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How to paint a ceiling like a pro

By Guest Poster • 3 Comments

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By Naomi Findlay

When deciding to renovate or refresh a room, the first points of focus tend to be the walls, the floors, the doors and even the tiles. The ceiling is an important element that is often overlooked until everything else has been updated. This ‘fifth wall’ needs to complement the rest of the space, otherwise it can completely change the look and feel of your room.

Prepare and protect
Painting a ceiling isn’t too different to painting any other wall in your home. A professional-looking DIY job will depend on the careful preparation you do beforehand. Since most light fixtures are located on the ceiling, even the smallest of bumps can attract attention. Take a look at the previous guide on preparing a room for tips on patching up existing damage.

Remove any furniture or fixtures that can be removed, and cover the rest – lights, ceiling fans and cornices, for example – with drop sheets, rags, and painters tape.

Consider and calculate
Before you rush off to buy the first tin of white ceiling paint you find, give it some good thought. Your ceiling doesn’t need to be white. Consider what colours and textures would complement the rest of the room; an exposed concrete look or a bold pop of colour could be the antidote to a boring and dated design.

Once you have decided on colour, you will need to calculate how much paint you will actually need. Taubmans have a very handy online calculator that will take the guesswork and calculations out of the equation – leaving you with the perfect amount of paint.

Paint
If you are dealing with brand new plasterboard, be sure you seal it before applying your coats of paint. Otherwise, give your paint tin a good stir, and get ready to paint!

It will take about half an hour to paint an average-sized ceiling – give yourself enough time to coat the whole surface without rushing. Starting with the cornices, use an angled paintbrush to apply the paint along the edge of your ceiling. Once you have coated around 10 centimetres of the edges with paint, use a roller and roller tray to coat the rest of the ceiling.

After coating the roller in a small amount of paint, tap each side thoroughly to get rid of any extra paint. Ceilings are a little trickier to paint as, unlike walls, they are located above you. This means painting can get tiring and messy very quickly – hence why it is super important to ensure your roller isn’t going to drip every time you dip it into the paint tray.

Attaching the roller to a pole will help you easily reach the ceiling. Apply the paint in small sections in a ‘W’ or ‘M’ motion, keeping the roller flat against the surface at all times. When you are halfway through, go over the already painted area with a very light coat of paint – this will help create a smooth finish and remove any dripping paint.

Allow the first coat to dry for a full two hours before starting on the second coat.

—Naomi Findlay is Australia’s rapid renovation expert, an internationally renowned renovator, award-winning property stylist and speaker. She’s an industry leader in creating healthy wealthy spaces and creating wealth and profit from renovating property. Naomi is founder of the Rapid Reno Mate app, and founder and principal of education provider, the International Institute of Home Staging (IIHS).

Read next: How to paint tiles and save a fortune

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July 12, 2018

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Known for his stylish bar and shop fitouts, @jform Known for his stylish bar and shop fitouts, @jform__ this year turned his hand to an apartment reno and created something really special!

Come and tour this beautiful one bed warehouse conversion in Sydney's Surry Hills on the blog today via link in bio.

Currently for sale though @bresicwhitney

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When her styling business took a hit, @vaultinteri When her styling business took a hit, @vaultinteriors decided to reduce her outgoings by moving to a tiny house. And we're not sure we've ever seen a more stylish one!

Although the move to a container home was motivated by financial pressures, Justine Wilson is loving her new simpler way of life.

Read her refreshingly honest, positive interview on the blog now, via link in bio.

It'll make you want to downsize too!

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Appliance colour trends: They've certainly change Appliance colour trends:

They've certainly changed over the years. Remember when ALL fridges were white?! I remember the original BROWN wall oven in our 60s kitchen here pre-reno! I think the dishwasher was brown and beige (and it tripped the electrics every time we used it!) 😜

What do you think of this new dark stainless steel option (pictured) from Westinghouse as seen in @dnaofdesign_'s latest reno? Yay or nay? 

What colour do you like your appliances?

See the rest of this home and kitchen and laundry design tips from the ex Blockheads on the blog now via link in bio.

#kitchenappliances #walloven #wallovens #combioven #combioven #microwaves #builtinappliances #builtinoven #builtinovens #homeappliance #westinghouse #kitchentrends #ovens #laundryappliances #darkstainlesssteel #stainlesssteelappliances
SALE ALERT! Listen up Sydneysiders, one of my fav SALE ALERT!

Listen up Sydneysiders, one of my favourite home stores @shack.furniture.homewares are having their annual warehouse sale this week, from Thursday until Saturday.

HUGE savings on furniture, homewares and decor with 30 to 80% off. Wowsers!

I'm a big fan of SHACK and can never leave one of their stores without a few styling goodies for my place! It's just too tempting!

