astrovel, is this a rental or older home that the ceilings were lowered?
Painting them would be just fine. You could even take them out and paint them in the garage or outside and not get a pain in the neck from painting a ceiling.

Are you talking about popcorn or another surface?

Now where did I get the idea her ceilings were acoustic TILES? Think I need my eyes check. (blushing here)

Just...I was just getting clarification - she could very well have meant that, it just wasn't clear to me.

Yeah, and I read acoustic and thought tiles. Guess we'll have to wait and see when she comes back. :^)

Sorry, I guess I didn't make myself clear. It isn't acoustical tiles and it really isn't popcorn per se', its that stuff that they blow on that looks like stucco. A bunch of little bumps of plaster. I abhor that stuff but it would take a ton of effort to scrape it all off and no telling what imperfections would surface underneath it all. It's an older house but the ceilings are not lowered. They are vaulted. I doubt if they have ever been painted so I bet they will really soak up the paint. I hope I don't have to roll 5 coats on to make it look decent.
Part of my problem is that I am 75 yrs old and can't hold up to a lot of strenuous activity like I used to. We are planning on ripping out the cruddy carpet that is down and putting the Novalis oak vinyl planks down on the floors. This because everything in our house is old. LOL 3 old dogs and 1 old cat all who have accidents so laminate is not an option. We can do the Novalis ourselves. I plan on painting the ceiling and walls before we do the floors so am trying to get as much advice as possible.
Thanks for your interest in my project.

astrovel, if the ceilings aren't stained or dingy looking I wouldn't bother painting them. I painted ours when we first moved in. I'd never do it again.
Creme would look nice and if you want them painted call your grandchildren over for a painting party. If you do do it yourself then get an extension handle for your roller. That does help a lot. Our daughter and I took turns doing edging or rolling to make it easier.

Hmmm...you mean that orange peel texture stuff? And vaulted ceilings? Know anyone with a sprayer? Maybe you could rent one. Painting a ceiling can literally be a pain in the neck...

Painting the ceiling cream would be fine, but make it a light cream and be really careful to get the shade right so that you don't go yellow. They make special rollers for rough surfaces, but any ceiling job is a bear.

My DH jused to install acoustic ceilings back when they were "in style". They have asbestos in that mix. You don't want to "disturb" it or get close enough to breath any fall out while painting it. It's safe to spray paint it while wearing a mask and standing a few feet away from it.

We painted an acoustic ceiling once....at our last house. We used plastic drop cloths and covered everything, walls, floors.....then the actual spraying went quickly! I'd paint it! :0)

Thanks everyone for your postings! Nicole...What kind of a spray painter did you use to spray the ceilings? Don't you have to thin the paint down to make it spray? This ceiling is so dirty looking that I'm wondering if I would have to spray it 10 times just to cover it. My son says forget spraying. Just roll it.
My indecision is how to go about doing it. I'm going to pull up the carpet anyway, I wonder if I just covered up the furniture and the windows with plastic drop cloths and roll the ceiling, not worrying about dripping paint on the carpet, then go back and paint the walls, and finally then pull up the carpet and put in the floor.
On the other hand, we are going to have to move all the furniture to one side of the room to do the floor and pull the carpet up anyway. Wonder which would be easiest? Move all the furniture to one side, paint half the room, pull up the carpet, do the new floor then move to the other side? Gosh...what a dilemma. What do you think would be the best method of tackling the job?
Another question: Has anybody used the Behr paint that has the primer included in it? Did you like it?

Oh my gosh, I didn't realize there was asbestos in older acoustic ceilings.
astrovel, you are best to leave them as they are. No precausion is completely safe when working around asbestos. Nicole is right leaving it be is the best. My Daddy suffered from asbestosis and believe me it nothing you want to take a chance with and wind up living attached to an oxygen tank for the rest of your life. Yes is can be painted over as Nicole gave details for, but it's so not worth it when it comes to taking a chance with your health.

justgota - I think you are overstating the dangers of a one time painting of an asbestos ceiling. Chances are your Dad was exposed to asbestos in a situation where he worked directly with it over a period of time.

