On Today's Episode

• There is a common paint problem that happens in high moisture areas… a slimy orange substance oozes from the wall! We will explain what is happening and how you avoid this problem in your bathroom.
• Historic ceilings were often decorated with ceiling medallions but why did this trend start? Turns out there is a lot of debate around the subject! We will dig into the surprising history and propose a theory of our own!
• Every story needs an ending…but how does this apply to design? We will finish our ceiling conversation AND tell you everything you need to know to get entered into our Christmas Giveaway!

What Bathroom Paint to Use [00:00 - 12:37]

Surfactant Leaching is a common problem in high moisture areas. Surfactants are necessary ingredients in paint and usually they just work their way out over time with no issues. However, when a newly painted wall is exposed to high humidity, surfactants can rise prematurely. They show up on your painted surface looking like orange, brown or even silvery areas that seem soapy or oily in nature. Not pretty . . . but it's not damaging your paint!

HOW TO FIX SURFACTANT LEACHING

• Start by wiping them off with a soft sponge and mild soapy water. It may take a few times but it will eventually disappear.
• Running the bathroom fan or installing a bathroom fan is crucial. Leave it running for about 10-20 minutes after the shower to remove all the moisture.
• Opening doors to the bathroom can also help.
• Don't Have a Fan? Get one! And get the right size for your space. Fans are rated by cubic feet per minute (CFM's). This tells you how much air they can move per minute.
• get a fan that moves 1 CFM per square foot.
• So, an 80 SF bathroom . . . you'll need a fan with an 80 CFM rating to be effective

AVOID THE PROBLEM IN THE FIRST PLACE

Use the RIGHT Paint.

Aura Bath and Spa from Benjamin Moore is an ideal bathroom paint. It is made for high moisture areas and is available in a matte finish! It keeps steam from gathering on the walls and almost always resists surfactant leaching. It’s been a silver bullet! …usually…

Hailey had a month of being sick recently and the only relief she could find was running the shower and stemming up the bathroom multiple times a day. Basically turned her bathroom into a sauna (we do not recommend this).  On top of that her bathroom fan is BROKEN. So there was no way to quickly remove the moisture.

VERY EXTREME situation. Walls are painted with Aura Bath and spa and for weeks there were no issues. However, every product has its limitations and eventually surfactant leaching did occur.

Moral of the story, use the right paint in the right environment! Ventilation is always needed!

Historic Ceiling Design [12:37 - 31:30]

Ceiling medallions have a long history of creating a sophisticated ceiling design.  Very popular in homes during the Victorian Times. They look like carved plaster disks that are affixed to the center of the ceiling typically were a chandelier is hanging. Now we use them almost exclusively for decorative purposes…But was that always the case? Many Historians have practical theories as to why they existed…

THEORY 1: THE "HIDE THE SOOT" THEORY

• With candles being used to light homes and and then eventually . . . gas lighting. The constant open flames caused soot to collect on the ceiling above the chandelier. SO, according to proponents of THEORY #1: To hide this unsightly soot. Medallions were installed, however, many people have pointed out that soot will still show on the medallion and now it is harder to clean off.

THEORY 2: THE "DISGUISE THE SOOT" THEORY

• Another group of people really like the soot...