
And if you are wondering whether you should paint above the picture rail here are my words of advice. YES – IF YOU WANT THE CEILINGS TO APPEAR TALLER Taking the wall colour above the picture rail will instantly make your walls appear taller so your ceiling higher. The colour draws the eye further up the wall elevating them to the max.
How do you decorate a rail above a picture rail?
You can add more visual interest and drama using less paint than it would take to paint a full room by just coloring either the wall space below or the space above the picture rail. Bonus: Match the color above the rail to the ceiling, and you make it appear higher by drawing your eyes up.
Should I paint the picture rail on my house?
To enhance this even more then paint all your woodwork in to match your walls. The picture rail itself as well as the skirting, architraves, door etc. Having everything all the same blurs the boundaries and means there is no distraction to the eye which gives the whole space an enveloping and cocooning feel.
Should picture rail match the wall or go against the wall?
Paint picture rail to match your walls. Disappearing picture rail against your wall puts the focus on your framed pictures rather than how they hang, if that’s how you intend to use the rail. No interest in wall art? Use the barely-there ornamentation of picture rail molding as texture in a room with a minimalist design scheme.
What are the benefits of a picture rail in a room?
The other benefit is that the room will feel calmer as the paint colour is wrapping around the room like a blanket. To enhance this even more then paint all your woodwork in to match your walls. The picture rail itself as well as the skirting, architraves, door etc.
Why paint a picture rail?
Why do you put a wall color above a picture rail?
What are the benefits of painting a room?

Should I paint over picture rail?
I'd say, in most cases, yes, you should. Paint out the picture rail (first, before you hang the wallpaper) in the same background colour as the wallpaper if you want it to blend in or be a bit adventurous and take an accent colour from the wallpaper and use that instead for your picture rail.
What order should you paint a room with picture rails?
For emulsion: Let the walls dry. Rub the walls down. Paint the ceiling and coving/cornice next. If you have a picture rail paint above this next, then you can paint the picture rail in your chosen finish (Gloss, satinwood or wood stain).
What is the area above the picture rail called?
In rooms without a wainscot, the frieze survived as a band above the picture rail, with a single wall fill treatment below. By now the frieze was often the dominant decoration in the room, with painted walls below and little ceiling ornamentation.
Do you paint above a dado rail?
If a small room features a dado rail, use a strong colour below the rail and the lighter colour above. This gives the impression of the room 'opening out' and appearing larger than it is. If the stronger colour is used on the top area it can feel as if the walls are closing in on you.
Is a picture rail old fashioned?
Are dado rails and picture rails in fashion? Despite originally being an 18th century trend, these decorative interior fittings have made quite the comeback in recent years.
Does picture rail make room look bigger?
2. If you have a dark room with a high ceiling then install a picture rail and paint the ceiling and the wall above the picture rail white. This will have the effect of expanding the ceiling down to rail level and increase the light reflected in the room. 3.
Should you remove picture rails?
Depends on the age of the house. If your house was built when picture rails were standard and built in from new, very broadly, any property built before 1940 then leave them. Taking them out may affect the value of the property.
Is dado rail still in fashion 2022?
Painted woodwork is a definite trend for 2022, strong colour below dado rails and pale neutrals above to create an old-school and friendly feel.
Should walls or wood be painted first?
Once you've prepped your room for painting properly and gathered your materials, you'll want to work from the top down. Starting with the ceiling, moving onto the walls and finishing with any baseboards, trims and woodwork like door frames.
Can you paint the same colour above and below a dado rail?
The more MODERN you want your home to look, the less likely you'll want a two-colour palette. Unless it's a NEW home with purposeful modern decor, it's usually best to keep things simple by using the same colour above and below the chair rail.
Does the darker color go above or below the chair rail?
If you have a chair rail or wainscoting and you want to paint the top and bottom of the walls different colors, it's best to use the darker color on the bottom portion and the lighter on top. The light color will dominate, and the dark color will have a grounding effect.
