Papered ceilings are used at present to a very much greater extent than they were formerly; in fact, in the better class of houses they are now used almost invariably. A papered ceiling with a papered wall gives an appearance of finish and completeness which is not apparent when the walls are papered and the ceiling is distempered. Distempered walls and distempered ceilings give the best possible appearance in interior decoration, but papered walls must always be used to a very considerable extent, and then the apartment is not finished unless paper is used on the ceiling also. Those who crave for white ceilings can get them in paper, or, rather, they can purchase many designs at very moderate prices in which the pattern is so delicate and faintly defined that it can only be discerned in certain lights. For a drawing-room a very pretty paper is one having a cream or nearly white ground, with a pattern printed in talc or some brilliant material which, while nearly colorless, shows up very prettily under the gas light. Excepting the very elaborate schemes of decoration, bright colored ceiling papers should never be used. Floral designs are out of the question for ceilings, somewhat large geometrical designs, sometimes in imitation of ribbed effects, being usually employed.

To hang a paper on a ceiling requires a good deal of thought and planning, and it is by no means as easy as hanging the paper on the wall. The paper having been carefully schemed out so as to show to the best advantage, is pasted and folded as before, and hung in the same manner, excepting that a lath or stick must be used as an aid in holding up the folded portion, while the other end is being pressed to the surface. Before the paper hanging of the ceiling is commenced, all breaks and cracks should be mended in the same manner as already described in dealing with broken walls. When cutting the paper around regular angles, such as those which arise from a bay window, the best plan is to cut the paper roughly to about the angle required, leaving it rather longer than necessary, and then to mark the exact line against the cornice with the point of the scissors, then to cut off the superfluous end. Even where care is taken, this will sometimes cause a little trouble with the paste coming against the cornice, but this can afterwards be made good with whitening or coloring the cornice as already mentioned.

In rooms which have no pretensions whatever to a decorative appearance, ceilings are often papered in order to strengthen. We have seen old ceilings which appeared to be about to fall off, kept in position for years by two coats of strong paper pasted over them. In this case what is known as lining paper is used. It is sold by every dealer in paper hangings, and is cheap. It must not be forgotten that a ceiling must never be papered in any room in which there is steam at any time. For instance, in a laundry it is entirely out of place, as the first washing day will mean the descent upon one's head of all the paper from the ceiling.