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Original poster

My artex ceiling has grown on me! (with pics)

113 replies

betrocrowd · 11/05/2023 19:44

We moved into our new house in November and are now decorating our living room. I remember viewing the house and thinking oh dear lord when I saw the artex and thought it would be the first thing that would go.

Today my husband did a test for asbestos (so we can move a ceiling light) and a plasterer came out to give us a quote to cover it.

The quote was acceptable but now I'm wavering. The artex work is quite impressive and when I thought about getting rid of it I felt a bit guilty over the person who did it originally. Yes, I know I'm being ridiculous.

My husband is happy to keep it as likes that it's a design rather than a flat "boring" ceiling. I seem to be drawn to decor that's very 70s and art deco and he is adamant it will come back into fashion (tongue-in-cheek).

Would you get rid or keep it?

My artex ceiling has grown on me! (with pics)
My artex ceiling has grown on me! (with pics)
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Thread gallery
12
Original poster
betrocrowd · 11/05/2023 21:18

Spot the aliens...

I purposefully included the ceiling to show you the lovely paper that covers it and the hall and stairs ceiling...

My artex ceiling has grown on me! (with pics)
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Rachaelrachael · 11/05/2023 21:19

Get rid!!

Original poster
betrocrowd · 11/05/2023 21:19

Mummy alien and baby alien

My artex ceiling has grown on me! (with pics)
My artex ceiling has grown on me! (with pics)
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Ellie450 · 11/05/2023 21:19

I actually think it’s rather neat! And clearly it was done well. I’d just get rid of that sort of popcorn bit around the outside so that part is smooth as well.

PaddingtonTheAngelofDeath · 11/05/2023 21:20

I am delighted to read this. Many years ago, under a name I can no longer remember, I posted the same and everyone thought I was crackers. I kept the artex and still love it. I've got a mix of great and crap artex and I love it all.

Mummyoflittledragon · 11/05/2023 21:21

I think your artex will be sought after in years to come op. It takes training and precision to do that well. Ditto @IchWill and for this reason, I would leave it. Anaglypyta wallpaper has already made a bit of a come back.

Theraffarian · 11/05/2023 21:22

i was going to go off piste and tell you about the papered ceiling in one of my rooms , but now I see you have one too . I adore mine , every so often I look upwards at it , and it never fails to make me smile . It’s now had I estimate about 70 years of paint over it , so the pattern is a lot more subtle that it would have been when it was put up there , but my god it’s a sparker of joy !

Original poster
betrocrowd · 11/05/2023 21:22

PaddingtonTheAngelofDeath · 11/05/2023 21:20

I am delighted to read this. Many years ago, under a name I can no longer remember, I posted the same and everyone thought I was crackers. I kept the artex and still love it. I've got a mix of great and crap artex and I love it all.

I wonder if yours is the post I read earlier today when I googled whether to keep or get rid and it led me to a mumsnet post. That's what made me think to post on here and ask.

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AuntieGlitterball · 11/05/2023 21:23

Are you in Sussex? Local area I live in has countless ceilings like yours. A real Artex master did them all.

Original poster
betrocrowd · 11/05/2023 21:24

redspottedmug · 11/05/2023 21:14

Get rid. When you gaze upon the pristine smooth surface you will rejoice after a mist coat and about 4 coats of emulsion.

My husband told me about the 4 coats of emulsion earlier. That got an open mouthed response from me. I thought plaster was white and they did it and that was that! <naive>

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ThingsthatgoBumpintheDay · 11/05/2023 21:25

I would keep it 😊

Magenta65 · 11/05/2023 21:25

I have artex ceilings in all my rooms. Once you’ve lived with the. For a while you don’t notice them. Nothing to be embarrassed about, in my area lots of homes still have these. Done well they’re a lovely design feature. Eventually I’ll get mine plastered but in no rush. Yours look like a great example

ladygindiva · 11/05/2023 21:26

Keep! I rented a flat with beautifully artexed ceilings, everyone who came round took the piss but I secretly loved them. The workmanship!

Original poster
betrocrowd · 11/05/2023 21:26

AuntieGlitterball · 11/05/2023 21:23

Are you in Sussex? Local area I live in has countless ceilings like yours. A real Artex master did them all.

No, not Sussex. Also wrong country 😁I wonder if my Artex master travelled the UK to spread his glorious plaster work.

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Hazelnuttella · 11/05/2023 21:28

I like the ceiling!

We had horrible textured blobby artex, not lovely and crafted like that. (We got rid)

uninspiredpanda · 11/05/2023 21:29

I think I win the "worst ceiling" award.

My artex ceiling has grown on me! (with pics)
GarlicGrace · 11/05/2023 21:29

I agree with you. It’s a lost skill and I can imagine in the near future (young) people paying a fortune to have an artex ceiling.

Agreed! The reason ornate cornices & architraves, ceiling roses, fireplaces and hearths are so desired now is that everyone pulled them out for decades, finding them old-fashioned and fussy.

Tragically, my ceilings are boringly stippled with asbestos-containing artex. Wish they'd hired the guy who did your ceilings!

uninspiredpanda · 11/05/2023 21:31

That is my bedroom. I lie staring at it and die a little inside every night.

Original poster
betrocrowd · 11/05/2023 21:32

Theraffarian · 11/05/2023 21:22

i was going to go off piste and tell you about the papered ceiling in one of my rooms , but now I see you have one too . I adore mine , every so often I look upwards at it , and it never fails to make me smile . It’s now had I estimate about 70 years of paint over it , so the pattern is a lot more subtle that it would have been when it was put up there , but my god it’s a sparker of joy !

That's lovely. You sound similar to me. That's the type of whimsical thing I would think of and smile about. Explains my genealogy obsession.

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Original poster
betrocrowd · 11/05/2023 21:33

uninspiredpanda · 11/05/2023 21:31

That is my bedroom. I lie staring at it and die a little inside every night.

😂Hopefully after reading this thread you will have more joy in your bedroom each night!

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Original poster
betrocrowd · 11/05/2023 21:34

uninspiredpanda · 11/05/2023 21:29

I think I win the "worst ceiling" award.

I scrolled up and saw your pic and thought ooooooh, I like that. Then read your post. Oops.

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GarlicGrace · 11/05/2023 21:35

uninspiredpanda · 11/05/2023 21:29

I think I win the "worst ceiling" award.

It's not too bad. Evocative of Art Nouveau swirly illustrations (ish)

My artex ceiling has grown on me! (with pics)
Retrain12345 · 11/05/2023 21:35

I’ve got the bloody stuff on my bedroom walls and can’t face the upheaval of getting rid of it. Yours is lovely in comparison 😄

Ffsmakeitstop · 11/05/2023 21:39

I like it. We have paper on our living room ceiling been there 25 years and still looks as good as new.
Love the aliens.

Original poster
betrocrowd · 11/05/2023 21:42

rwalker · 11/05/2023 21:16

I wouldn’t pick it if starting from scratch
but it’s not offensive

not that much different from blown vinyl paper

I had to google that wallpaper, it was like the stuff my mum used to have and I'd stick my thumb nail in it every time I walked past.

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