Look Up - Ideas for Your Ceilings

St. Mary's Cathedral, Annapolis, MD

I was at a wedding this past weekend. Though the weather was not typical of October - snow?! - it was a lovely ceremony, regardless. And the setting was absolutely gorgeous. The wedding took place at St. Mary's in the heart of Annapolis. The cathedral was recently renovated and it was breathtaking. It has gorgeous stained glass and beautiful murals, but the crowning glory was the starry sky painted ceiling with it's gothic beams in cream and gold accents above simply painted cream colored walls. Wow! It got me thinking about ceilings - how typically we don't put too much thought into them, yet they are at least a third

I love the contrast of the blue ceiling with the
cream walls and architectural elements. It
allows the stained glass windows to shine
like jewels in the room.

 of the space in a room. Architects and builders are definitely trying to get them noticed with higher ceilings and the addition of trays and coffers in many of the newer homes and renovations. 
But they still don't get the love that they deserve.

Most ceilings in most homes, including some of my own, are still some shade of white. But why? Yes, they are much more difficult to paint - they can drip and give you pains in your arms, neck and shoulders, but they offer such a great opportunity to make your rooms stunning. 


So let's talk about ceilings...


Whatever you do to your walls, you can also do with your ceilings. Your only limits are your imagination and your ceiling heights. And as for any lower ceilings, you are limited only by your own personal preference and daring.


Here are some of my favorite examples I found from Houzz.com - a terrific, free website/e-newsl for all sorts of home design ideas.

This is a coffered ceiling in a client's home. The wall were painted a spicy paprika to complement the floors, furnishings and artwork. The coffered ceilings were painted in a steel, gray color to complement the fireplace. So here, we have the contrasting palette and the coffers to add interest to the ceiling. BTW, my client is Irene Zaso and she has a great Organizing business. I recommend you visit her website at www.zaso.org/OASIS.htm if you have any need for organization in your life!

I cannot take credit for this lovely space, but here is a pretty example of a wallpapered ceiling. Rather than putting the wallpaper all over they chose to put the Toille print on just the ceiling. It looks like a small powder room so in a space that's small, a large Toille print would be overwhelming. Using it as an accent on the ceiling makes it playful and beautiful. Plus, it brings your eye up creating the illusion of more height and space. Imagine this in a nursery or small entry. Love it!

And finally, here is an example of using wood, more specifically in this case, stained bead board on the ceiling. This particular example can really warm up a space and can work with just about any rustic or country interior. But wood isn't just for rustic interiors. A in a modern version of this you would keep the same visual plain and take the vertical lines all the way down one or both perpendicular walls. Stained or painted in a high gloss, the impact would be spectacular and it would add tremendous vertical space. 


You could gain the same affect with wallpaper that wraps from floor to ceiling, but honestly, it's not my taste. Even the well done examples I've seen haven't been to my liking. It looks fussy and visually there is no place for your eye to rest. I would not recommend that. But hey, that's just my opinion. So if you're game, I say go for it.


There are so many other things you can do to your ceilings - using lighting, trim, beams, alcoves, sea grass, tin tiles, fabric... Again, the options are limited only by your imagination.


If you're not sure what to do with your ceilings, however, let me know. I'm sure I can give you some pointers.