The Outdated Ceiling Feature Jenny And Dave Marrs Avoid At All Costs
When renovating a home, Jenny and Dave Marrs of "Fixer to Fabulous" always try to keep as much of the original architecture as possible. "I think the first thing is really trying to figure out what we can keep, particularly if it's an old house," Jenny tells Better Homes and Gardens. They ask the homeowners, "What can we keep in this house? What can we keep original..." Because of this, they often decide to restore instead of replace the flooring, built-in bookcases, or ceiling trim. However, when they come across one specific design feature, it almost always has to go: an intricate tray ceiling.
It's not that Jenny and Dave hate tray ceilings altogether, as they can make a ceiling look taller and give it an interesting appearance. However, this feature looks outdated when it has curved, traditional-looking details. They came across this feature in Season 4, Episode 2 of "Fixer to Fabulous," which leads Jenny to say, "We need to cut out those weird, detailed arches in the bedroom," per Realtor.com.
How Jenny and Dave Marrs modernize a tray ceiling
To make a tray ceiling with weird arches feel more modern, Jenny and Dave Marrs form it into a square and paint it white. Once the work is done, Jenny says, "Now it feels like the room just grew," per Realtor.com. "By squaring off the recessed ceiling, we were able to instantly modernize the room," Jenny writes on the couple's blog.
In Season 4, Episode 13 of "Fixer to Fabulous," the married duo takes another approach to modernize a tray ceiling: They get rid of it altogether. To do this, they simply cover it up, which in turn lowers the ceiling. They decide upon this renovation route because of the homeowner's dislike for the feature.
"What about the ceiling? What do you think of this little tray situation here," Jenny asks the homeowner. In this case, the property owner's response leaves little room for doubt. "The tray ceiling has got to go," she says, per Realtor.com. As such, choosing to keep, cover up, or renovate this feature depends on your unique design preferences.