Things are looking up for ceiling design

A room is often defined by the color on the walls, the flooring, and the furnishings. Homeowners often ignore one other surface that could add significant design detail to the room. The ceiling. While ceilings used to be standard white, the ceiling design options, trends, and creativity have expanded our view of this “fifth wall”. The ceiling has become more than just the top dimension of the room. At Ideal Homes, we’re often asked, “what’s the standard ceiling height?” The answer is 8 feet, but you can go up from there on your first floor (8-foot is still standard on the upper floors). Most homebuyers today are looking for more vertical space, so a 9-foot ceiling is preferred over the standard ceiling height. While the sky is not the limit, you have options. We’ve extended ceilings to 10 and even 12 feet high. Another technique to add height to your room is the tray ceiling. This design looks like an inverted tray. The center is recessed, providing more depth. Some add crown molding around the edge to further distinguish the already-distinctive tray ceiling. Others also opt for a multi-tiered tray ceiling. A vaulted ceiling (also known as a “cathedral ceiling”) uses a slant that reaches up to a high peak, usually the highest point of the roof. The vaulted ceiling adds vertical space to a room, and is a good option when your room with large enough dimensions to accommodate this extra ceiling height. You might also consider having decorative beams installed on your ceiling, either stained to maintain the look of the wood or painted to add the color you want. Your ceiling design can also incorporate details from your room, like shiplap or bead board paneling. Remember, even if you choose not to add any of these enhancements to your ceiling, it doesn’t have to be white. Treat it like the fifth wall and apply the same color as your wall paint, or scale it back to a lighter shade of the same hue. You can paint the ceiling a neutral color (other than white) to soften the lines of the room (a stark white surface is, well, stark white!). A tray ceiling gives you the opportunity to use multiple colors—maybe a richer paint color on the deepest panel and a lighter or softer complementary shade on the rest of the ceiling. Need more inspiration? In the Oklahoma City region, contact Ideal Homes for ceiling design ideas that give you a whole new perspective on the phrase “things are looking up.”