My fascination with silver leaf began as a child when my dad used it to enhance old pieces of furniture.
Dad always had a project or two going. I remember watching him painstakingly apply the sizing (adhesive) then position those oddly fragile, 4-inch silver squares, peeling away the paper around them and testing out how much overlap was needed to cover. Unlike his mosaic tile, we weren’t allowed to play with it.
The next time I thought about silver leaf was a lifetime later when I saw a photo of it on a dining room ceiling. A bell went off and I realized how amazing it would be to do in any room – imagine the tour de force of gluing down Post-It size, tissue-thin metallic paper evenly over the surface of an entire ceiling.
It’s still possible to find craftsmen who know how to leaf a ceiling such as this library on Park Avenue designed by Mario Buatta [top]. The beauty of these ceilings is their cool hue, the shimmer and the natural ability of the surface to reflect light – particularly candlelight.
The barrel-vaulted silver-leaf ceiling, in an otherwise staid room by designer Charles Allen, shows how it can be enhanced when properly lit – and also the way the material appears. By drawing the eye up and painting out what looks to have been a fairly unsuitable (or unattractive) stone fireplace, the ceiling sets a formal tone for the room.
A lovely gray bedroom by Patrik Lönn, at the Inspired Design Showhouse, included gray walls and a leaf ceiling – this close up shows some of it peeking out from above the tented canopy swag mounted on the ceiling.
Unfortunately, the room wasn’t large enough to capture an overall shot.
Anyone looking at these photos might assume that the same effect could be achieved with silver paint, metallic wallpaper or even Venetian plaster. Perhaps. It’s an exciting idea to mull as a DIY project, though in my world a mirror, a box or perhaps an accent wall would be enough of an adventure for an intrepid home decorator. Like heaven, the ceiling can wait.
I would imagine they would be a good way of creating the impression of a higher ceiling, and I considered something similar in a project here.
What a gorgeous, wonderful idea! And oh what a lot of work! For the right room/house this would be just beautiful. Thanks for showing!
In one of my first tiny apartments I painted the bedroom glossy British Racing Green and put mirror paper on the ceiling (while seven months pregnant!). Acid green shag carpet – can you tell it was a while ago?!
It didn’t have the refinement of silver leaf by a long chalk, but I loved the shimmer, and felt wonderfully connected to the garden outside.
Love the glamour it brings to a room! Such a ton of work, though. I could see it bringing some drama to a powder room with crown molding just below the ceiling line and some rope lighting between.
Can you imagine the paroxysm of joy I’ve gone into after opening this post???
I can speak from personal experience that applying silver leaf is incredibly difficult! I silver leafed a large oval mirror frame. I ripped and wrinkled and generally ruined more squares of silver than I really should admit to.
To fix the problem I have…ummm..multiple layers. The effect is stunning..an old silver-backed mirror surrounded by a “charmingly patina-ed” silver leaf frame.
I don’t think I would have lasted very long as an apprentice for an old master. :~)
I love that idea on the ceiling.
Those ceilings ARE heaven. How beautiful and subtly stunning. That library swept my heart away.
Wow, I’ve never seen a silver ceiling before. Very pretty!