Ceilings are more important in your home than you likely even realize. They hide the electrical and plumbing work from view, and that’s just for starters. Ceilings deliver the most extensive unobstructed views within our homes, and often they are usually one of the first parts of your home that guests see. A beautiful ceiling is indicative of the beauty of a house. The infrequently considered ceiling, it turns out, is essential to both your home’s aesthetics and interior design.

There are many ceiling styles that we can incorporate into your design. Let’s review some of them.

Conventional Ceilings

Conventional is the most common ceiling type in the United States. Conventional ceilings feature a standard drywall finish and the materials used in making them are relatively inexpensive. The installation of conventional ceilings is an easy process. Conventional ceilings are plain and flat, and they are compatible with virtually any construction size. They are usually 8 to 10 feet from the floor.  

Coffered Ceilings

Coffered Ceilings

Coffered ceilings are often found in upscale homes, hotels, churches, and other public/residential spaces. They reflect a classic and luxurious tone. Coffered ceilings are a preferable option to conventional ceilings, and specialists are required for installation. A coffered ceiling features a flat ceiling just outside of a tray that surrounds the highest part of the ceiling, which is raised in the center.

Tray Ceilings

Tray ceilings are also known as penned ceilings. They add elegance and make a room feel taller. The height of a tray ceiling (from the floor) should be a minimum of eight feet. Tray ceilings are similar to coffered ceilings. While coffered ceilings have multiple recessed sections, a tray ceiling has just one larger, inverted area. If you want a beautiful ceiling to hide superfluous plumbing and wires in the house, tray ceilings are a good option. 

Tray ceilings also provide a dynamic and luxury feeling.  They aren’t ideal for houses with lower ceiling heights, however, as the edges of the tray can make a house feel claustrophobic. Also, they may make kitchens appear smaller than they are because the edges may determine cabinet placement..

Beam Ceilings

Beam ceilings are gaining popularity in kitchens, living, and dining rooms. Beam ceilings are a traditional style made primarily from hardwoods. Beam ceilings provide a classic yet rustic look. They can be adapted to fit various interior design styles, and they produce beautiful effects. However, one has to be mindful of where beam ceilings are installed so smaller rooms aren’t overwhelmed. The natural wood used for beam ceilings provides visual variety that is different from other rooms. The beams on a beam ceiling do not have to be structural; they can simply be aesthetic.

Cathedral Ceilings

Cathedral ceilings are shaped in a cathedral sequence. Frequently used in large living rooms, bedrooms, and sometimes master bathrooms, cathedral ceilings are also called vaulted ceilings. They are known for their inverted V shape in which the tip of the V is the highest point and the sides of the V slope down. They may be constructed from a variety of materials.

Suspended Ceiling

A suspended ceiling is often referred to as a drop ceiling. Drop ceilings hang from an existing, permanent ceiling. The benefit to such ceilings is that they create opportunities for designers to conceal mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and other wiring and piping. Drop ceilings are most often used in commercial buildings, offices, and retail spaces, as they provide designers remarkable flexibility. For residential purposes, a suspended ceiling may be ideal in a finished basement.

Shed Ceiling

Shed—or single-slope—ceilings are used on the top story of a home. They have a distinct look and typically are painted to match the wall color. A shed ceiling will begin at a high point at one wall and then slope down toward the opposite wall. 

Sloped Ceilings

You’re sure to find sloped ceilings in homes with pitched roofs. Sloped ceilings create some cozy corners in attics (and former attic spaces) directly below the roofline. 

Coved Ceiling

Coved ceilings are dome-like in shape, with concave edges that feature soft, curved angles instead of sharp angles. They are generally built with curved molding or framing. In homes, rooms with coved ceilings often have a magical feeling to them. Apart from being used to enhance formal spaces, coved ceilings may also serve as archways to separate rooms.

Dome Ceilings

A dome ceiling makes a house look like a spherical building with a spherical glass dome covering the roof. They range widely in sizing. Some dome ceilings may span a room’s entirety, while others are smaller and adorn only a portion of a room. Dome ceilings are wonderfully dramatic and elegant.

Exposed Ceiling

This type of ceiling is purposely “unfinished,” although exposed elements, such as ductwork and pipes, can be painted for a cohesive look. Exposed ceilings are an inexpensive option, but rooms with exposed ceilings are noisier and less insulated. With exposed ceilings, all structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems remain visible, unhidden by drywall, plaster, or other building materials. In modern interior designs, the exposed systems can serve as decorative elements. Most exposed ceilings, however, will benefit from sound treatments since they cannot absorb sound like other ceiling styles. Exposed ceilings also require consistent maintenance, unlike other ceilings. 

Groin Vault

Groin vault ceilings were first introduced by the Romans but they subsequently fell into relative obscurity. They are difficult to construct because of the angles and geometry necessary to cut and place the cross groins. Groin vault construction requires great skill to form the requisite neat intersections.

Barrel Vault

A barrel vault ceiling is also known as a tunnel vault or wagon vault. It features a half-cylinder to the total vault. There is an arch-based construction in a barrel vault. The barrel vault is primarily used in classical designs. Because the construction of a barrel vault ceiling is very difficult, there aren’t many contractors who possess the required skill set. As a result, this ceiling design is used infrequently in homes.

Vaulted Ceilings

Many vaulted ceilings designs exist, and all of them are architecturally self-supporting and usually built of stone and brick to cover a ceiling or roof. Generally speaking, vaulted ceilings offer grandeur and a feeling of spaciousness. They typically allow more natural light to enter the home. However, they are harder to maintain than more conventional ceilings. 

Your ceilings may be the first impression a guest gets of the interior of your home, so they should be attractive. Ceilings are also integral to your lighting options. If you crave tons of natural light pouring in your windows, you’ll want high ceilings.

Whether you are looking for a ceiling style that is tasteful, eccentric, or functional, our designers would be happy to work with you to align your goals with your budget.

For more information, call us or click here to schedule your complimentary, no-obligation consultation.