No Ceiling Left Behind!

No Ceiling Left Behind!

One design trend that I'm really excited about has to do with a very overlooked part of a room in my opinion... the ceiling. In a lot of instances, we simply paint the ceiling white and call it a day. Nobody puts 'Baby' in a corner, and hopefully after this post, nobody will ignore their ceilings either. They have potential too, ya know?!

In most cases in design, you want to continue to draw the eye 'up' in the room. Generally your eye stops at the crown molding, or perhaps a nice piece of art work on the wall. Not anymore, my friends! Here are a few of my favorite ways to highlight your ceilings!

Painted Ceilings

Sometimes it's nice to switch things up and let the ceiling do the talking while leaving the walls less defined. In this case, the crown molding is installed about 18" lower than the actual ceiling height which, to me, makes the ceiling look even taller then it already is. I love a good 'trompe l'oeil' (or trick of the eye)!

Changing the sheen of the paint on your ceiling to high gloss can also give additional visual interest. The glossy finish reflects the light giving the room a really bright and airy feel. Generally when you think "high gloss" you envision a contemporary loft in Manhattan, but this otherwise traditional space pulls it off quite nicely!

Here's your standard white ceiling. The incorporation of the high gloss panels really changes things and  dresses it up a bit. 

Interesting Trim Details

I don't know about you, but when I look at this picture, my eyes start at about the middle. Then, because of this ceiling trim, I continue to move my eyes up the image. While this ceiling trim is beautiful and interesting, the furnishings are still the main focal point in the room. The ceiling in the picture below on the other hand certainly captures your attention before anything else...

There's a balance to everything and I think this space stays true to that idea. The ceiling detail is extremely intricate (and absolutely gorgeous). Because of that, the furnishings are more minimalistic. You want to be sure you aren't creating too many focal points within the same space. In this case, the ceiling is the 'leading lady' and everything else is her supporting cast.

Suspended Ceilings

One of the keys to suspended ceilings is to have higher ceilings to begin with. If you have an 8ft ceiling, then choosing to highlight it with one of the other options in this post might be more beneficial. In the photo above though, the ceiling height was there and the addition of the suspended wood is flawless. You'll notice in the middle, the designer added 'up lighting' to give even more attention to this architectural detail.

Wish you had a tray ceiling in your kitchen? Then you shall have one. This is a 'reverse tray' and it gives the illusion that the ceiling in the center is actually higher, when in reality, it's at the same height at the rest of the ceiling in the kitchen. In this traditional space, the bead board adds some extra charm. If this were a contemporary space, I could see a high gloss paint in the center to reflect the lighting from the pendants. 

Add Texture

This kitchen is one of my favorites. I think the designer did an amazing job incorporating texture in to this space. The brick on the ceiling, while cool in tone, brings an unmatched warmth to the room. 

I'm always a big fan of mixing styles. There is no rule book in design and this room proves that you can mix high-gloss floors with reclaimed wood planks on the ceiling. Throw in a contemporary light fixture and you'll have your guests in awe of your space in no time!

There are so many fun design options at your disposal. Again, I think it's important to determine what part of your room you really want to stand out, and then make it happen! 

Hope everyone has a safe and sun-filled Memorial Day weekend, and many thanks to the men and women who have served and continue to serve in our Armed Forces. 

Until next time...