Painted Basement Ceiling Ideas

Your basement ceiling might not be the first thing you think of when the subject of basement redecorating comes up. This is often a forgotten area although there are many possibilities that can actually give your basement a nicer overall look and feel. Here are a few tips to help dress up your basement ceiling a bit.

Suspended Ceiling

Often basements are left partially finished. This means you have open ceilings that show the studs, wires, and the under side of the floor boards above you. The quick solution for this is a suspended basement ceiling. These are easy to install and once installed your basement takes on a more homey feeling right away. You have easy access to any wiring and/or pipes that other ceiling options would have covered up but you don't have to look at them every day.

Drywall

The use of drywall to build your ceiling isn't as difficult as it might appear. Drywall is fairly inexpensive so if you break a sheet you don't have to cry yourself to the poor house. Hanging drywall on your ceiling will give the room a professional look if done right. If you are unsure how there are many tutorials available online and you can talk to the staff at your local home improvement store. You can also hire professionals to hang the drywall for you. Once the drywall is installed you can paint, or texture and paint, your basement ceiling to give the room a finished look.

Ceiling Art

Since the days of Michelangelo, and before, ceiling art has been popular. This option will not only dress up your basement ceiling, it will add personality to your home. You can either paint a ceiling mural or you can hang art on the ceiling. Many dentist and doctor's offices are using this idea for their treatment room ceilings as well. The art gives you something to look at if you are laying down or looking up for extended periods of time.

Paint

You can always go back to the old stand-by of painting your basement ceiling if it needs a bit of perking up. It is amazing what a couple coats of paint on the ceiling can do for a basement. If you use a light color it will open up your basement, darker colors will increase the basement's resemblance of a cave. A fresh coat of paint is like giving your basement a face-lift.

Mirrors

If used tastefully, mirrors can improve the overall feeling of your basement. Mirrors can give the appearance of more space than truly exists. If you put mirrors on the ceiling or if you tile part of the ceiling in mirrored tile, you can make the room take on a much larger look and feel. While this doesn't really make the room bigger it does create an optical illusion of space. This is a great trick for those who are working with really small basements. If your ceiling is low you will want to make sure you don't hit the mirror and shatter it.

Lighting

Adding splashes of light that are aimed at the ceiling will give your basement a larger, more roomy feeling. You can create this look using many different approaches. The easiest is by purchasing floor lamps that are aimed at the ceiling. This can be a fun way to make use of your creativity while adding light to your basement.

Paint

Paint comes in almost any color you can imagine and it easy to do yourself. This is a low skill level solution that is moderately inexpensive. You can add a sense of style to your ceiling by painting different patterns or by using more than one color. You may not be able to paint your ceiling, however, depending on what materials it is made of. Be sure to check with a contractor before applying your first coat.

Artwork

Hanging or creating artwork to the ceiling of your basement ceiling can be very creative and reflect your personality while also giving the room a brightened feel. You can use many different mediums to do so, either painting directly onto the ceiling or hanging already made pieces. There are also cling-ons available at most home improvement stores that adhere onto the surface.