Should I paint my exposed wooden beams?
This is a controversial topic and before we begin, I’m not going to pretend to be an expert in restoring houses nor am I someone who will slap paint here, there and everywhere without any consideration. However, our homes are for us to live in and enjoy. They are not monuments to a bygone era and they are not a relic of the past. Yes, we need to make wise choices regarding their maintenance (letting material breathe etc,) but I’ve never been a purist and believe your home should be a space you feel happy in - even if those choices make others squirm.
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So should we paint our exposed wooden beams? Should you?
Let’s walk through this together as you may have a similar dilemma. And if not, let me know what you think anyway!
Some back story here: We live in a 400 year old thatched cottage which has over 60 exposed wooden beams. The house is not listed (a protection order in the UK which preserves historical features and can stop home owners from making changes that are not within keeping) and therefore we do have the freedom to decorate as we choose.
When we moved in we had our beams sandblasted (you can find out more about that here) to take them all back to natural wood as many had been painted in a glossy jet black. This is reminiscent of old English pubs and creates the most oppressive atmosphere in a home, so we were keen to remove this and brighten up our cottage.
Because the beams are made from different types of wood, installed in different eras throughout the house’s life and growth (it has had some extensions over the centuries,) they have reacted differently to the treatment and some look incredible and others look… well, not so much. We have some more modern beams that aren’t actually structural at all, they have been added for ‘character’ to be in keeping with the rest of the house, and these are the ones I am wondering to paint.
So what to do about painting exposed wooden beams?
Some beams look glorious adding warmth and texture to a room, whilst others contribute to an overload of wood - I love wooden furniture and we have a lot of wooden doors and real oak floors too. We also have other beams that just look down right ugly with their very gnarled historical wood worm vibes. Then there is the work itself, painting a beam isn’t something you can ‘undo’ easily, so I need to make sure I’m 100% sure it’s the way forward. I also need to consider the condition of the wood. Painting beams that are covered in old woodworm damage actually just shows up the holes even more, not to mention it’s generally not good practice to paint wood as it should be left to breathe. However, with heaps of beams in every room, would it be so bad if I painted a few?
When in a design quandary, I often turn to my beloved Pinterest (join me over there!), and I must confess it hasn’t helped me decide. I see some exposed beams painted and immediately fall in love, then I see some in their natural wood state and am glad I’ve never painted ours. Here are some examples I’ve found recently, maybe you can help me decide? And if you also have a similar dilemma of whether to paint your exposed beams or not, I hope it’s helpful for you too.
The Case for Painted Beams:
Painting the beams white in this room help it to feel sophisticated, giving a nod to the grander details in the room, rather than making it feel more cottage like if the beams had been kept in natural wood. Design by The Nook Interior Design.
Old rough beams painted white in this large entryway in a French cottage belonging to ex-editor of Vogue, Lucinda Chambers. Photography by Paul Massey.
This hallway has so many lovely warm elements with the terracotta floor, vintage rug, wooden chairs and basket collection adding a lot of interest. I imagine if the beams had been left wood too, they would have detracted from the overall look and it may have started to feel busy. At the moment the eye is drawn to the fabulous curtains and the whole look is balanced perfectly. My own personal concern for painting very old textured beams like this, is firstly, you can never paint them completely as they have so many holes and divots, you’ll nearly always end up with a similar speckled effect you have here - if that’s what you want then go for it! Secondly, being considerate of the paint you’re using as ideally you want something breathable (have a look at Earthborn paints if you’re in the UK) and thirdly, you must be really sure this is the look you want to go for, as it will be very hard to remove paint on a beam like this unless you get a professional in to sandblast or strip them.
Painting out the beams in this dark north-facing kitchen helps to keep the room light and not detract away from the beautiful details elsewhere. Kitchen by Sophie Robinson.
A gorgeous combination of painted and exposed beams giving you the best of both worlds in this cottage by interior designer Bee Osborn. The ceilings in here are low so leaving all the beams in their natural state would have made the room feel smaller.
The Case for Unpainted Exposed Beams
Now we’ve looked at beautiful examples of white painted beams, here’s some examples of stunning exposed beams left in their natural state. I think for me the key to this look is to be selective. Does the room get a lot of light and can take the dark textures of wood on and around the ceiling? Do you have a lot of other wooden elements in the room like flooring, doors or furniture? In our case, by painting out beams that aren’t original, it gives the beams that are truly gorgeous space to shine in their natural bare glory.
Another positive of keeping the wooden beams as they are, is of course, the historical relevance. So many beams have marks, letters or symbols which can be lost a little once painted. I also love the character they bring to a space, especially in areas like bathrooms or kitchens which can otherwise feel quite hard or cold spaces with all the hard surfaces and ‘new’ materials.
Exposed beams don’t have to mean sticking to whites and neutrals. I love the colours used here by W.Morris & Co using their paint range.
Such a gorgeous cosy living room with old original flooring and exposed wooden beams in ‘Well Cottage’ by Sand and Stone Escapes.
I would never have known this home is situated in the heart of central London in Notting Hill. Designers ‘Retrouvious’ have really leaned in to the organic natural textures with bare walls, floorboards and rough wooden beams making this room ooze with character.
This sweet room in the eaves is an example of how beams don’t need to restrict your design choices! Whilst you may want to hire a patient decorator for this task, the dainty pattern is a lovely juxtaposition against the heavy rough and textured exposed beams. Design by Tess Newall.
So now I’ve made a case for both, I think I’ve come to the conclusion that good beams are worth keeping in their natural wood, but newer beams (which aren’t original) often look better painted. However I also feel that every room is different and there is a lot to consider, design wise, room by room, depending on the light, space and other materials present.
What do you think? Have these examples helped you out or confused you even more?!
Meanwhile, stay tuned for whether I eventually do paint ours or not!!