Is dado rail still in fashion 2021?
So yes, Dado rails are definitely back in fashion, and the latest classic feature to get the retro treatment. Take a look at your rooms in a different way and see how a Dado rail can transform them and really enhance the feel and style of the home.
Can you paint the same colour above and below a dado rail?
The more MODERN you want your home to look, the less likely you'll want a two-colour palette. Unless it's a NEW home with purposeful modern decor, it's usually best to keep things simple by using the same colour above and below the chair rail.
Should dado rail be same colour as wall?
Dado Rails Meanwhile, painting your dado the same colour as the wall – as in this all-Vardo living room – creates a strong contemporary look. Dado rails also present a great opportunity for tricking the eye.
Does wallpaper go above or below dado rail?
In period properties, with original architectural features, use wallpaper above or below a dado rail alongside a complementary paint colour.
Are dado rails in Fashion 2021?
Dado rails can add the perfect amount of character to any room and blend retro clique with contemporary designs and colours. 2021 has seen them come back into the spotlight, so there is perhaps no better time to join the trend and enhance the feel of your home.
Decorating Tips from Farrow and Ball - The Design Sheppard
When decorating your home, what are the main things to consider when choosing between wallpaper and paint? Whether the aim is to create the illusion of more space, evoke a dramatic atmosphere, or create a cosy living area, both paint and wallpaper can be used to achieve the desired effect.
What is a picture rail in an Edwardian home?
This living room had a picture rail – ya know, the bit of moulding that goes around the entire room about a foot (more or less) below where the coving meets the ceiling. In years gone by (and probably still now), people used these to hang pictures from (thus the name) so they weren’t having to put nails into their walls.
Should I paint the picture rail before hanging wallpaper?
I’d say, in most cases, yes, you should. Paint out the picture rail (first, before you hang the wallpaper) in the same background colour as the wallpaper if you want it to blend in or be a bit adventurous and take an accent colour from the wallpaper and use that instead for your picture rail.
Can you paint the same color on the ceiling?
for a total wrapped-up-in-colour effect. But if your ceiling is a different colour to your walls, then no, don’t take that ceiling colour all the way down to meet the picture rail unless you want your walls to seem shorter.
Can I paint the picture rail in the same color as the wall?
Such a huge difference. Yes, I’d gone from a darker colour to a lighter one , but the results are undeniable. It felt like the ceiling had lifted and those lovely tall ceilings had a chance to finally shine and in this room, we’re only talking maybe 8 or so inches.
painting with picture rail
Newbie here - We are moving into a old farmhouse with a room 13x16 that will be our "parlor/library" It has 9 ft ceilings. Would it look stupid to have the walls a light green and above the picture rail and on the ceiling a deep tone of the same green. The room has 4 doorways and 1 large window that will all be painted white.
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Painting a dark color above the rail will bring the ceiling down. It's all in how you want the room to feel. I personally am not a fan of dark ceilings and only painted my guest bath that has 10 ft. ceilings, the same color as the wall because I wanted to bring the ceiling down in the tiny narrow room. All others are white.
How high should picture rails be?
Picture rails are 1½-inch to 2-inch strips of molding that adhere to walls and run horizontally around the room, typically at the height that aligns with the tops of any window panes or just above the full. Sometimes, however, they can almost blend in with the crown molding, placed only a few inches from the ceiling.
What is picture rail molding for?
This type of molding was once an elegant way of hanging artwork on hard-to-penetrate plaster walls. Popular in New England and Southern townhouses during the Victorian era, picture rails may seem like a quaint throwback, but they can still look fresh today and serve a purpose.
How to make molding look higher?
Bonus: Match the color above the rail to the ceiling, and you make it appear higher by drawing your eyes up.
Can you paint black molding against light?
Don’t be afraid of dark colors, though: Glossy black molding against light walls can be just as dramatic, while treating your molding as the color in the room—be that a pastel or a bright hue—would feel fresh. Paint picture rail to match your walls.
