DIY fretwork on the ceiling

The backstory on this project is that we were thinking about putting moulding up in the nursery. The problem with that is, knowing me it would turn into one of those "if you give a mouse a cookie/moose a muffin" projects. I'd then want moulding in our bedroom, the kitchen, and dentil moulding in the bathrooms.

So we're avoiding that conundrum all together by doing a little ceiling decoration thing, which I hesitate to call "fretwork" cause its really not. Traditionally, fretwork is 3-D decorative carving, and this is not that, at all. But really I don't know what else to call it.

I love little details in a room, especially ones that take you a minute to notice. This will (hopefully) be one of those details. Enter fretwork. Or "faux fretwork" I guess.

I'm doing this freehand, mostly because the less serious it is the more playful I'm hoping it'll come off. Plus, I don't want my baby thinking I'm the measuring type. Cmon. Really though, it's not that hard to make a straight line with tape especially with the wall right there for guidance. It's like driving buzzed. You know you shouldn't but you haven't hit anything yet.

We're painting the ceiling with a light light blue ceiling paint. I had the paint guy tint it 25% of this color I like. You can do this with any color, and it can have a really cool effect depending on the color you choose. You can even tint the paint 50-25% of your wall color and it has this amazingly cozy feel to it. That is, if you don't choose a butt ugly paint color.

Here's some legit fretwork that's pretty awesome:

 

 

and more faux fretwork on these entry walls: