Ceiling Treatments Worth a Look

Do you ever look up at your ceilings and think, “Wow, look at how flat and exciting they are?” Didn’t think so. “The ceiling is the surface that is most ignored,” says Melissa Destree, an architect in Madison, Wisconsin. “But its design is a critical element to create the mood in a room.”

Determining the nature and size of ceiling embellishments “is all about proportion,” Destree says. This living room has an impressive 10-foot-high ceiling. But a living room of such height may lack intimacy and have poor acoustics. In that case a coffered effect can give the room more balance.

Beefy beams added by contractor Jamison Howard in Charleston, South Carolina, heighten the room’s elegance while creating a more comforting ambience.


This Florida salon’s lofty ceiling is perfect for capturing the views, but the cavernous space it created could have felt intimidating. To give the room a more relaxing ambience, the team at Kurtz Homes Naples added a grand floating beam medallion made from painted wood and flexible crown moldings. The molding houses perimeter cove lighting while concealing the air conditioning for the room. The lid of the ceiling is finished in a leather-like textured paint.


But you don’t need such height to create a charismatic ceiling.

Going to new (lower) heights. “Even 7 feet, 6 inches is an acceptable ceiling height to add beams,” says Destree. “Just keep the added embellishments above 7 feet.”


Because significantly lowered ceiling details are that much closer to eye level, Destree says, “it’s imperative that the craftsmanship be exceptional.”

Here stout beams run the length and width of the room. The Japanese-screen-like design emphasizes the kitchen’s decidedly Asian style.


“It was fairly common for an old farmhouse in a cold climate to have low ceilings,” says New York architect James Crisp. “That was the most efficient way to make use of the heat coming from fireplaces.”

The owners of this farmhouse wanted to make the most of their existing low ceilings by exposing the 200-year-old beams and floor joists.


A smaller room, like a bedroom or a bath, can sustain a significantly lower height better than a spacious great room can. Scale is key.

This cottage bedroom’s 8-foot ceiling has 5½-inch tongue and groove boards and 5-inch-deep beams that are integrated with the crown molding. The effect is a cozy one that’s punctuated by a fireplace.


If you prefer to keep the height of your existing ceiling but want to give it texture and richness, a ceiling overlay such as beadboard may be your preferred choice.


The delicate design of this wood ceiling treatment by Vintage Millworks adds rich Southern charm to a dining room in Nashville.


Mats of bamboo sandwiched between cypress support timbers add character to this guest suite cabana.

Tell us: Do you plan to make a special ceiling design part of your next home?

URL: Ceiling Treatments Worth a Look http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-22136.html