A ceiling with timeless style

Redecorating a room? Looking to create elegance and drama? Spend plenty of time choosing paint colors, floor treatments and new furniture, as desired. But don't forget the "fifth" wall: the ceiling.

Plain ceilings don't have to be

If you have a ceiling with built-in interest, such as vaulting or exposed beams, the job is pretty much done. For those with a plain, boring ceiling, it's easy to grab a can of white, flat-finish paint and give that overhead space a once-over. That's the old way. Making a ceiling "disappear" is supposed to make a room seem bigger. Now, especially with the trend toward larger, open space living, the need is to make spaces seem warmer and cozier.  Cozy is achieved through a sense of enclosure. Cozy doesn't happen when a ceiling is essentially left undone.

Give it texture

Not the popcorn or troweled-on texture, but a look that will be a conversation starter, and never fail to amaze you that you did it yourself.

Embossed wallpaper applied to a section or the entire ceiling achieves interest, warmth and elegance, mimicking the old-fashioned tin ceiling that has all but disappeared. The effect is versatile enough to work in settings from formal dining rooms to intimate bedrooms. It lends a nostalgic note to kitchens. It's also great for hiding flaws, such as minor cracks.

Buying wallpaper

Start at discount Web sites and look for patterns that are geometric. Pattern samples can be copied, cut and pasted to be enlarged and printed out at home. Hold them up toward the project room ceiling to get a good idea of the final effect. Think in terms of leaving the paper its natural white or off-white, or maybe painting it a metallic silver or copper.

Decide if the paper should cover the entire ceiling, or a central portion. When trimmed out with low-profile, double-edged molding, and with a contrasting wall color extended up to the molding, the latter will lend a tray ceiling effect. When covering the entire ceiling, crown molding is the finishing touch.

Smaller projects lend themselves to roll ends, which can be found on-line or at home improvement stores at big discounts. The trick is to measure carefully. The pattern may be discontinued. You may also find your budget undermined if you end up having to buy a whole roll to finish a poorly-planned project.

If you come across a great bargain on a specific lot of paper, let the quantity guide the project. Apply it to whatever area it will cover. Just make to cover more than is left uncovered. It doesn't really matter how much of a margin is left on all sides, as long as the opposing sides are the same.

Applying is only literally over your head

Wallpaper application gets a bad rap, maybe because hardly anyone does it anymore. For most, it congers up images of wallpapering disasters portrayed in old sitcoms. Buy the pre-pasted and all you have to do is soak it briefly in a pan of water. Don't try to hang in strips. Cut squares that follow the pattern. Either cut as you go or number each square. Apply in the same order they came off the roll. This will ensure a perfect match.

Embossed paper is pretty easy to use. It will slide around easily and long enough to butt it up tightly against adjoining pieces, creating a seamless look. Make sure the starting point is carefully marked and perfectly square. From there, you can't miss. Handle the paper gently, pressing with a damp sponge and being careful to avoid wrinkles and creases as you work to smooth out any bubbles. After a minute or two, it will stay put, and you can move on to the next square. Pesky bubbles, or those noticed later on, can be dealt with by puncturing the bubble with a pin and pressing the paper flat.

One of the great things about this project is that it doesn't have to be completed in one day. You can stop and start as time, or sore back muscles dictate. It can be a workout. A work buddy is very helpful.