I’m sure many of you have been on the edge of your seats to learn what I’ve been up to this past week.  After all, my life is so exciting.  So, without further ado (drum roll, please)…

Ta-dah!  I’ve been painting my 2 year old’s ceiling (enter sound of crickets).

Okay, so that’s not so exciting.  But, oh what a difference a ceiling can make!  As you can see from the left side of the above photo, the ceiling paint in my daughter’s room was a little sad.  It was just an unhappy, rainy day gray.  I traded the tired gray for a warm white and even I am pleasantly surprised at the difference.  Unfortunately, I’m not quite ready for the big reveal, but the process got me thinking about how most people probably don’t even realize what a difference ceiling paint can make.  Just take a look at these lovelies (click on the images for source info)…

And of course, I have to share my own colorful dining room ceiling.

Now, before you think I’m completely nuts for painting my ceiling such a daring shade of blue, let me explain.  I had the most wonderful privilege of inheriting the chandelier that hung in my grandparents’ house for over 40 years.  In my eyes, it’s a beautiful piece of art that has a story to tell (you know me and my love of things with a story).  This is why I really wanted the chandelier to stand out and be a focal point in the room.  I did this by adding a pop of color and by anchoring the chandelier with a ceiling medallion (if only you all could have been a fly on the wall to see my husband and me try to hang both items – yikes!).

Anyway, I know a colorful ceiling isn’t for everyone, but my #1 rule for design is to design for YOURSELF, not other people.  I also particularly love the idea of something unexpected in the dining room.  After all, it’s supposed to be a place for special occasions and festive gatherings.

Later this week I will post a full before and after of the entire space so you can really get a feel for the transformation.  For now, I’m off to finish painting my daughter’s ceiling so I can turn her nursery into a big girl room (sniff! sniff!).  Stay tuned!