It’s a sad fact that, in most homes, when you lean your head back to rest on the sofa, you’re left looking at a plain white ceiling – and that’s often the best you can hope for.
But if yours is a cobwebby mess with tired paintwork and a dot-to-dot of pinpricks from hanging the Christmas decorations, there are things you can do to rescue it.
Here are a few design ideas that you might want to incorporate into your home, whether on their own or as part of more extensive refurbishments.
Vaulted Ceilings
They’re beyond the reach of most normal households in every sense, but it’s worth taking inspiration from vaulted ceilings – their extra headroom and sweeping curves are an antidote to the normal right-angled flat-top that sits on the average room’s walls.
If you don’t have the option of extending upwards with a vaulted ceiling, even just adding coving to the tops of your walls can soften the hard angles of the room, cutting down on echoes and incorporating the ceiling more fluidly.
Ceiling Recesses
If you have good ceiling height, you could create a recessed effect by building downwards from the existing ceiling using relatively lightweight materials.
This fake and floating new ceiling layer then gives you the chance to install recessed lighting, transforming the bland expanse of white into an architectural gem of your own making.
Mixed Materials
It’s not just the shape of your ceiling that matters; it’s also what it’s made of, so if you’re bored of plain paintwork, think about using metal or wood to introduce a focal point above your head – just make sure it’s fixed well in place.
Textured ceiling finishes have fallen out of favour in recent years, but there’s still a case to be made for them as a way of varying the surface if you’re not a fan of smooth ceilings – and they may yet find new value as an example of retro kitsch.
Ceiling Furniture
Finally, think about visual elements that can be added to the ceiling, rather than changing the surface itself.
You could opt for fake wooden beams to create a cottage style, although you should make sure this is done to a high standard if you don’t want it to be clear that they are false modern additions.
Alternatively, just add a ceiling fan to circulate air around the room, a ceiling rose around the light fitting, or a change of shade or chandelier – any of these modifications can freshen the look of a room, and provide a focal point the next time you tip your head back on the sofa.
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