Unsellable Houses Stars Use Wood Flooring In An Unexpected Way (& You'll Want To, Too)
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Finding the perfect wood planks for your home's flooring is usually difficult enough, but what if you decided to also install them on the ceiling? This is exactly what the stars of "Unsellable Houses," Leslie Davis and Lyndsay Lamb, did when renovating a warm and chic Florida home. In the living room, to complement the neutral Greek Villa paint color from Sherwin Williams, the duo installed white oak engineered hardwood on the ceiling from Robbins. "Yes, you read that right — we really put engineered hardwood flooring on the ceiling...and the results were even better than we could have ever expected," Lamb wrote on their website.
The combination created a stunning coastal aesthetic that beautifully paired with the decor made of natural materials, like the wooden furniture, the wicker light fixtures, and the various plants seen throughout the space, which add a nice pop of green. If you love this look as much as we do, there are luckily a few ways you can implement it into your own home.
How to get the look of wood flooring on the ceiling
Before getting started, you need to pinpoint your home's design aesthetic. If it's coastal, like the home Lyndsay Lamb and Leslie Davis designed, you'll want to choose planks with warm hues to ensure there is a sense of harmony in your design. On Amazon, there are products designated for ceiling installation, like the A La Maison Foam Wood Planks in natural maple, which are $279.92 per a box of 96. This hue will match natural materials meant for coastal designs, like wood, straw, and stone. It's also lightweight and moisture-resistant, making it easier to install and long-lasting.
To complement this color, we suggest painting the walls with Sherwin Williams' Westhighland White, which is a light hue with a warm undertone. It will keep the space bright and maintain that coastal feel — a darker shade might create a more rustic vibe. If you'd prefer to add some color, blue can serve as a more vibrant neutral that livens up the space, like Sherwin Williams' Aleutian.
Things to consider before installing wood flooring on the ceiling
Since you'll be installing planks on the ceiling, you'll want to consider the weight. Lyndsay Lamb and Leslie Davis used engineered hardwood planks, which typically weigh less than real wood. As a result, it will likely be more difficult to DIY this project with real hardwood, resulting in the additional cost of labor. If you were to do this project yourself, depending on the space and material, it would cost around $1,000. But if you were to hire a contractor, you'll be adding $5 to $16 per square foot to the final cost.
Additionally, if you plan to go through with the project, whether it's with engineered or real wood planks, the manufacturer likely is not recommending customers to install them on the ceiling. As a result, they may void the warranty. So, if the planks are damaged by light, smoke, or anything else, the replacement costs may entirely come out of your pocket.