Q: My husband and I are at war regarding the vaulted ceiling in our great room. It is wood, with beams, and one of us wants to paint it and the other thinks that is sacrilege. Can you give any guidance as to when or if it would be acceptable to paint a wood ceiling?

A: When I first came to Canada from England, I was amazed at the amount of wood used in home interiors, and not just richly clad walls in expensive libraries and dens. Wood is plentiful in this country and is applied to ceilings and used in full wall panels, wainscoting and floors. I received numerous requests for painting over basement paneling and was confused until I learned that these panels weren't always good quality but rather inexpensive veneers, plywood or pressed board. I also heard concerns that predominantly wood rooms were gloomy.

Natural wood is beautiful, to be sure, but it does absorb light, and I personally feel that too much wood can overwhelm a room. This is a fairly permanent choice, but if you do find that your room is too dark, why not paint it?

I produced a face-lift for a family room that the homeowner wanted to make more inviting. Even though she loved the wood-and-beam ceiling, I painted it white and chose a warm red for the walls and oversize artwork with a white background. This was a big decision, but it helped highlight the architecture and bring the ceiling down to human scale. This surprise was a success for everyone. Perhaps you could start by painting your ceiling white and leaving the beams natural. This would make a good compromise.

Q: I am painting my kitchen, which has a cove ceiling. I'd like to keep the ceiling pale, but paint the walls a darker shade. The windows, doors and upper cabinets are all at different levels. My problem is, where do I draw the line between ceiling and wall?

A: You could choose a molding strip to make the divide, or simply mask off a straight line. The divide should be just below the point where the cove or arch of the ceiling flattens out to the wall. I am assuming that the cupboards, windows and doors are all below this line. Measure up from the fixed features so that your line runs parallel to the top of the cupboards and frames. I suggest you put a touch of color in your ceiling paint, and I would also keep the contrast between ceiling and wall minimal; for example, a pale-blue ceiling and a lavender wall. Then paint all the trim — including the molding, if you are using it — white. This will highlight the beauty of the room's architecture and look splendid.

Please note: In a recent column on refinishing a series of old window frames, we did not post a warning about lead paint. If you are stripping back layers of paint that were applied years ago, the chances are high that the paint used was lead based. Pay special attention to pieces picked up at yard sales, including old cribs. Proper care must be taken, as airborne lead is a health hazard. Scrape rather than sand, or use the wet-sanding method. Wear a mask and clean up safely. For in-depth instructions on dealing with lead-based paint, please search the Internet for "removing lead paint from wood."