Ways to cover, renovate and fix your ugly damaged ceilings

One of the single more important updates you can do to your home is dealing with popcorn ceilings. No one likes them and if you neglect to update them in major living spaces, whatever updates you do make will be tempered by this oversight.

Popcorn ceilings have been around for a long time and aside from the fact that cob webs and dust cling to it, they also date the home. The best renovations occur when you have a home that is 30-40 years old that can stand up to and surpass new construction.

Whether you're planning on selling your home or not, it is really unimportant. Your home is still your investment and unless you can see well into your future financial needs with your crystal ball, you should always invest in updates that make sense for your home's value.

Ceilings often get overlooked in renovations by do it yourself types. Why? Well its the un-fun part of the cosmetic aspect. However, if you don't address it, it will actually take away from all the hard work you put elsewhere.

If you're doing a full from top to bottom renovation, you'll want to tackle your popcorn ceiling first. It's messy..and no matter what you read or research, there is no exceptionally "easy" pain free way to tackle it. If you're lucky and it has not been painted over, it should come off a little easier, but it will be very messy and if your home is an older home you will want to have windows opened, everything removed from the room possible, and what stays must be covered, and covered well. The dust and debris get everywhere, even in places you haven't thought of. Keep a dust mask on and protective eye wear. If you forego the dust mask..and I don't recommend it, keep your mouth closed.  You'd be surprised how many of us have our mouths open when we are looking up and scraping..its weird but true.
Now there are some work around ideas you may want to do if you absolutely want to avoid scraping a popcorn ceiling.  Research these:
Ceiling Tins- expensive if your kitchen is large, but they do come in a variety of textures, and colors. You can also find them in pvc form.
Styrofoam ceiling tiles- These are far less expensive than the aforementioned and can give you a very nice look. I would suggest researching online images of projects done by others to see if it is something you can do.
Panels- You can use bead board paneling and tongue and groove wood on your ceilings. It is very expensive to go this route as well depending on the size of your kitchen.
All of these ideas will likely still require some sanding of the popcorn, especially if it is very textured. I would try an inconspicuous place in a closet or hallway ceiling to test out which idea works.

Wall Paper- I know a few years back wall paper was considered the scourge of the renovation world. However today, textured wall paper that can be painted can be your best friend. If you add in faux beams like in the photographs to this post, you can cut them shorter and have an easier time.  Don't dip and drip, use wall paper paste, it really is far easier.

Ceiling Medallions

You've no doubt heard that every room has more than just "four" walls in the realm of interior design. This is very true. To truly give any space a complete transformation, we have to look at all surface areas and that includes the walls, floor and ceiling. Many people tend to over look the ceiling unless it has some huge cosmetic or structural flaw, like the dreaded "popcorn" finish for instance. However, when we look at our  ceiling we can find  an opportunity to enhance the beauty of whatever lighting fixture you go with, and that is where a ceiling medallion makes a great impact.

What are they for?
Ceiling Medallions are often seen in older homes and usually are an accent to chandeliers and lighting fixtures. If you're purchasing them today, they are typically made of Urethane, however you can find them in plaster and also wood.

Cost?
Prices vary depending on size, material used, and detail. The larger, detailed pieces made of wood are going to be far more expensive. You can get some that are simple and smaller from around $15.00 and up. Again, size, material and level of detail play a big role in the costs. Are they worth it? Well, that is up to the individual. However you can also make one yourself. See below.

Dual purpose
While they are lovely to look at, they also are helpful at covering up unsightly holes where one may have had to cut a raw opening to install a fixture where none formerly existed. Sometimes this leaves a larger than needed hole and in some cases the lighting fixture base is not big enough to cover the hole. In that scenario a medallion can not only make the light fixture lovely but cover up a less than ideal installation.  Ceiling Medallions have not escaped the imagination of home owners and home decorators though, as they have turned up in a lot of creative ways too, just as wall decor, and small ones have even been used to flank door knobs.

So lets say you have a specific look in mind and you don't want to pay an arm and a leg. Let's say for instance you have some mill work left over, and some handy items like a miter box. You can create your own. Now you may not find it easy necessarily to make a "round" medallion, however this octagon shaped one was not difficult and it cost very little to make.

The next time you're doing a renovation, don't over look the possibilities for interest and beauty that can be found when you look up!