Flashback to when Sam Pynn settled a cohabitation dispute involving a slanted popcorn ceiling, that went a little something like this…
From Marilyn:
This is a bedroom that is going to be painted soon and there is a disagreement about the slanted portion as to whether it should be painted as part of the wall or as part of the ceiling. The previous owners painted it white as if it were the ceiling (it is also stucco the same as the ceiling!) but I was thinking, stucco or not, it would look better painted the wall colour. Painting the whole room one colour is not an option here – the man of the house wants white ceilings! HELP! (soon please if you can 🙂 )
Marilyn
Sam Pynn suggests: Dear Marilyn,
In addition to highlighting weird angles, men also like giant brown leather sofas, recessed lighting plans that resemble an airport runway, and knotty pine trim (the kind you’d find in a sauna), but that doesn’t make it right (okay, okay, I’ve seen knotty pine work well in a country house).
Here’s the thing, just because someone else made the mistake of stuccoing those angles doesn’t mean that you have to live with them highlighted in white. However, before you pull out your paint roller or spray-paint gun, have a professional take a look to see if the “popcorn” can be removed. Once your bedroom is covered with plastic sheets to protect the floors, walls, and electrical outlets, the stucco should be soaked with water which will allow it to scrape off like butter using a wide putty knife. I’m recommending a professional because sometimes popcorn from the ’70s contains asbestos.
Whether you decide to remove the stucco (may be from the ceiling too?) or not, paint the angles the same colour as the wall and the ceiling a soft white. You’ll feel better about the room once those sharp angles have been softened with a little paint – promise!
All the best,
Sam Pynn
You know what else is cool? We ran a poll to see what our fans though Marilyn should do, and here are the results!
Please note: Samantha Pynn is hard at work on Home To Win at the moment, and is not able to answer any more of your questions at this time. Watch Sam Pynn in action with the rest of the HGTV stars in the latest episode of Home To Win on hometowin.ca, and tune in Sundays at 10pm et for new episodes.
