Picture rails & Painting

Pug · 17 Oct 2015 at 09:44

So we have a 1900's house where picture rails have been removed and we're fitting them back in.

Unsure whether to paint the walls up to the rail and do above white like the ceiling, or paint the walls all the way to the ceiling, straddling the rail.

Either way the rail will be glossed white, ceiling white.

I've read conflicting things that doing one makes the room appear taller (and then completely the opposite mentioned elsewhere).

A third option is to paint the walls a neutral sort of colour, and then something a bit bolder above the rail, with white ceiling.

What say OCUK? any experience with said rails?

topgun06 · 17 Oct 2015 at 10:15

So interested in opinions on this. The house I'm buying has a few picture rails which I'll be painting.

I've seen houses where the wall is one colour and the picture rail is another. However, I like the idea of having a different colour above the rail.

Hedge · 17 Oct 2015 at 22:26

Ive just painted one of our bedrooms today. Painted below and above the picture rail. Im probably gonna go for a satin paint for the woodwork now. It was gloss originally but Ive painted em with Zinnsser 123 and I think I might finish em with satin this time.

Ill get a picture for you.

We are painting living room soon but my GF wants the paint above the rail to stay white and we paint below the rail a dark blue.

here.. I tried both...

Paint was wet in second.

Still gotta do woodwork so that will be neater lines when I do it

Hope this helps!

Hedge · 17 Oct 2015 at 22:33

No idea why they wired this house so stupidly with the Light switch 2 ft away from the door

topgun06 · 18 Oct 2015 at 00:29

I think that I'm preferring the different colours each side approach!

Hedge · 18 Oct 2015 at 00:34

I went for dark top and bottom because its gonna be my computer room and I kinda like a darker background for it all.

I think both looked pretty nice though. The white does kinda bring the ceiling down a touch.

topgun06 · 18 Oct 2015 at 09:37

Yes, I did think that. You're right.

Some good ideas here: http://www.houzz.co.uk/photos/living-room/query/picture-rail/nqrw/p/8

Pug · 18 Oct 2015 at 11:14

so you thought the white lowers the height slightly?

Thanks for the help and putting pics up! I think with a dark colour like that i like the white above the rail (of my lounge) but we'll be having a much lighter colour so may try it each way and see!

Hedge · 18 Oct 2015 at 11:25

I think the white kinda downplays the height of a ceiling a bit. It looks nice with white on top for sure. Ill give more pictures when we paint living room. The living room currently is magnolia on bottom and white on top.

Looks nice but we are going dark. Ill get pics of that too.

regarding that door, well strangely the door doesnt open towards that wall. Which makes it more confusing. Maybe it did originally.

Ignore the ugly sofa and decor. We not long moved in. There is frogtape on the woodwork which explains the green lines

Skiddley · 18 Oct 2015 at 11:43

We did white above. It's easier, as you don't have to cut in against the ceiling.

£15 · 18 Oct 2015 at 12:01

Paint walls up to picture rail.

Paint picture rail in gloss white.

Treat above picture rail as part of the ceiling and paint white.

Pug · 18 Oct 2015 at 17:47

BadMojo said:
Treat above picture rail as part of the ceiling and paint white.

Well, that may be the tradition but i'd rather explore options first...

Pictures after would be great Hedge

a1ex2001 · 19 Oct 2015 at 15:50

Pug said:
Well, that may be the tradition but i'd rather explore options first...

Pictures after would be great Hedge

In our house we have wall colour up to the picture rails then white for everything above including coving, the picture rails are white. Even 10 years ago when I was still glossing skirting boards I used satin for picture rails I find the line of gloss round the room a bit jaring I also pait the picture rail final coat before the walls as I find it easier to edge up to the picture rail then paint the tiny thin bottom edge of the rail neatly.

My parents on the other hand have different shades of the same colour above and beolw the rail then white ceilings which looks ok and they like. I've never been a big fan of the light colour below dark colour above look but again you see it. Do what ever you like the joy of painting it yourself is you can always do a wall and then chenge it it it looks rubbish!