Painted Floors: Rugs Need Not Apply

An area rug can be the perfect accessory to a room. It's like the "dot on the i" in a signature--the finishing touch. But let's think outside of the box and consider alternate options. 

Have you ever considered painting a pattern onto your hardwood floor? I am absolutely fascinated by this and would love to use this in my own house decor. But the truth of the matter is, my hardwoods are only a few years old. Mere babies. And I'm not about to dollop paint on top of them.    Yet.

So for now, we'll admire these breath-taking designs. Rugs need not apply...

Courtesy of Foo Dog Ate My Homework

sunnygoode.com

via decorpad.com

via Kate Spade Designs

elledecor.com (Kerry Joyce)

Have fun with tile too...this chevron pattern is created by colored tile in the bathroom.  Fabulous and worthy of it's own call out! 

Pssst, ever considered painting your ceiling?  Check the idea out here...

Sky's The Limit- Painted Ceilings

One of my favorite design tricks is to paint the ceiling in a room.   

Use the same color as the walls...or venture out and try an alternate shade that compliments them.

Painting the ceiling elongates a room.  It creates continuity in the flow of the design.  Rather than halting  the eye abruptly with a white ceiling, the effect is much softer. 

I used two complementary colors in my formal powder room.  The ceiling is painted Benjamin Moore Gull Wing Gray.  The walls are painted Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter.  I hung a pendant chandelier lamp as the main light source and the light radiates off the ceiling.  I wouldn't have accomplished the same affect with white paint. 

Vivid Hue Home Powder Room

In my master, the tray ceiling is painted Benjamin Moore Gull Wing Gray too.  Because the pendant lamp in that room is so large, it immediately draws the eye toward the ceiling.  

The painted ceiling creates a soft warmth in the room.

Vivid Hue Home Master Bedroom

Don't be afraid to use more bold colors on the ceiling.  I carried the robin egg blue hue to the ceiling in my sunroom with Benjamin Moore's Spectra Blue.  It helps draw attention to the chandelier. 




Check out more sunroom here

It's "old school" to think that a painted ceiling puts a "lid" on the room and makes it feel smaller.  In my opinion, it's quite the opposite. 

It's another way to add character to a room.  Have fun.  Worse case, you'll have to repaint

another color if you don't like it!

If you have examples of rooms in your house with painted ceilings, please send them my way! 

I'd love to use them in future posts.

Don't take yourself too seriously when decorating a room.  In most cases,  the decor can always be changed, so have fun!

Psst, ever thought about painting your hardwood floors?  Check them out here.