The ceiling is just another wall….
During the course of designing my home, I knew that I wanted to make sure that the ceilings were not ignored. So early on, I had the architect include a combination of vaults, trays, and coffered ceilings in all of the main rooms. Everywhere else, I made sure that the ceilings were raised to around 13 feet. Of course if your home is already built, changing the ceiling height is probably not an option. However, you can still have a designer ceiling. Here are some things that can be done to add some character to your ceilings.
Paint is not just for the walls……
When the painters were beginning the job of painting my home, I provided them with a list of all the paint colors needed, as well as a labeled layout for the location of each color. However, I arrived on day 1 of painting to find a hesitant crew. It seemed as though that while they were very good at their job, they had not previously worked with a designer. So, the idea of anything other than a flat, white ceiling was a foreign concept to them. After some time of reassuring them that the paint instructions were indeed correct, they were off and running.
A few things to keep in mind, when deciding on a paint color for a ceiling, 1) a light color is great when you want to keep an open spacious feel, and 2) a dark color can bring the ceiling down closer and create an intimate feel.
I love the look of this dining room. The grey on grey tones give a nice modern look, and although the ceiling is quite dark, it draws your eyes to the details.
Add some beams
If you want to go a step further, some architectural character can be added with beams and/or molding. It can be as elaborate or as simple as your tastes dictate and still be a nice feature.
Cedar beams really add a rustic charm to any home. (This room was intended as a second living quarters, but I decided to use it as a pool house).
Add Some Molding
This room, designed by Carla Ashton, makes use of lattice to add a faux ceiling treatment. It’s a relatively inexpensive project which adds a lot of character.
In what ways have you made a statement with your ceilings. Share your ideas with everyone by posting a comment! I love hearing from viewers.
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Thank you for the great tips. I have pretty much finished a top to bottom remodel of my home. I have added transoms above most of the doors simply because I thought they would look nice. Indeed, the added benefit was to bring the eye up which created the illusion of space. I have also added 3″ crown to the 3 bedrooms. My question is this – the entire home has 8′ ceilings . . . would the addition of a coffered ceiling ( 3” or so ) in the main living areas be too much or should l just go with crown only ? Thank You
Rick, Congratulations on the remodel. I am sure that you are doing a great job!
However, I would say be careful adding too much depth to a coffered ceiling on 8′ high ceiling. You may end up bring the ceiling down, which is the opposite of what you want. However, I think that a few inches would probably be fine as long as you don’t create contrast with colors. Just keep in mind that while it will create interest and a customized look, it really won’t do anything for creating a raised ceiling illusion. Good luck, and let me know how it turns out! 🙂