I had our new house's basement gutted due to a mold issue ... we're now rebuilding and not sure what do to with the ceiling.
We were able to salvage the drop ceiling from before but I plan on re-studding all of the exterior walls which will screw up the drop ceiling ... so, it might be easier to just scrap it.
From there we have 3 options:
1. New drop ceiling - I like it to be able access plumbing / electrical / HVAC if needed, wife hates it because "its ugly"
2. Drywall the ceiling - I don't like it because it hides everything and if we need to access any of our mechanical systems its a huge PITA, wife likes it because its pretty
3. Paint the Joists / everything black - I like it because it keeps everything open and gives head room, wife likes the "industrial" look so she isn't against it.
.... so I guess my question is,
Are there any glaring downsides to painting the joists, ductwork, plumbing, etc etc all black or white in the basement like the photo(s) below?
The "east half" of the gutted basement:
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