Unless the ceiling is beautifully vaulted or horribly covered in the dreaded popcorn texture, we don’t usually pay much mind to the ceiling of a room. We’ll talk at length about the beautiful, original hardwood floor, or the intricate design of the hand-crafted tile in the kitchen, but the ceiling hardly ever gets any love. Why? Because it typically goes un- or under-designed when planning a home. Most people stick to whites and creams. If someone gets really adventurous, they might add some wood beams to give that rustic charm look. Of one of five walls in a room, we thought it was time to offer some design inspiration to take ceilings from bland to bold. Why not make a statement where no one is expecting one?
Woven Bamboo
Are you looking to build a beach-inspired island getaway? Woven bamboo is the perfect ceiling feature to solidify this look while adding texture and drama to the room. Not only a good fit for island life, but this feature has also been used in modern homes because of their eco-friendly and sustainable nature. This style is also great for meditation rooms, spa rooms or a bathroom designed to be a sanctuary for peace and seclusion. Consider using this design style to add a ‘wow’ feature and enjoy the benefits of reduced toxins in the air, improved health, and wellbeing for those in the space.
Reclaimed Wood
Reclaimed wood looks beautiful, rustic, and adds character when applied as a floor treatment, but a lot of people don’t think to use this as a ceiling feature. Much life using this material as flooring, it adds a dash of cozy character to any room. We’ve seen a resurgence of reclaimed wood in new, custom homes in recent years, and the ceiling could be the new frontier. Short and tall ceilings alike can support this design style. It does add depth and contrast to rooms, and depending on the stain or color of the wood, can go well with wood treatments for the flooring as well. Don’t be afraid to mix and match styles and colors. With the right design team helping you along the way, restored wood can fit with almost any home design style when applied in the right way with the right design details.
Living Features
If you have a passion for plants and a green thumb, a green ceiling might be the perfect addition to make your home come alive. These green ceilings are popping up all over trendy restaurants in L.A. and New York and you can have one too. Caring for these plants isn’t as difficult as one might think, but you do need to provide plenty of light and regular watering. If you and your family travel a lot, think about using artificial plants instead. High-quality artificial plants are almost impossible to distinguish from the real thing. There are a variety of types of plants, arrangements, structures, and more to make your ceiling truly one of a kind.
Pop of Color
Color isn’t just for walls and design accents. A colorful ceiling directs focus around the room to punctuate the design style. Color can be applied to the ceiling in a variety of ways. Don’t be intimidated by bold design choices. It’s your home and your style! So try something new and create a place where you like spending time. Patterns are another great way to elongate rooms and create visual cues that make the room look larger and taller, depending on which pattern you choose. If you do opt for a busy pattern on the ceiling, try to keep other patterns in the room at a minimum. You can use the design style applied to the ceiling to artfully tie everything together within the room.
Rustic Beams
High wood beams add warmth and a comfortable cottage or lodge feel to a home and you don’t have to stop there. Great for gathering spaces like the kitchen or family room, they add height and design aesthetic to the home without drawing attention away from your favorite rug or rare painting. Available in a variety of colors, wood types, and stains, wood beams add character to the home and work well with features like open glass cabinets or a luxurious dark leather couch. They fit in almost any design style in any home. You also have options when adding light features in your beamed ceilings. Tiered lights, pendant lights or track lighting all work well with this design and accent the high ceiling appearance. Consider adding a window to let light flow through the room.
Silver Leaf
Hollywood glam and luxury looks are easily achieved with silver or gold leaf ceiling finishing. Similar to the high gloss look, this style creates warmth and light with reflection from the ceiling. Perfect for a formal dining room with rich, warm colors, this technique works with pretty much any color or theme in the room. Take for example this Moroccan themed room with warm lanterns, deep colored furniture and bright blue paint. The entire room comes together with a silver leaf application on the ceiling giving a warm depth of color.
The fifth wall in any room shouldn’t be ignored. Just as important as the carpet on the floor or the paint on the walls, your ceiling is another opportunity to show your style, or add touches of personality throughout the home. When you start designing, take your ceilings into consideration and make sure every inch of your custom home is uniquely yours. Start with a consultation with our design experts to get more ideas for creating the home of your dreams!
