Sometime earlier this month I unveiled our newly painted family room.  We I decided I was tired of the rich, red walls and ready for a change to a slightly more neutral setting.

I asked my loyal readers, all 6 of them, 🙂 what their thoughts were on painting the ceiling white, like the fireplace, French doors and entertainment center, and each person was wholeheartedly in favor of the idea.

I casually mentioned this fact to Hubby and he acted as though I had asked him to run naked down the freeway.  This got me to thinking of the various blog sites that had shared similar stories where they were longing to paint their paneled, orangey pine walls white, and husbands far and wide responded anywhere from mild protestation to downright forbidding such appalling violation of the natural beauty and appeal of wood sans paint.

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What is it about men and wood?!

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I can appreciate natural wood as much as the next guy, or girl, but there are times when a room needs the lift of a little paint.  Besides, the ceiling in our family room is very inexpensive wood, tongue and grove so it’s not as if I’m asking Hubby to paint over burl wood or mahogany.

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I do love natural wood in a cabin setting in the woods, like the beauty above.  In a horse stable (below), sign me up.  There is nothing like it.

Great, old wood floors are amazing.  I’ve seen some attractive painted wood floors but I don’t believe I would ever paint my hardwood floors.  See, I can be reasonable about wood.

If our ceiling was made from wood such as the two rooms below, I’d want it to be left natural, honest.

{Belgian Pearls}

{haus design}

This is more like it…see how clean and nice this ceiling looks, that’s the look I’m going for.

{Design Chic}

{Design Chic)

And finally…this room probably gives men everywhere the best of both worlds.  The ceiling is white but also has wonderful natural wood beams to off set the paint.  The fireplace over mantle appears to be recycled wood.

{Things That Inspire}

What do you think, there’s no right or wrong answer.  It’s what you love and feel comfortable with, right?