Maybe something a smidge darker, like BM Smokey Taupe?

I would not put a gloss on the beams. At most, a satin finish.

This post was edited by Tibbrix on Mon, Jun 2, 14 at 11:44

From what little I can see, I actually like the color. The room seems cheery and bright. Can you take a picture of the whole area?

I second what Tibbrex says, Smokey Taupe would look great. I think with that tone you won't need to do anything to the beams.

I think it is lovely. No suggestions. I would relish in its beauty but I know how easily we tire of our own surroundings. I am sure whatever you choose it will be appropriately attractive.

We have beams similar to yours - painted our living room a grey, with beams a little darker grey, ceilings white in our 70's house. It lightened up the room, which we sorely needed. Yours are very pretty, though!

I think it looks great as is. However, I think if it were my house I'd leave the ceiling the same color as the walls and paint the beams a little darker variation of the walls/ceiling.

i do agree that the beams are very pretty dark, but our eyes directly go to the beams when we walk in and it makes the room seem less cozy to us. So at this point I wont make ceiling any different and will paint the beams only a satin of a slightly darker shade to see if that helps bring the ceiling down a bit. Hope so any other ideas still appreciated thanks so far! :)

heres a little better view

heres a little better view

{{!gwi}}

If you paint the beams darker, you're going in the opposite direction of what you say you want. The darker the beams from the ceiling, the more stark the contrast, the more the eye is drawn upward, and the higher the ceiling seems.

If you want the ceiling to see lower, paint it a darker color and close the gap between the color of the beams and ceiling and have less contrast between the two.

I would try leaving the beams alone and painting the rest of the ceiling a darker color, maybe squirrel tail? (Benjamin Moore shows squirrel tail as a color that goes with dove wing). I think that would lessen the contrast between the beams and the ceiling so the beams don't stand out as much and help lower the ceiling visually.

I would really hesitate to paint the beams as they are so lovely as is and it would be very difficult to go back once you have painted them. I would make painting them a last resort.

I like the beams as is:

I also feel they are too dark now , Tibbrix. I am sorry if i confused anyone Never wanted beams darker than they are now. I just wanted them darker than the walls
But maybe the idea of just darker paint on ceiling is the best. since once i would paint the beams it would be ridiculous to go back to stained. Thanks all. Now to just find a complimentary paint for the dove wing. Ill check the smokey taupe. And squirrel tale. :)

This post was edited by oopsie913 on Mon, Jun 2, 14 at 20:00