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Week 23: Black Ceilings are all the Rage!

October 2, 2012 By Rhoda 41 Comments

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Did you know that black ceilings are all the rage?

OK, so really they are not, but maybe I’ll start a new trend on this one.  Who knows?

I actually got this creative idea from my friend, Debbie, whose office/studio is in her basement.  When she set it up years ago, instead of trying to cover up her exposed ceiling, she simply painted it all black and made it look industrial.  I know you’ve seen that look in open concept restaurants, it’s been done there for years.  So, why not in your house, I say?  It works to make the ceiling disappear into the background and all that exposed wood and pipes don’t scream “look at me” nearly as much.

Laundryroom ceiling Before

Here’s my laundry room/storage room ceiling before we got started.  I hired our family painter friend to paint it for me with his commercial sprayer and even with that, it was over a half day job to finish.  So glad I didn’t attempt to do it myself.   First thing I did was get a broom and knock out as many of the cobwebs as I could to get it ready to paint.  We also found out after he got started that the paint wasn’t sticking to the shiny foil stuff that you can see in the pics below.  So, we had to break out the oil based primer and quickly roll/brush on primer over the shiny tinfoil stuff.  It worked and the paint did stick!

Black laundry room ceiling AFTER

Here’s the After!  Looks so much better, doesn’t it. 

You should have heard my dad’s comments when I told him I was painting the ceiling black. BLACK?  he said, I sure would not ever paint a ceiling black.  They were coming back in town the day I had it painted and came over to see the end of the day project.  I think he actually thought it looked good after all.

Ceiling before

Here’s another Before pic.  You can see the shiny tinfoil to the right.  We worked so fast with the primer that I didn’t have time to get pics of it painted, but it worked.  Just wanted to warn you of that part in case you want to do this somewhere.

painting the ceiling black

Here’s Jimmy the painter working hard in there with his sprayer.  These commercial sprayers are really fast and he could get the paint exactly where he wanted it.  There was some overspray on the floor and I was able to vacuum up the mist with my shop vac for the most part.  We did cover up the old fridge in there and some of the things we didn’t want paint on, so if you do this just be aware that there will be some misting of the paint that will fall below.  Jimmy had paint all over his arms and face.

032

And the After again.  I really love it so much better.  I’m going to tackle painting the concrete floor too as well as the walls at some point.  I’ll have to completely clean out all the stuff in  here first before I do that and it will probably happen after I move in the house.  My washer and dryer will go against that far wall to the back.  Eventually this room is going to be cute, mark my word!  I’ll come up with some creative solutions to making it look so much better.  And painting the ceiling was the first step!

Magnum Sprayer

Here’s the sprayer that Jimmy used.

Black paint

We ended up using almost 3 gallons of paint.  I had one gallon of black left that I had bought to use on my doors, then changed those to a dark brown.  It was a satin finish.  Then I found an oops paint in a dark charcoal in semi-gloss, so we mixed those 2 together and then I had to go back and buy one more gallon of black.  All mixed together, they all worked out fine and it was covered very well in black paint.   He mixes water with the paint to spray it through this big sprayer.

Jimmy the painter

Mixing it all up and getting it ready to spray. Jimmy is a family friend and a retired painter, but still does a few jobs on the side. I’ll probably hire him later on to paint the outside of my house when it’s time.

laundry room from outside

Looking into the laundry room/storage room from the back door.  There’s the cute little roof that my dad built.  I’ll get that painted out white one day.

024

Moving into the den area, it’s time to address those ceiling tiles.  I took down the falling apart ceiling tiles that were holding the vents, as you can see on the left.  They were completely falling apart and had to come out.  I was going to just buy a couple of new tiles to replace the vents with and call it a day.  But, as you can see from the comparison of an old and new ceiling tile, they are WAY bad.

Den light fixtures

I put one of the new ones in place.  What a difference!  The old tiles are so yellowed and dirty, I couldn’t stand it and decided that I have to go ahead and replace them now.  Even though I’m just going to go with the same commercial style tile for new ones right now, that will look SO much better.  For just over $200 I can get all new tiles and that will really make this space fresh and clean looking.  And, the good news is that we have some new Lowes projects to do and this will be one of them for October!  Yippee for Lowes!

You can also see the new track lights I had installed up in the den.  These put off a good amount of light and look decent.  Both of them came from Lowes, found them on clearance for $40 each, so they were very cost effective.

new ceiling tiles

Once I get these dirty sagging old ceiling tiles down, it will be a happy day in this room.  I may even spray those grids white, we’ll see how they look when I start working on them.

028

You can see the den has become the dumping ground for all the extra “stuff” in the house.  I actually spend a good amount of time running up and down the stairs looking for tools and things that I’m trying to locate.  I’m sure that never happens to any of you DIYers, does it? Smile

I can’t wait to get organized again!

Master bath light

Upstairs, in the master bath, I installed this light fixture myelf.  I’ve got an electrican that’s been working with me in his extra time, but he’s got limited time, so I went ahead and put this one up and the one in the guest bath.  I can handle the easy ones.  This one came from Lowes, a simple oil rubbed bronze fixture and you can choose any shades to go with it.  It was $29 and the glass seeded shades were about $6 each.  I loved seeded glass.  Since I’m replacing so many fixtures at one time, I didn’t splurge on really expensive ones right now.  I got such great deals on those Ballards fixtures in the main area of my  house and they will be the stars.  These were all very cost effective, so I figure if I want to replace some of them down the road, I don’t have a ton of money in them.  I do like them all for now just fine.

022

I put a simple silver toned fixture with 4 white glass shades in the guest bath.  Got this one at Cherokee Closeouts for about $35.

Guest bath light

Hard to see it since it’s lit, but it will work out fine in here with all the silver tones in this bathroom.

Ballard Designs light fixture living room

My electrician installed one of the Ballard Designs stars of the show in the living room last week.  I was SO happy to see this one go up.  This is my $8 bargain, if you remember that shopping trip.

Ballards fixture lit

So, the only glitch with my bargain light fixture was that one arm didn’t work, but I got up there and wiggled the wires around and now it does!  I absolutely LOVE it in my living room, it truly makes the space is a wonderful addition to the lantern in the dining room. I’m so happy to have that old ceiling fan out of here and the new fixture UP.  What a difference it makes.

That was last week’s progress.  I’m still working on touching up trim paint and will be working on touching up the stairs too.  There are still so many little things to do, not to mention the deep cleaning that will have to happen before I start moving in. I want to get every single little thing done before I move in so that I don’t have to worry about it later.  That will make me feel so good when I start the moving process and know that it’s all done, at least the inside rooms.

I’ve got about  another week of work to get all those little things done and then my dad and I will tackle the kitchen subway tile backsplash.  I don’t think that one will be too hard, since we have both tiled before and we have a wetsaw.  Oh, and trimming out the kitchen window, that’s one of the things we still have to do.

Mom and Dad are in Florida right now, visiting relatives and going to a college reunion today.  Isn’t that cute?  I’m so happy they drove down to their old alma mater, Southeastern University in Lakeland, where my sister and I also went (I didn’t graduate, but went 2 years).  As soon as they get back and we can get on it, that tile will be done!

I’ll keep you posted all along the way, but I’m hoping by mid-to late October, I’ll be moving in the furniture.  Wooohooo, can’t wait!  You know how excited I’m getting for this day to get here already and I think y’all are about as excited as I am!  I had AT&T out yesterday to install my new U-verse internet and TV connections, so that is done now.  Big smiley face over that too!

One more bit of news this week!  Thanks to several of YOU brilliant people, I filled out a new toilet rebate form from my local water department and when my bill came in, I was credited with $100 towards my future bills all because I listened to y’all.  That was great advice!

Bella Rustica in Pulaski, TN was SO much fun!  I had the best time meeting up with my blog friends and also meeting some of my readers.  Several of you ladies came up and introduced yourselves and it was so great to meet you all.  I even made a new friend who is a reader and she took me on a tour of her fantastic mountain view farmhouse, which she is in the process of renovating (and yes, I’ll share some pics).  We were instant kindred souls and I so enjoyed spending time with her. You’ll hear all about my weekend later, can’t wait to share all of that too!

I am in constant awe of all the things I am privileged to do in this blogging world, it truly has changed my life in SO many huge ways and the way God keeps opening up doors and bringing so many sweet friends into my life is just so exciting!

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Filed Under: House Renovation, Projects and How-To 41 Comments

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jane @ Cottage at the Crossroads says

    October 2, 2012 at 10:45 pm

    Rhoda, you were so right about the black ceiling! It worked wonders. Can’t wait to see what else you do with your laundry room. And the Ballard’s light fixture was the deal of the century. It looks so right for your room.

    Reply
  2. Terri says

    October 3, 2012 at 7:34 am

    Hello Rhoda,

    Just wanted to say how HAPPY I am for you to see your life moving in such a positive direction! You’ve been through a lot and truly deserve it! I divorced shortly before you did and have never been happier. I’m dealing with some health issues but hey, God is GOOD, isn’t he? You’re one of the very first bloggers I ever followed and your blog is still my favorite. I have a green and black scrapbook room that mimics your original office niche. Love it!

    Reply
  3. Celia says

    October 3, 2012 at 7:48 am

    Hi Rhoda! The black ceiling is great and a good idea to replace those yellowing ceiling tiles too! Here we are in October now and the month you get to move in! I’ve certainly enjoyed following along with your journey (allot less work for me…if I lived close I’d come by to help). I think I’m as excited as you about getting all of your furniture in there and seeing the final result! Your parents have been amazing throughout this for you (what a team). You deserve all the very best life has to offer!
    Cheers to you:)

    Reply
  4. Beth says

    October 3, 2012 at 8:17 am

    Love your blog, love your tenacity and love how you don’t “waller” but keep going, trusting the Lord! You are an inspiration on making lemonade with your lemons. Who knows I might finally get my blog up and going because of you!
    Always looking for SH post in my emails!
    Keep up the good work and get in that house, I can’t wait to see it finished!

