So , castle themes might not be your cup of tea or tankard of grog.  (I promise, no more silly puns).  But for the sheer pleasure of being immersed in the design, this ceiling goes a long way  in  capturing the romanticized mood of this dining room.

Click to See Larger

The rough hewn beams with delicate metallic highlights pick up the sparkle of the chandelier. Kudos to the talented artisans at Houston's Anything  But  Plain for this work and the rich, peeled plaster finish on the walls.

Click to see larger

The banner with the family surname , its motto and crest are complimented with woven acanthus leaves. After  I finished painting them, I sanded the surface to add to the aging and applied a tea stain over-glaze.

Here's a few close-ups of crisp new painting, and after the work has been sanded.

I can get lost in drawing and painting scrolls. The scrolls feature the family's name 

 and it's motto : Audere est  facere. Click here to read what it means in English.

Got paint?  Let me challenge you... "audere est facere!"