Picture rails,chair rails or nothing

[Pa1nter]

This is my current project and it is nearing painting stage.

It has 2700 high ceilings,four beds,2 baths,rather a larger house around the 240m2,

This will be an IP in my local area.

I am tossing around if I should have picture rails .300 (1Foot)down from the ceilings or chair railings around 1 meter up from floor.
Or nothing of the above.

These would be strategically placed where I think they need to be and incorporate different colors to highlight them.

I must stress this is a value adding exercise and wont cost me any more money as I do it all myself.

I value your opinions

 

[brrmm]

I like picture rails, but I do live in a Qlder myself.

Advantage in an IP is that tenants could actually use it as a pic/rail and hang their pics from it instead of banging a nail in the wall.

 

[vincenzo]

I dunno, can't decide so I haven't voted

Chair rails and picture rails can look fancy. They might be good for an IP actually, as they might reduce the wear and tear on the place? I'm only guessing though.

Leaving the walls plain and doing some feature walls can look nice and modern, maybe better to go this way for an IP? Either way, what we're talking about is pretty trivial I guess.

Your sanding looks nice and smooth, looks like you've got all the plaster on nice and even

 

[Lil Skater]

Meh.

When I was doing a personal assistants job with a copywriter for real estate ads, she always used picture rails as a highlight - when it was an old boring house that really should be knocked down.

I think it works in older style, well kept Queenslanders or similar.

 

[Ski-bum]

I'm intrigued, what are chair rails?

ta

 

[wylie]

I don't like picture or chair rails in a modern house. I think it looks twee.

Queenslanders = picture rails.

Modern houses = keep it simple

I reckon tenants will still knock in nails even if you provide a picture rail. They will not be bothered to source the hooks or chain.

Ski-bum, chair rails are usually a wider piece of timber flat against the wall around the height of a chair to stop the chairs bashing into the plaster wall. You see them very often in doctors' surgeries and restaurants where chairs are used by a lot of people.

 

[Pa1nter]

I have attached a couple of photos of a previous house so you get my meaning a little better.

When I take photos of the exterior and some more of internal I can give you a better idea of what style of house it will be.

 

[skater]

I hate picture rails with a passion. I think it makes a house look old and weathered, no matter how modern it is. Hey, but maybe that's just me.

 

[wylie]

Those photos just remind me of 80s Brisbane style. My brother and his wife built a low set brick house in the 80s and put in picture and chair rails and lacy Austrian sheers. It is probably just a personal peeve of mine, but I truly don't like it in a modern house, even a modern house that is trying to be of a certain period.

It all comes down to personal taste, but I would want to rip them off the walls.

Nice paint job though .

 

[weg]

I dislike picture rails as well. I dislike them moreso in a new house and would rip them off and repaint if I was ever to buy one with them. Like others have said, keep it simple.

 

[Deena]

I agree I dislike both especially in modern homes. Sorry.

 

[wobbycarly]

Unless you already have a dado/chair rail, or picture rail, leave the walls smooth, IMO. Agree with skater - tends to make a "new" job look "old".

 

[arms]

Unless you already have a dado/chair rail, or picture rail, leave the walls smooth, IMO. Agree with skater - tends to make a "new" job look "old".

thats correct to an extent ,but what if you wanted the new job to look old in the first place ,in my house that i am building at the moment i am running 900mm high mdf with a profile cut into the surface to simulate raised panels around the entire base of all walls ,then a 93mm belt rail then 10mm plaster to get a flat body surface to 2100mm high then a 42mm picture rail then another 600mm of plaster to finish to ceiling ,the joins of the plaster are hidden under the moulding so no plastering is required except in and on the corners.i tried to buy these profiled panels but the price was horrendous (even at trade) so i programmed my cnc router to cut my own , this meant that i could adjust the profiles to suit the wall perfectly not be stuck with odd panels on some walls . a real eye catcher

 

[wylie]

I think for me the problem is that reproduction queenslanders usually just don't quite look right. There is no "slightly shabby" or "this house has been here a long time" feel. The roof pitch is often wrong, the internal dado and picture rails don't look right due to ceiling height being too low, and (for me) the biggest no-no is aluminium sliding windows with any "period" features.

This is purely a personal view and all sorts of people like all sorts of different styles.

 

[lizzie]

unless the house is 50yrs+ or older i wouldn't put either. i also think a 2700 ceiling is took low for picture rails. i personally dislike new houses trying to look old because they never do - they just look kitch. i much prefer old houses being moderately modernised instead.

don't get me wrong - i have them in current house but it is 90 years old and the ceilings are 3200 so look perfect.

wouldn't go chair rails at all.

 

[Pa1nter]

Thanks everyone for their input,
It seems 90% of people don't like chair or picture rails?
Looks like it's a simple house,easier on me anyway

I personally like picture rails to hang Pictures
A also like chair rails to prevent damage to walls from tenants lounge chairs and to add different colors to a house.