice also 🙂
i like option 2! i think a more neutral ceiling would be great!
I really like #2 with the stained ceiling. I don't envy you having to paint/stain that high, though.
Number 2!
I'm totally leaning towards all white but why don't you just go in baby steps and not just all the way right of the bat! They all look great
I love #4! Its not too white like #7 or too dark/choppy like #4) and the beams stand out on that white ceiling in a good way. But really, you cant go wrong because once the space is filled it will all work together just fine! Good luck 🙂
How about staining the ceiling and beams the color you show in pic above and do walls and banster white. I think that would look amazing, keeping the carachter of the home but lightening it up and making it more neutral.
i like all white!
I love #2!
I like the walls and ceiling planks white and all else stay as is. It also depends on what color you choose for the kitchen cabinets. Also, FYI, I lived in a post and beam and believe they are all built the same. They do not put joists in the walls which is tricky for hanging heavy art/shelves. Also, the walls are made of Styrofoam which means you can't run wiring in the wall, just along the outside of the beams.
My favorite is number 5 with no close second. I like either light fixture.
My fave is #2… but this space is FABULOUS, no matter what you do with it! 🙂
I'm on the white train. It makes it look so open and airy and almost like really substantial, elaborate moulding!
Go with what makes you smile. You have good instincts!
Just found your blog thru the AT the homies-have you thought of just painting the beams along the wall first-leaving railings, high beams & ceilings as is or staining dark? Just a thought. Looks like a long but rewarding project-I am sure whatever you decide will be good for you & that is all that matters!
Hands down #2
I'm torn! I like the safety of 1 but 3 really looks great! Maybe paint the banister for real and then see how you feel?
Just voted for you on the homies! I am the owner of your two green ottomans and countless other pieces of fabric from when you moved (and I hope I wasn't one of the crazy craigslist people)… love seeing what you are putting out in your new space!
I LOVE option 2. I'd definitely lean toward either 1 or 2, though…once you paint it's really hard to go back, and the wood ceiling adds a really interesting detail. Totally agree on the wall beams, though. They do break up the walls too much, in my opinion 😉
#7! I seriously can't wait to see this done. I wish I could come paint with ya!
#5. I commented the first time to white wash the wood and paint the walls white and I am sticking to it! It made me smile:)
REALLY LOVE option 2 🙂 Your photoshopping skills rock 🙂 Can't wait to see the outcome!
XO Samantha
#2 for sure! 4,5,6 and 7 are way too white for me, and the new stain on the beams is gorgeous!
For some reason I think the structural beam should stay natural. Is white the only option? Maybe the one big wall is painted a dramatic color – wood included.
I personally like 3 the best, but everyone should do what they want.
I actually stumbled upon your blog from apartment therapy (and the homies)! You have such an inspiring blog and home and I love that you live in Jacksonville, FL as well!!!
I say go all white. It really makes the space feel very airy. I personally don't like the globe pendants…there needs to be something more dramatic for that space. The globes just get lost. Eventually further down the line a simple, white iron banister would look gorgeous. And doing a full height wall bookcase on the wall in the second photo (wall on the right) on this post: http://sarahmdorseydesigns.blogspot.com/2014/01/house-tour-upstairs.html, would be amazing…maybe you could leave those columns the natural wood so,the whole wall/bookcase would be wood (stripped/stained to match wood floor)….not sure if I am explaining myself well, haha. Excited to see how the house turns out 🙂
Late to the party, but the third option with the beams stained against the white is gorgeous! My vote goes there.