    Reply
  5. Donnamae says

    October 3, 2012 at 9:54 am

    Would never have thought to paint the ceiling black…looks great! It hides so many sins! You have been on quite a journey and it’s been fun to tag along! Always look forward to the next progress report! 😉

    Reply
  6. Betsy(@coastal-colors) says

    October 3, 2012 at 9:57 am

    Rhoda, I love the changes! You amaze me each time I stop by! I love the exposed black ceiling! You’re right I’m seeing so many of these now! You are an inspiration!

    Reply
  7. Michelle Walker says

    October 3, 2012 at 10:10 am

    Hi Rhoda! I blogged for about 3 years and followed your blog. You have been such an inspiration. Then life turned upside down (divorce after 27 years). I met and married a wonderful man. Last fall we bought our 70’s house. One thing you may want to check into with your electric company: when installing your new appliances (fridge, etc.) dishwasher, etc. : see if they offer energy saving rebates. Ours did so when we installed all new appliances we got a rebate towards our future bills.

    Reply
  8. Phyllis says

    October 3, 2012 at 1:09 pm

    Rhoda,
    I love the wall color in the den. What color is it?
    Thanks

    Reply
  9. Nancy says

    October 3, 2012 at 5:14 pm

    May I just say… I am in awe of you! Fantastic work…love the ceiling. I have a friend who painted their basement ceiling all gray or silver. It definitely has that industrial look as well. Oh, I can’t wait for decorating…OH AND CHRISTMAS at your house….! Happy for you…YOU WERE MY FIRST BLOG! Incredible!
    ~~Nancy from OHIO

    Reply
  10. Janet G. says

    October 3, 2012 at 5:59 pm

    Love the black ceiling. Can’t wait to see the fun direction that takes you in decorating the laundry room. I look forward each post to see what new progress you have made. It is also uplifting to see you so blessed by our Lord!

    Reply
  11. Jane-Ellen says

    October 3, 2012 at 9:15 pm

    HI!
    Love black ceilings! The first time I painted a ceiling black was in our first home back in the early 80’s. We had 12 foot ceilings and I was trying to make the dining room ceiling close in a little and feel cozier! I had more comments on that ceiling! I’ve been contemplating doing what you did in our basement in my son’s future bedroom. He wants to move downstairs which means I have to clean out a storage room that’s unfinished and make it into a bedroom for him. A work in progress. Thanks for the tips on the primer. If you need an extra hand come move in time, give me a shout, I’d be happy to help!

    Reply
  12. Odie says

    October 3, 2012 at 11:08 pm

    Nice house! I hope i can do all that to save money.

    Reply
  13. Joni Webb says

    October 5, 2012 at 12:12 am

    It’s all looking so good. I can hardly wait to see your pretty furniture in there!!!! so exciting. i know you are too and probably never thought this day would come. It’s all so amazing and I am sooooooooooooooo happy for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    J

    Reply
  14. Laura says

    October 7, 2012 at 10:25 am

    I really like the black ceiling. Its a much easier thing to go than try to hide it all another way too.

    Reply
  15. Ann says

    January 24, 2013 at 1:03 pm

    This might be a stupid question, but did any of the paint sneak through the flooring on the floor above? Did you find any specks of paint up on the next floor? Thx.

    Reply
    • Rhoda says

      January 24, 2013 at 3:50 pm

      HI, Ann, no not at all, the ceiling there is very solid, so nothing seeped through at all, not that I could see anyway. There is plywood flooring above the ceiling with my new hardwoods on top.

  16. Honey says

    December 15, 2016 at 3:57 am

    , Oh, lordy.  I hated that form.  The coitnÂn­Â­u­a­tion pages (past drug use) took forever.On the other hand, the expres­sion on the face of the per­son­nel man­ager in charge of mak­ing me fill it out was almost worth it. (“Excuse me. I’m going to need three more pages.”)

    Reply
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Trackbacks

  1. Black Ceiling Paint – Ceiling Design Idea says:
    June 4, 2017 at 2:54 pm

    […] Week 23: Black Ceilings are all the Rage! […]

    Reply
  2. Exposed Ceilings – Ceiling Design Idea says:
    June 4, 2017 at 3:03 pm

    […] Week 23: Black Ceilings are all the Rage! […]

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Thanks for stopping by! I’m Rhoda, from Atlanta, GA and I love decorating and DIY projects. Decorating a home doesn’t have to cost a fortune and I’ve spent years thrifting at antiques markets and yard sales, finding those treasures that make a home unique. I’m here to inspire and encourage other women to find their own inner creativity. Won’t you join me?

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