While you're at the sale, mention Interiors Addict for an extra 10% off!

Unit 16a, 1801 Botany Rd, Banksmeadow NSW 2019

Thursday 1st to Saturday 3rd June 2023, 9am to 4pm. Not online.

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A door to door continuous curved stone ledge in th A door to door continuous curved stone ledge in this bathroom is one of the cleverest designs we've seen in a while!

This mega ledge, made of Corian, even incorporates a sink, seamlessly.

Combined with venetian plaster on the walls, it's no wonder this Illawarra bathroom by @birdblackdesign feels like a day spa!

Come check it out via link bio.

Lead designer Stuart Gibson says: "One smooth curve, right around the room, from either side of the door opening. As it moves around, it creates a ledge for the bath: for bath oils, lotions, a book and a champagne glass. The ledge continues around and becomes the vanity, widening out to create a custom seamless basin."

#bathroomhappiness #bathroomdetails #bathroomshelves #bathroomshelf #venetianplastering #coriandesign #coriansolidsurface #spalikebathroom #spabathroom #sustainablebathroom
Catch the season finale of @sellinghousesaus last Catch the season finale of @sellinghousesaus last night?

We have all the before and afters for you on the blog now, via link in bio (and swipe for a taster).

#sellinghouses #sellinghousesaustralia #foxtel #lifestylechannel #beforeandafterkitchen #beforeandafterlivingroom #beforeandafterrenovation #realitytv #housetours #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
😍 Not sure what's better: the custom mirror abo 😍 Not sure what's better: the custom mirror above the fireplace in this Art Deco one-bedder or the wallpaper in the kitchen (swipe)?!

It's been a while since we featured an apartment makeover on IA. Would you like to see more apartment interiors? Head to the blog now to see more of this one. Via link in bio.

#artdecoapartment #artdecointerior
#artdecomirror #artdecofireplace #artdecomelbourne #artdecofurniture #artdecobuilding #artdecointeriors #apartmentrenovation #apartmentinterior #smallspaceliving #melbourneapartments #melbourneairbnb #kitchenwallpaper #wallpaperaustralia
Low tox and planet friendly laundry liquid (and sh Low tox and planet friendly laundry liquid (and sheets and soap and powder!). We have a great roundup of the best options on the blog today. 

A whole host of brands are offering eco-friendly, low tox alternatives to the more chemical-laden ones. Not only that, they often smell amazing, look good on your shelf and come in recycled or recyclable (or even better, both) packaging. 

Good for your skin, your clothes and the planet: what’s not to like?

Do you use any of these?

COMPARE THEM ALL VIA LINK IN BIO NOW.

#lowtoxliving #lowtoxlife #lowtoxlifestyle #lowtoxhome #lowtoxlaundry #lowtoxswaps #naturallaundry #naturallaundrydetergent #naturallaundrysoap #ecolaundry #lowtoxcleaning #ecofriendlyhome #ecofriendlyhouse #laundryliquid #laundrypowder #laundrysoap #naturalcleaning #chemicalfreecleaning #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Play room goals!👌🏻 This is just one room fr Play room goals!👌🏻

This is just one room from today's real house tour which I really love because in employing interior designer @issyandhcreative the owners weren't looking for a complete rip out and re-do but rather to work with what they had in their new suburban home (including a dated kitchen) and give it a largely cosmetic glow up with styling and new furniture (some of which was upcycled). 

The brief was to create a family friendly home. "They weren't looking for perfection but rather a warm and relaxing retreat for their busy young family." This playroom though? Pretty close to perfect! And the mum did the colour coded books herself. Love that😁

Head over to the blog now via link in bio to see the rest of this home.

#playroomideas #playroomgoals #playroomdecor #familyhomes #kidfriendlyhome #kidfriendlyinteriors #familyhomedecor #sustainabledecor #affordablerenovations #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #beanbagchair #beanbags #colourcodedbooks #colourcoded #toyroom #kidsroomdesign 

Pix by @tealily
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarJennifer Nicolas says

    August 5, 2018 at 2:33 am

    Cutting in before you roll allows you to cover most of the brush marks with the roller. Carefully brush paint along the edge of the ceiling a section at a time.

    Reply
  2. AvatarRG Sayson says

    August 20, 2018 at 2:53 pm

    ‘Your ceiling doesn’t need to be white. Consider what colours and textures would complement the rest of the room; an exposed concrete look or a bold pop of colour could be the antidote to a boring and dated design.’

    Which led me to think, “What about wallpapering the ceiling? Or putting a design on just a certain portion of the ceiling (like a feature wall)?” Is this something you would recommend?

    Reply
    • AvatarJen Bishop says

      August 21, 2018 at 1:04 pm

      Why not?! Love that idea!

      Reply

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