Have you just bought a home and can’t wait to start on the makeover? A good place to start with would be the ceiling and painting it white, this certainly brighten and open up the space.

Here’s how to do it:
1 If your substrate has been varnished, use Placon’s ecofriendly RemoVall All Purpose Paint Remover RRA 220.
2 Once all the varnish has been removed, lightly sand the area and wipe down the dust.
3 Thin Universal Undercoat with 10% turpentine and apply this to the wood. Once dry (about 4 to 6 hours), apply two coats of matt acrylic paint, such as Plascon’s White Polvin or Cashmere. Instead of painting, you can also limewash the wood, follow steps 1 and 2 above, then: Mix 60% Plascon White Polvin or Cashmere PVA paint to 40% water. Apply this, using a large block brush (used for roof painting); the consistency should be that of runny yoghurt – experiment with dilutions, if in doubt.
4 Paint panels in an area of 1m across from one end of the room to the other; if necessary, have an assistant follow you with a dry 100mm brush to smooth the wet paint as you go.
5 If the colour isn’t white enough once dry, add another layer in the same way. To even out messy patches, use 120-grit sandpaper to remove excess colour until the effect is washed and looks neat. No sealer is required.

Words and image: Home magazine