Is this an actual acoustical type product blown on or is it textured like the walls? Is it hard to the touch or soft? I'm just not sure from the description that this is an acoustical ceiling. If it is textured like the walls and hard to the touch then painting shouldn't be a hazard problem. You can rent an airless sprayer and your local tool rental store and spray the ceilings in no time at all. If you go that route, spray the ceiling first. Be sure and put drop cloths over everything. You can also paint your walls the same way but cutting in woodwork requires more skill. I had a rental property painted by a professional this way and he could cut in edges without any taping off or anything. Afraid I couldn't do that so I would have to invest in painters tape before I started.

Have you considered hiring someone to paint just the ceilings? I got several estimates and it wasn't that exensive. I did this a few years ago and what a difference it made. The orginal color was a dull beige color and I had them sprayed white. Several of mine are vaulted, too. It really brighten the place up.

I know white ceilings aren't popular on this forum, but I still like them in many cases.

Graywings, I may be, but with something like asbestos it's better to leave it alone. And no, my Daddy didn't work directly with asbestos. He was a Tinner. It was invisable in the air left over from work already finished by the time he came on the job. Call me paranoid, but there are some things I'd rather not take a chance with even if it takes more build up than just painting one wall at astrovels age, she could have already been exposed to it often and not realize it. Just being careful. I'm sure at my age, I have been too. Especially since my Daddy could have brought him home on his clothing.

To show everyone what this ceiling looks like I took some pics but couldn't figure out how to post them here, so I uploaded them to my photobucket site so you can see them there.
http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww286/Astrovel/ceiling1.jpg
http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww286/Astrovel/ceiling2.jpg
Can't really afford to hire anybody on Soc. Security only. I have only a limited amount of funds to do the floors. Paint will have to come out of household budget.

I think that once your walls are painted in the beige color you've got in mind, you won't notice the ceiling so much. I really think I'd just leave it alone if I were you, and concentrate my decorating time, effort and money down below.
:-)

Ditto Aunt Jen, Astrovel. It looks just fine to me. When you are done with everything else you may not feel the need to paint them.
I like what I can see of your home. Looking forward to seeing more when you are done.
Oh and to get photos into your message, just copy and paste the html code from each photo. The photo itself won't show up until until you preview your message.

Some of the "popcorn ceilings" do contain asbestos in the mix, but others do not. One would have to test to know. I'm not sure that's what astrovel has.

If the asbestos is not damaged, it is not a problem. Painting it actually serves to encapsulate it. Using a sprayer has the dual advantages of better coverage for an uneven surface without actual contact with it.

On my computer, the ceiling is showing yellow and almost to a mustard color. If that is the true color of the ceiling, it is going to look pretty strange with beige walls.

I would want to paint the ceiling white, but it would be marginally easier to paint the ceiling the same color as the walls. It avoids having to deal with the line of demarcation.

I can't see going through the work and expense of painting and laying new carpet, only to then regret that you didn't paint the ceiling because then it will be too late.

Since you are removing the carpet anyhow, you don't have to worry about it dripping. Put a roller with a one-inch nap on a pole and go at it. Wear a shower cap on your head.

Thanks all and justgotabme for clueing me in on posting the photos. I think I am going to talk to somebody in the paint store and see what they say about spray or rolling. I gotta paint the ceilings. Ya'll (that's Texan for "you all" LOL)can't see the dirt clinging to the little points in the pic. It's awful and it's driving me nuts. I tried vacumning it but it won't come off. I got the worst of it off with a broom but it still looks cruddy.
Just gotta figure out what's the best way of tackling it.

Move all the furn over to one side and paint? or just paint with the furn in place? I have to start unloading all the stuff in bookcases, media shelves, lamps and knickknacks anyway so I can really start making headway.
Thanks Ya'll....for your advice and support.

It looks like popcorn ceiling to me. The color looks a lot like the color my ceiling was before. Painting my ceiling white made a huge difference.

There are special rollers for these kinds ceilings. If you do roll it look for a wool roller, they clean so much easier. Don't cheap out and buy a low end one, more expensive ones are worth the money.

I wear a showercap when I paint over my head, too. LOL

I'd move the furniture, tape everything up, rent an airless sprayer, and break out the shower cap and goggles, just in case. We painted the ceiling white that way in our previous residence, and it gave it a cleaner feel.

