Ceilings: The Fifth Wall
Ceilings are often overlooked. All too often, in fact most of the time, we paint walls with inexpensive “Ceiling White” and forget about it. But ceilings can make or break a room. Which is why I call them “The Fifth Wall.”
Take a look at these examples of beautiful ceiling treatments and try to imagine what the room would have looked like if they’d been abandoned.
Picture this ceiling without the coffering. Or with it, but with white paint replacing the hand-painted design. Boring! The beauty of the ceiling really takes care of the need for decoration. That’s why the room is still beautiful even in its dilapidated condition.
How about some bold color? These sunlit spaces can handle a it. Doing a reverse by using white on the walls and color on the ceiling harvests the sunlight. The sun is reflected off the walls, creating a brighter space. Imagine how less bright these rooms would be if they’d been painted the other way around – even if one of them is a porch.
Again, here are two spaces with the ornamentation focused on the ceiling. The bright, graphic floral in the pharmacy gives the shop a unique identity. The more formal floral in the library adds ornament in a more subdued way.
Get out the string. While more whimsical, hanging things from the ceiling is another way to celebrate that fifth wall. The image on the left is from a Thai restaurant. It’s a simple, inexpensive way to create a complete atmosphere. The room on the right is nice, but don’t the beautifully lit airplanes create a complete environment?
Finally, here’s a healthy, natural look. See how this room is “made” by using wood instead of drywall? It takes the entire design to the next level by evoking a sense of the outdoors. And it plays nicely off the tile floor – they make a great combination.
Have you ever done something wild with your ceiling? Is not, why not? What’s the wildest ceiling treatment you’ve seen (aside from Versailles)?
5 Responses to “Ceilings: The Fifth Wall”
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Posted by Jennifer at Design Hole on February 13th, 2008 at 12:19 am
Yikes! It sounds so last century. Why not send me some photos and I’ll see what I can come up with?
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Posted by Bacchus on February 13th, 2008 at 6:40 am
Our living room has recessed ceilings that were unfortunately covered in popcorn at some time. Who invented this stuff and how did they ever think it was beautiful?
I love to walk into a room with a stunning ceiling, that first image would be really beautiful restored.
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Posted by Jennifer at Design Hole on February 13th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
I feel your popcorn pain. That stuff is often used in new construction. Why? Because it covers up shoddy drywall installation.
In older homes it “repairs” older ceiling, which would otherwise require more expensive repair to the plaster.
However, you can have it removed and have the ceiling repair done correctly. All it takes is the $$$. And that can be a big ouch.
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Posted by Lu on March 7th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
I’m going to build a solarium and want it to be as organic as possible (water element, plants, natural stone floor tile etc.) I’m thinking that constructing it from wood instead of drywall/plaster would be the icing on the cake, but what kind of wood, and if this is such a great idea, why doesn’t everyone do it?
I live in Massachusetts, if that matters.
Robert
The wallaking a chance on a ceiling is a great idea, however, sometimes the advice of an interior designer like Jennifer at Design Hole can go along way before taking that chance. I am moving into a house where the former owners took a chance on a bedroom ceiling and failed miserably. The wall paper is a descent choclate brown on beige floral patter, however the moldings were painted a dark faux wood stain, and the beautiful, high, tray ceiling was also painted a dark brown high gloss fake marbelized finish. The overall effect is that of a funeral home. Keeping the wall paper and the ivory (almost white) wall to wall carpeting, what colors should the ceiling and molding be painted to lighten up the room. Help me designhole and readers!!