Artex Ceiling Love

This will be a bone of contention if we ever move. I can’t stand artex ceilings but husband will not be bothered enough to spend money covering them up!! We have looked at a lot of houses and so many have them .

Germanshepherdsmum

Artex seems to feature very heavily in the bungalows I see on Rightmove. I suppose some people must love looking up at all those swirls and seashells on their ceilings. I’m not one of them.

I bought my bungalow mostly for the pretty garden so I knew there would be quite a bit to do inside.

The first job was to get rid of the heavily Artexed ceilings. There’s only so many sea shells you can look at! ?

I had my bathroom "done", and was told I'd soon be desperate to get everywhere else skimmed, too.
It hasn't made any difference, though.
The walls and ceilings are just things.
I don't sleep on them or climb a ladder to examine them, so I'm not unduly bothered.

If I win the lottery, they'll be done, but it's not top of my list.

Artex?

Artex seems to feature very heavily in the bungalows I see on Rightmove. I suppose some people must love looking up at all those swirls and seashells on their ceilings. I’m not one of them.

If your house is post-1980 there should be no asbestos. Professionals should check any artex for asbestos before they begin working, too. Our house is 1980-ish and the contractors still did the check, just in case. Usually the only thing they will do with older ceilings is put a new plaster board underneath - asbestos is only dangerous once you start to play with it and create dust.

I have a friend who moved into a house that seemed to have Artex everywhere. Walls, ceilings, door frames and even the light switches!

Our woodchip paper, hall stairs and landing, is staying put. It reminds me of when I was fit, and daft enough to clamber up and down a ladder with the paper, and not get vertigo looking down the stairs .

When I moved into my 1930 hours back in 2003, all the ceilings were artexted. However, the bedroom ones were fine, small artex, BUT downstairs the swirls were so large and deep hanging, and I hated it. A couple of years later I had a ceiling company when rubbed it down and flatted them all out. However, when I brought the same company back three years ago to do one of the bedroom ceilings they told me they no longer did that, either would need to take down and totally replace that ceiling, or else put plasterboard over the existing one, etc.

The block of flats I live in (built 1984), has all the ceilings, both in the flats and in the communal areas with a light artex. I know some of the flats have had their ceilings re-done, but most of us have not. They are fine, and a brilliant white.

Yes, I have anti-macassers on the backs of my sofas and chairs. All totally match those seats (the one on my riser/recliner is in the same material). These are at head height, and can all easily go into the washing machine. Much nicer than dark stains on the backs of those chairs, etc.

Kalu

Sadly, my crafting and crochet skills are non existent, otherwise DIY covers would be perfect.

The ones I finally found were from Ambrose Wilson. When I ordered them online, I had little expectation as to what they would be like, but was pleasantly surprised at the quality for the price.

We’ve some chair backs embroidered by my late ma in law who was a wonderful needlewoman. They won’t stay on our leather sofas and in fairness would look odd, instead I use some as mini cloths for the bedside tables in our guest room which has curtains hand embroidered by the same talented woman.

The chair backs must be 52 years old as ma made them for our first sofa and chairs. The curtains are, according to Mr C, about 65 years old. Since the curtains passed to us they have been a constant. I even told one bemused estate agent we could not buy a house he was showing us as there was no window the curtains would fit. I love them but fashionable they are not.

Calendargirl

I have chair back and arm rest covers on my three piece suite (used to be called antimicassars years ago).

In fact, I found it really hard to find suitable ones, and I started a thread on here asking for suggestions. Oh dear, some of the replies! “Haven’t seen these for years, only used by my granny etc”.

Well, I like them! They are a nice cream colour, in a sturdy cotton fabric with lace edging. Help to keep the arms and backs clean and not too worn.

Sometimes, Granny knew best.

?

I bought cream curtain lining, cut whichever size was required and crocheted the edges with cream fine embroidery thread in a lace type pattern for a family friend once Calendargirl.

Only if you can crochet and are into crafting of course. ?

I had my sitting room, bedroom and spare room ceilings re plastered as soon as I moved in because the Artex pattern was heavy swirls which I hated. The kitchen and bathroom just had a few faint swirls here and there so I’ve left them alone.

The sun room walls were covered with ginger coloured wood cladding (very seventies) and I thought I’d only have to slap a bit of white paint on top.

Two coats of primer and three coats of emulsion later……..?

Don’t like to upset anyone, but Artex can be made of Asbestos!

Same here, Paddyann, upstairs is just stippled, not huge swirls like downstairs which we did have replastered.
I do like to 'Artex' the Christmas cake

and a serving hatch
Oh, are they passé now? I find mine very useful.

we've been in this house since it was built and it came with Artex ceilings.We've had all the downstairs ones replastered but left upstairs as it isn't offensive just small uniform pattern .I do remember paying an exorbitant amount have Artex done when it was first fashionable

And a few holly sprigs for authenticity, Arewethereyet! We kept thinking all the peaks would shrink when it dried out but they never did. Like I said, you don’t argue with a murderer! ?

The guy that did it made it look like a snow scene from an iced Christmas cake.

SueDonim In my head you have snowmen hanging from your ceiling, along with the Alps and a few icicles and robins.

???

Eek yes those polystyrene ceiling tiles are so dangerous.

Years ago our neighbour had a chip pan fire and he had those tiles on his kitchen ceiling!! My husband heard the neighbour shouting and ran round to help - he said the tiles were melting and dripping fire everywhere.

When we moved into this bungalow, the ceilings were all either Artexed or covered in Polystyrene tiles, so it was not only ugly, but dangerous too!
The dining room Polystyrene tiles went first, followed by the kitchen artex, sitting room artex, hall poly tiles, bathroom artex (that was truly hideous!) main bedroom artex will be next, and then we'll just have 3 rooms left.
It's been a long, messy and expensive job to get it all sorted, but the difference is remarkable, so well worth it!
Just after the sitting room ceiling had been made lovely, we met the man we bought the bungalow from, and on hearing that we were altering all the ceilings, said "Oh, what pattern Artex are you having done"?
I almost choked!

Someone had a go, freehand, with the artex here.
With very limited success, by the looks of it.

We have 'swirly artex' on our dining room ceiling, I rather like it

I have wood chip paper, swirly artex, and a serving hatch.
I can't afford to redo any of it, so I just go with the flow.

I have to say my DM has some lovely Artex ceilings. Her house is quite old and the Artex covers the cracks. Part of it is flat with a design around the lights and it's quite striking.

I remember having those plastic (or styrofoam) tiles for ages on my bedroom ceiling when I was younger. Anyone still got those?

I do love nice wallpapers but I like to change things around from time to time and I'm too lazy to deal with wallpapers.

We had a ceiling re-artexed when we moved to a house and found the ceiling irreparably stained. The guy that did it made it look like a snow scene from an iced Christmas cake. There was also the added spice when we were chatting to him that he dropped the info that he’d been in prison for murder! We decided not to argue with him about the finish on the ceiling. . ?

Artex is horrible imho, but whatever floats your boat. I like retro wallpaper and bright coloured mid century modern textiles.