a quick question for painters

[cathnniv]

can or do you run a picture rail across a feature wall?

I want picture rails but have feature walls and am worried it would look weird breaking up the feature wall like that, kinda goes against the whole idea i thought but i need picture rails???????

[Bin J]

I'm no painter, and don't know what's norm, but how about . . .

Above the picture rail use what ever colour the ceiling is (around the whole room, not just the feature wall), then you can have the feature wall colour below the picture rail . I think it would look fine.

[bsrlee]

Really more of an Interior Designer/Decorator question rather than a Painter question (Dad was a painter for50 odd years).

Some friends of mine have a late 1800's semi-house with picture rails in the lounge room & it looks appropriate.

I have no idea what your room looks like, or what type of rail you intend to install, but I would suggest making a 'mock-up' railing from cardboard, tape & paint it the same colour/finish as what you were thinking of installing, then stick it up with some 'long term' masking tape (make loops sticky side out) - leave it there for a few days & see if it jars or grows on you.

If you don't like it you have only wasted a few hours & can throw it out without feeling any guilt, and you don't have to patch any holes or re-paint the wall again.

[Kev Y.]

IF the feature wall is painted, I see no reason not to run a picture rail across it, as long as the rail is painted in the same colour as the wall.

If it is a timber or other textured surface, then a picture rail may look seriously out of place

But you have to ask.. do I want a picture in the middle of my feature wall?

[katydid]

what are the other walls like - plain or with a picture rail - What period is the house - How big is the room? How high are the ceilings? What are the walls made of i.e. can you hang pictures without a picture rail?
Without

[katydid]

[quote=katydid]what are the other walls like - plain or with a picture rail - What period is the house - How big is the room? How high are the ceilings? What are the walls made of i.e. can you hang pictures without a picture rail?
Without knowing the answers to these questions I would suggest that : if it is a feature wall - then make it one witout the picture rail but by "featuring" some large picture in the centre. (Need a "feature" painting for the wall? let me know - I'll be happy to paint you one!)
Good luck.

[some_one]

Quick one>>>> do not paint the picture rail in a very dark colour it will take the attraction away from everything else, keep it in the same colour as majority of the wall which ever wall you put it on.

[maglite]

can or do you run a picture rail across a feature wall?

I want picture rails but have feature walls and am worried it would look weird breaking up the feature wall like that, kinda goes against the whole idea i thought but i need picture rails???????

Given fashion, i reckon that picture rails will be in vogue a lot longer that feature walls.
How about laying a rail and paintinfg it the same color as the wall....at least it will blend in and will be there long after feature walls have become passe'.

[Programmer]

I sort of agree with maglite.

I think feature walls are overated, overdone, usually done wrong, and they usually look silly (to be nice). They 'can' look great in contemporary places (especially when the wall is BIG - and I mean BIG).

I look at property all the time, I think out of 100's of places I've looked at there'd probably be 1-3 f/walls that were of any 'value'. Sure "eye of the beholder" and all that. My dislike is probably 40% personal preference and 60% value-driven (meaning that it's what, with a business head, you beleive it adds to the real value of a house). I know, we're not really talking about adding value here, just thought I'd give my opinion.

Quoting maglite:

picture rails will be in vogue a lot longer that feature walls

He's on the money. Feature walls in smaller properties look ridiculous. And picture rails look great if not stuffed by some previous owner that wanted a feature wall....

Each to their own, and everyone has a right to their opinion - even if it's wrong.