Yep. I vote popcorn also. You can paint it with a roller but the popcorn stuff will flake off as you roll it unless it's been painted before. Which is possible. Normally popcorn ceilings are sprayed on and usually white originally. This one seems to be a much darker color which is too uniform to be stained with age, etc. An airless sprayer is the best way to go. You don't really thin the paint down. You use a spray tip that will handle the type paint you get. The paint store will be able to help you.

Thanks for the ideas on how to do. I talked with a friend tonight who said the last time he painted a "popcorn" ceiling he used a rented spray unit and the paint was mixed with a small amount of alcohol based "drying" liquid which helped it go on easier and the paint was not thinned. He said it wasn't a lot of additive, only just a little.
Pris...I have lived here 10 years and the ceiling has never been painted. No telling if it EVER has been painted. It was just too much of a job to even consider. But trust me, it may be uniform but it IS stained with age, dust etc. The color was originally white because the former owner was a big fan of white walls, white ceiling, white trim etc.
I plan on a consultation with the paint store guys hopefully tomorrow. Now I am getting excited to get started.

Thanks everyone.

I hope you're still checking this thread.

I know exactly where you're coming from. When those ceilings get dingy they do look bad.

I have done one and it was a vaulted ceiling. I can't imagine spraying it because the spray will come down all over you. I rolled mine. You want a super thick fluffy roller.

Also, get one of those telescoping handles for your roller handle. They screw together. The long handle will allow you to paint most or all of the ceiling while you stand on the floor... or in the case of a vaulted ceiling you won't have to be as high up on a ladder, so you'll be safer. When you use the long handles, it helps to have a lot of upper body strength. Is there any chance you could hire a teenaged boy in your area to do it for you? If not, I'd plan to take several days to do it if it's a very big area because it's tiring and it may hurt your neck (got someone to give you neck rubs?). You can store your dirty roller wrapped tightly in a plastic bag overnight without cleaning it. It will still be damp the next day. So please pace yourself rather than driving yourself.

Those little bumps dislodge easily and they will come down wet with paint in your hair, in your mouth (keep it shut), and go down the front of your blouse and bra. Ick. Wear a shower cap.

It's not a fun job. But it IS gratifying to see it turn from dingy-cobwebby to fresh vibrant white. You will love the change. To answer your original question, I'd go with a very stark white. Anything in a beige might just look dingy on that type of ceiling, IMO.

Good luck Astovel! Let us know how it went.
Ya'll come back and show us how it looks too. LOL. We lived in Lubbuck, TX for fourteen months back in the late eighties and loved it. Our daughter turned two a couple days after we moved there and started talking with an adorable southern accent. Our son picked up an accent with a few words in kindergarten.

Yep, that's an acoustic/popcorn ceiling.:0) We used a compressor with a sprayer attachment to spray the ceiiing. The plastic drop cloths were thin, cheap about .50cents for a 10' x 10' square.....about $10 later we covered "everything" not getting painted. DH wore stilts, we also had a vaulted ceiling like yours....:0).....amazing! The plastic stuck to our feet and the whole thing was worth it! Oh............those were the days! :0) One coat did it...no special thinners were used in the paint.

Hi ladies, OK, I am pretty well on the way to start my painting but before I go to the paint store, I thought I would show you the "bare" room. First photo: You can see the color of my cream color chairs and the current colors of curtains. I have one wall on the dining room side that is the same color as the mauve in the curtains which will change to maybe a darker beige. (I haven't gotten to that side of the room yet)
(1)http://s728.photobucket.com/albums/ww286/Astrovel/?action=view&current=LRstart-1.jpg
Second photo: Shows the window wall. Curtains will be a champagne color instead of the stripe. I had planned on keeping the long cornice box but maybe taking off the ecru trim and leaving it plain. (what do you think?) It also will be extended all the way down on the left. (I had to cover the last window on the left because my computer is in front of it. That will change also.)
(2)http://s728.photobucket.com/albums/ww286/Astrovel/?action=view&current=LRstart-2.jpg
Photo 3: Front door wall. We recently painted the trim around the door...it is the original white paint the whole house was in. You can see the hallway is certainly not white anymore. I will be putting a new door in with a nice oval leaded glass. The bust on the LHS looks kind of funny without the two pictures I usually have on each side of it. I probably will start looking for a different stand for it. I keep the cover on the couch to protect it from the dogs nails digging in.
(3)http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww286/Astrovel/LRstart-3.jpg?t=1248889791
I apologize for the long links but I couldn't figure out how to convert my pic to html that would be easy to post here.
So now you have my start: What is the consensus with everyone? Should I spray the ceilings white or cream? The walls will be the pretty much the same color beige as in the vertical print on the cornice box. Should I trim around the doors in a darker beige or keep them white? The floors are going to be golden oak.
Anxious to hear what everyone thinks. I appreciate the help in making the choices.

