4 Tips for Making Neutral Colors More Interesting
By Christina El Moussa
One of the things that I totally dread when I walk into a fix-and-flip project is finding popcorn ceilings throughout the house. Popcorn insulation was incredibly popular throughout the 70s, 80s, and 90s, but it’s unsightly and people have figured out that they don’t have to live with it in their homes. So, whenever I see popcorn, I know that I’m going to have to spend some cash to get rid of it and replace it with something more attractive.
If you have popcorn ceilings in your house, though, you don’t necessarily have to do all the work and spend all the money to scrape it, refinish the ceiling, and then repaint it. In fact, you might not have to get rid of it at all. And I’m not talking about just living with it, either. I’ve found some really great and inexpensive ways to cover your popcorn ceiling and create a much more attractive space.
Plank Your Ceiling
One of my favorite ways to deal with an ugly popcorn ceiling is just to cover it up. There’s nothing functionally wrong with your popcorn ceiling, so you don’t have to get rid of it. Instead of spending all that time and money, you can just grab some tongue-and-groove planks and nail them into place.
Planking your ceiling gives you a lot of options. You can go with the same wood finish that you have for your floors, or you could go with low-gloss white planks that match your walls. Grab some samples and hold them up to imagine what they’ll look like and go to work.
When you’re ready to start planking, you’ll just need a stud finder to find the ceiling joists. Mark those with painter’s chalk and then run your planks perpendicular to them and nail them in at the joists so that they’re sure to stay in place.
Go for Old School Style With Tile
Along the same lines, you could also create a cool mix of old and new styles with ceiling tiles. Ceiling tiles have a classic look, and when they’re painted flat white they add texture to the room without distracting from the rest of your décor.
Plus, ceiling tiles can be even easier to install than planks because you don’t need any nails. Most modern ceiling tiles are made of Styrofoam, so they’re light enough to be held in place with the right kind of glue. If they aren’t the right color, you can easily paint them. And a lot of them are made out of recycled Styrofoam, so you’ll know that you’re making an eco-friendly choice for your new ceiling décor. You’ll just have to do a little bit of measuring and cutting, and you’ll be on your way to an updated, upgraded ceiling with no more ugly popcorn.
When you bought your house, you probably looked at that popcorn ceiling and thought, “It’s going to be a lot of work, and it’s going to cost, but someday I’m going to get rid of that stuff.” Well, with one of these tips, you can get rid of your popcorn ceiling without ever getting the scraper out. And it won’t cost you an arm and a leg, either.
So, if you’re ready for an attractive ceiling that’s trendy and timeless and won’t remind you of the 70s or 80s every time you walk in the room, consider one of these great tips for saying goodbye to popcorn!
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