Call me picky, but when I first noticed Sherry’s newest “furniture arrangement” tucked into the corner of our living room, I was baffled. I know she loves lighting almost as much as anyone, but dedicating a chair solely to face a lamp struck me as a little odd.
Once I looked more closely, I realized she still has most of her marbles—key word most. The chair was actually there so she could stand on it and tape paint swatches to the ceiling. Relieved. Not quite as strange as I’d imagined, though she remains delightfully eccentric for plenty of other reasons.
We’ve been wrestling with how to treat those large white rectangles on the ceiling, the panels between the beams, for the last few days. We’ve considered almost everything, from wallpaper to bold paint. Anything too dark or intensely saturated was dismissed pretty quickly; our ceilings are standard eight-foot height, and we worry that a heavy color could make the room feel like it’s closing in. A softer platinum gray, slightly lighter than the walls, is a perfectly safe option, but we’re hoping for something a bit more interesting.
That’s when the idea of metallic finishes entered the conversation. A metallic paint or wallpaper could add a subtle sense of luxury and, importantly, reflect light so the room stays bright and airy. We picked up a few swatches from a new metallic paint line at Home Depot to see how different tones read under our living room lighting.
We were quick to eliminate the two darker swatches—they read too heavy for the space. The two lighter metallic samples looked promising from up close, but from a few feet away on the ceiling they didn’t read as metallic enough; the sheen was muted, and the effect wasn’t as apparent as we’d hoped. That led us to wonder whether a faux finishing technique could help achieve a glossy champagne or soft eggshell metallic look that reads well on a ceiling surface.
Faux finishes can be intimidating—anyone who’s seen a certain home makeover show might feel wary—but there are tasteful techniques that create subtle, elegant metallics without veering into the gaudy. Brushing on a base coat with a subtle mica or pearl additive, then layering with a tinted glaze or a metallic topcoat applied sparingly with a soft brush or rag, can produce depth and a delicate sheen. Another option is a fine metallic plaster applied thinly and burnished to catch the light without overwhelming the space. We’ll research and test a few approaches before committing, since ceilings behave differently than walls and require treatments that read well from below.
We’d also love to hear about any metallic paint brands you’ve liked or wallpapers that have a refined metallic finish. If you’ve encountered finishes that read as metallic from a distance—especially on horizontal surfaces—those recommendations would be really helpful. Do any of you have experience achieving a subtle, glossy metallic look without making the surface look like foil?
As for what we’ll choose in the end, we’ll share more details once we’ve made a decision and started making progress. It might be practical to wait and see what we select for art or curtains before finalizing the ceiling tone. Pulling a soft hint of color from new drapery or a rug could be a nice way to create cohesion—perhaps a whisper of silvery-green if we introduce a green rug, or a muted metallic that complements bold curtain panels.
For now we’re still in the thinking phase. At least we’ve got a dedicated spot to sit quietly and consider our options. And the lamp is happy to have company.
Update: A reader suggested a caption contest, and we’re all for it. If you’ve got a good caption, leave it in the comments. Here’s the picture again for inspiration. Captions: go.
The prize is 500 points and comment-of-the-day bragging rights. You know you want that. Or do you?