I think either would look nice, but with popcorn I think white is better. It will look cleaner and brighter. I have cream in my kitchen and white in the rest of my house. I perfer the white.

I used off white...cream. I like white, just not blazing on my ceiling or walls. Maybe a chair or duvet....

I was able to access the first two of your photos for you:

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{{gwi:1748549}}

Went to SW store yesterday to get some advice about painting the ceiling. Spray or roll? The guy behind the counter was a young guy about 25 who didn't give a rats tail about serving a customer. Just as I came in, another couple entered and the kid says "Well, this guy could give you more advice than I can...he is a professional painter" So, striking up a conversation with the painter, he says if you roll it and too much paint gets on the ceiling, it could just fall down in a glob. I pressed him for an estimate of what it would cost to just paint the ceilings in the LR and hall. He says "Oh, I'd say about $400-500.00" I clutched my chest and said "I'm comin to join ya, Charlie!" The kid behind the counter said "Well, you won't find anybody else to do it for that. He's the cheapest painter around, and if you rent a sprayer at $75 a day, you might be paying more in the long run because you will have to pay about $150 in paint to start with."
I said "OK, I'll look at some paint chips and see if I can find what I want." I go over to the paint chip section and the dodo behind the counter continued to have a jolly conversation with his pal. Never came over to offer any assistance, and didn't bother with a departing greeting when I left.
When I came back to the car, I told my DH what happened and he suggested we go to another paint store. Went to KM paints, the grey haired gentleman behind the counter greeted me with a happy, friendly tone. He listened to my tale of woe about painting the ceiling and after asking some questions, offered some suggestions. He said that the airless sprayer that the rental places use really put out the paint in a hurry and if you can't work real fast, you would be really loading up the paint on the surface. That's why the pro use them because they can really move fast with it. He suggested using the roller for us, since it probably would be easier for us to use. He said some of the fragments of the ceiling will probably come off as you paint (as though I cared...I hate that stuff). He showed me a can of paint that the contractors use (because it is the cheapest). Picking it up, he told me to hold the can a moment. He went to the next stack which was the next better grade paint and gave me the can to hold for a moment. It was considerably heavier. Then he moved to the best grade paint and offered me the can to hold. It was WAY heavier than either of the two others.
He said the middle one is probably the best bet for the ceilings and use the better grade for the walls because of its washability and durability. He was so helpful and treated me with respect even though I don't know jack about paint other than you roll it on. He showed me a couple of paint chips in a beige color that he said is very popular with people painting homes in the $150K and 200K price range. I liked one of them and chose that color for the walls, and a little different one for the trim.
The difference in the two paint stores was like daylight and dark. When we left, he carried the paint & supplies out to the car, invited us back anytime just to visit, even said "we could sit down and have lunch together". Guess who gets any future business I have need of? Granted, there is always a sales pitch with any business serving the public, but this man's honesty and sincerity sold me.
There is a painter here in town that posted on Craigslist that is coming this afternoon to give me an estimate. He says he basically charges $20 per hour or can quote by the job. His mother lives a few blocks from us so maybe he will give us a break. He also does handyman stuff, so maybe he can help us rip up the carpet as well. I doubt that the estimate for the room will equal $400-500.

Anyway, I chose the "Acoustic white" for the ceilings since my friendly paint man said that is the color most painters use for popcorn ceilings and probably is the original color I have on there now.
I love the beiges I picked out for the walls and trim and I think it will go good with the champagne colored drapes.
Will keep you posted on my progress. I appreciate your opinions and advice.