Picture rail in bedroom. What to do?

[r00]

Hey guys,

We've just bought our first house, and we're just about to decorate the bedroom.

I'm still trying to figure out what colours I want, wallpaper etc. Here's my problem. The previous owners went bonkers with the dark varnish, and have painted the skirting board, picture rail, door and door frame in this dark varnish.

Whilst I like the idea of having the picture rail, as it breaks up the room and gives it the illusion of more height, I'm not keen on the dark varnish. I want the room to be calm, neutral colours, and I think a dark picture rail would just look too harsh.

Should I:

A: Paint the picture rail, skirting boards, door frame and door white (not sure how this would look)

B: Paint the picture rail white, and leave the rest of the wood in the bedroom (Not sure if it would look weird just having the picture rail painted)

C: Rip off the picture rail, and get it plastered over? (I'd be losing that chance to break up the room)

Untitled

• r00
• 11 Sep 2011
• 1

TIA guys,
r00x[/img]

 

[misterhelpful]

It's all a matter of opinion but, personally, I would rule out Plan B as I think it would look odd.
It sounds as if you really want to keep the picture rail, so Plan A would be your best option. The fad for picture rails that existed a few years back is a bit outdated now though, and most people are choosing to remove them. (Doesn't mean you have to.)
If you want to keep some 'natural' looking wood, then you could paint the rail, skirting and doorframe and just keep the door varnished.

The varnished timber will look fine painted white as long as it is done correctly - there is a thread on painting over varnish a little way down the Decorating page which will give you a general idea of the best methods. Just make sure that you actually have varnish and not just a woodstain or dye, in which case it would be necessary to use one of the stain-blocking primers mentioned in that thread.

 

[TheDec]

It is'nt really wise to offer any guidance with regard to either colour scheme or products really, this on your part has to be a personal preference, you could obtain a colour swatch card and try and determine your colour scheme from that, for, at the end of the day it really has to be down to you.

Dec

 

[joe-90]

I like the picture rail painted same as the wall - just forget it's there and you get texture without it standing out.

 

[sparkwright]

You must do it the way you want it.

The traditional way would to do the picture frame, skirting board and door frame in one colour, be it white or varnish.

The door would be white or varnish, depending what you fancy.

(by white I mean whatever colour of paint you want)

The ceiling and freize (section above picture rail) would be one colour.

The wall below the picture rail would be another colour or wallpaper.

 

[joe-90]

...and it will look like a 1980s Wickes showroom.