Yes, I have only one (decorating and blogging) thing on my mind these days: Driving toward completion of my Mahalo Lounge or at least toward the point when I can start serving cocktails with sufficient affect. What will I do with the ceilings? I already painted them, a kind of caramel color — Benajamin Moore Shelburne Buff — which reads nondescript in the photo above, but I assure you, does have some pigment to it. But the paint is just a place holder: I also want/need texture on the ceilings. There is so much of them — 45′ x 15′ of ceilings, in five beamed sections. With the ceilings commanding such attention, I must treat them as a “sixth wall”. Thinking and thinking and thinking, and looking and looking and looking, I finally found this open weave natural weave burlap on ebay (affiliate link). I think it might do the trick, adhered right on top of the paint.
The price was decent especially since the stuff is 84″ wide (the listing says 90″ but mine is 84″, which still works for me, although barely).
I believe that burlap is made from jute — which is great for a tiki bar. And, I love the wide weave of this pattern — it also reminds me of fishing nets.
I plan to run 15′ of the jute down each of of the three center sections of ceiling — no seaming of the jute fabric will be required as it’s 84″ wide and my widest panel is just under that.
The sections (4) above the bar and (5) in the dining room will get different treatments; stay tuned.
Getting the open weave jute up onto the ceilings it up is going to be some serious *therapy*. Again, each will be adhered as one long piece — 15′ long and up to 84″ wide — and I’ll need to keep the lines straight, or it’ll look like a train wreck up there. This whole idea may turn out to be an impossible installation disaster. Or: If it works, genius — so much cheaper than grasscloth and maybe kinda cool what with the peek-a-boo jute weave over paint. If I get it to work, I’ll also add sea shells and stuff — surprising little assemblages — in the corners here and there and I’ll see what else I can come up with. If/when, that is.
I am going to try the liquid-starch-as-a-removable adhesive method. I am going to test first, though, in case there’s shrinkage. If you were hoping the big reveal of the Mahalo Lounge was close, gulp, me no think so.
Link love, again in case you missed it.:
- Open weave natural weave burlap on ebay (affiliate link).
Heart says
I do like it & think it will ‘warm up the ceiling’ & add a subtle texture to the room.
Could also help with sound absorption with the ‘tiki drum’ music. 😀
ineffablespace says
Painted or gilded (metallic gold painted) burlap was also a ceiling treatment in the American Arts and Crafts period. Gilded to pick up on the lighting.
Lynne says
Why don’t you just use real fish netting? You could just staple it to the ceiling creating dips and loops and swags in the corners. You could easily then hang the accessories you want from it.
Trying to glue those huge pieces of fabric to the ceiling and keep it straight sounds like an absolute nightmare.
I googled fish net and fish netting and there were MANY options to choose from. https://www.google.com/search?q=fish+netting+material&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#q=fish+netting+material&tbm=shop Hope that link works.
Jay says
Oh My, another mini project within a project. Nice material and your sample taped to the ceiling looks great against the molding and leopard print walls. Getting it to adhere to the ceiling and stay there will be a triumph. What about breaking each section into smaller equal parts and stretching the fabric over a lightweight frame that could be attached to the ceiling. Yes I thought the completion was near.
Pam Kueber says
Oooooh, I like the idea of putting these on a frame. Maybe a tweak on that idea since I was really thinking I wanted the adhesion would be for me to get each ginormous panel attached (glued? stapled?) to very very thin but rigid strips like veneer then try and starch them up to the ceiling…
Christine W says
Maybe cut some thin panels the size you need (15×84?) , adhere the stuff to the panel, then put the panel up (and save your neck in the meantime)
Carolyn says
My concern would be potential “saggage” in humid weather or just simply gravity but your random starfish/seashell assemblages might be what you need to hold things up. If it just.does.not. work, and you’ve already alluded to fishing nets, would you consider the fishing nets look?
As far as shrinkage, pinning it in the selvage a la curtain stretchers might prevent that until they are dry.
As far as the Great Reveal, in the depths of January would be awesome so don’t rush on our account.
When you are all done with this ceiling work, are you going on the road as a wrist/arm wrestler? My upper arms ache just from reading these posts!
Pam Kueber says
yes, a la curtain stretchers pinning it to something else sounds like it’s got to be part of my plan
I will have fishing nets in the room, but selectively…
Christine W says
Just a goofy idea, but if the long strips don’t work, what about doing smaller panels (with some type of trim around them) – the panels could be any shape …leaves, flowers, palm trees, starfish…the trim might be difficult with wood -but maybe something like rope would work. I’m getting carried away here…
Pam Kueber says
I love the rope trim idea!
Christine W says
Good idea to think about the 6th wall Pam. That sort of texture on the ceiling would look really special and compliment your Tiki Masterpiece. Not to be negative, but with that open a weave it might be a nightmare to get the lines straight because the material is so floppy. Maybe ‘real’ burlap would be easier? It’s going to look fantastic. The energy and creativity you have is amazing.
ineffablespace says
If this is going on the ceiling, I don’t think you will want sisal on the floor. That would create a sort of sisal sandwich.
Reader Deb says
It’s hard to tell from the photos, but if the edges won’t unravel and the material itself doesn’t weigh much, you might want to put up one panel using push pins along the edges of the wood near the ceiling as a practice run to see how it looks.