Can you paint trim after nailing?
If you’ve purchased unfinished trim, decide now whether you’d like to stain or paint. If staining, that’s a process best to do before attaching it to the wall—touch-ups, of course, can happen after the nails. If you’re painting the molding, apply the primer first, attach the molding to the wall, and then paint the molding after the wood filler in the nail holes has completely dried.
How to make a dado rail look bigger?
If a small room features a dado rail, use a strong colour below the rail and the lighter colour above. This gives the impression of the room ‘opening out’ and appearing larger than it is. If the stronger colour is used on the top area it can feel as if the walls are closing in on you.
How to add height to a wall?
Don’t be afraid to take the paint colour of the walls all the way up over the picture rail. This will add height to the walls. Choosing a sympathetic ceiling colour that flows well with the wall colour will also help to create the illusion of height and space. Off-White on the ceiling and Old White on the walls work well together.
How to use multiple colors in one room?
A popular way of using multiple colours in one space is to paint the walls using strong dark tones like Railings, Black Blue and Pitch Black as a backdrop, then introduce flashes of graphic colour such as Charlotte’s Locks, Yellowcake and Arsenic. Think about using these colours on bookshelves or inside cupboards. It really makes the room come to life!
How to decorate a room with sample pots?
Using sample pots in the rooms you are planning to decorate is a must! Paint it on a piece of paper and place the sample in the area you’re hoping to feature it. Watch how the colour changes throughout the day in different lights. If you still like it the next day, go for it!
How to widen a narrow room?
To widen a narrow room, feature a strong, dark colour or dark intricate wallpaper on the shorter walls to give the illusion of the wall being closer than it is, resulting in a squarer looking space . This works particularly well in long hallways to make them feel less tunnel-like.
What are some good accent colors to add to a room?
Strong colours such as our new tones, Yellowcake and St Giles Blue, are great for adding a pop of colour to rooms that feature a more neutral backdrop.
What color makes a room feel smaller?
Warm, strong colours all help to make a room feel smaller. The stronger the tone the greater the impact. The dark, rich tone of our new colour, Stiffkey Blue, is great for creating a smaller, more intimate feel in a large space.
What color should I paint above the picture rail?
If you are modernising or going for a calm neutral look then I'd carry the colour up to the ceiling and paint the picture rail in the new white .
what to do above the picture rail?
i can;t decide if i should do above the picture rail the same as the ceiling, and whether this should be white or New White, or whether i should take the cat's paw right up to the ceiling , and if i do that should i still do the picture rail in New White.
Should I go up to the picture rail?
I think I'd just go up to the picture rail as it should make the room feel bigger if you've got high ceilings. If you have a lot of Oak I would probably reconsider : ( but depends on accessories, curtains etc
Is it good to paint the ceiling and above the picture rail in white?
I would keep the ceilings & above the picture rail in white as I always think it looks good. The thing I have seen that looks good once is painting the opposite way around; ceiling & above picture rail in a colour & walls in white. It was in a restaurant I saw it the colour was dark grey & the walls white - it did look dry effective. The Cats Paw might get a little lost against the wood but I think with the right coloured accessories it could look very nice.
Why paint a picture rail?
The picture rail itself as well as the skirting, architraves, door etc. Having everything all the same blurs the boundaries and means there is no distraction to the eye which gives the whole space an enveloping and cocooning feel.
Why do you put a wall color above a picture rail?
Taking the wall colour above the picture rail will instantly make your walls appear taller so your ceiling higher. The colour draws the eye further up the wall elevating them to the max. So if you love your high ceilings and want to accentuate them then absolutely get that wall colour above the picture rail.
What are the benefits of painting a room?
The other benefit is that the room will feel calmer as the paint colour is wrapping around the room like a blanket. To enhance this even more then paint all your woodwork in to match your walls. The picture rail itself as well as the skirting, architraves, door etc.
