When planning a new build, or restoring the features of a period property, one of the areas that may not be considered so much is the ceiling. However, it is more important than many think for a ceiling to be better than a plain space. Ceiling areas often draw the eye, obfuscate the fixtures and fittings, and create interest for residents and visitors alike. If this is lacking, a space may look incomplete at best or even completely unattractive.
This is why it is important to take decorative ceiling designs and ideas into account when completing any building, renovation, or restoration work. We have also created a guide on some of the types of designs you may come across below, in the hopes that you are inspired for your project by what you find.
Types of Decorative Ceiling
There are myriad options for creating a decorative ceiling on a property. We have provided a list of potential ceiling designs to assist you in the generation of ideas for your project:
Barrel-Vaulted Ceilings
Barrel-vaulted ceilings are elevated ceilings designed with a typically curved arch that runs the length of the interior. In essence, they are ceilings created from a continuous archway that extends the required dimensions. It is also possible for them to be created with multiple nooks, or for them to be designed with a sloped A-frame shape. The rise is very important in the creation of a barrel-vaulted ceiling because it determines the ceiling’s overall style.
Beamed Ceilings
Beamed ceilings are a traditional form of ceiling design, normally found in older properties. In period properties that have not been renovated, the exposed wooden beams will ordinarily be the property’s load-bearing beams. However, it is also possible (and common in modern properties) for the appearance of a beamed ceiling to be achieved using faux beams that run along the length of an enclosed space.
Coffered Ceilings
Coffered ceilings are ceiling-based architectural detailings, which consist of a series of grids formed by recessed sections or stuck-on mouldings. These grids, as well as the spaces left between the beams, form a geometric pattern. The geometric pattern may be further enhanced with detailing or decoration according to taste or the specifications set out for a project.
Typically, these ceiling designs are considered a traditional interior design element but are just as easily utilised in a modern interior.
Domed Ceilings
As is implied by the name, domed ceilings resemble the shape of a dome or hemisphere. They are popular for their ability to create an accent feature within a ceiling and can be highlighted further by utilising lights and light fittings such as chandeliers, diffused lighting, and decorative paint. Most often, these ceiling designs will be present in public spaces such as lobbies and entrance foyers, but it is also possible for them to be found in common areas of homes – such as the dining or living room.
False Ceilings
False ceilings, which are also known as dropped or suspended ceilings, are ceilings created and installed beneath the original ceiling. A void, the depth of which will vary depending on the project requirements, will be created between the existing or original ceiling and the new one.
The functions and intentions involved in the creation of a false ceiling are multiple. Most commonly, they will be installed to obfuscate unsightly elements and infrastructure, such as pipes or wires, to cover damage in a ceiling that cannot be repaired or hidden, or to add soundproofing.
Individual Features That Make Ceilings Decorative
It is not only individual ceiling types that offer decorative elements to an interior. Plainer walls and ceilings can also be fitted with individual plaster ceiling mouldings to draw the eye upwards to spaces that might otherwise have seemed bare, empty, or lacking.
Within our service, this means moulding:
These ornamental ceiling elements, whether you are looking for a ceiling rose set to complement the lights and light fittings of a room or decorative ceiling tiles or panels to recreate original designs, are made from fibrous plaster as standard. However, we can offer a lighter, stronger alternative in Jesmonite if this is required. Whether or not it is needed will be decided in cooperation with the owner or manager of a property on a case-by-case basis.
To learn more about this please contact us or see our information page on ceiling mouldings.
Our Bespoke Decorative Ceiling Work
We are often called to produce both ready-prepared and bespoke decorative ceiling panels, tiles, mouldings, and other features to complete the design and aesthetic appeal of public and private properties. How this will be achieved depends on the requirements and specifications of the project.
If a project requires ornate features in a bespoke design that has never existed until now, our team will fashion a mould for the product’s creation from a hand-finished model. For bespoke requests that will be used to restore the original features of the interior of an older property, we also offer a match-to-existing service.
Our match-to-existing service is done using an impression mould, also known as a “site squeeze”, on a section of a decorative feature and using this to form the basis of a replica mould. This mould will then be used in the manufacture of a replacement section. We can tell you more about this when you get in touch with us to use this service.
For a Quote on Skilfully Crafted Decorative Ceiling Features
If your interior will only be complete once it has been fitted with its ideal decorative features, including those that will adorn its ceiling, contact our team today. One of our members of staff will be glad to speak with you about the requirements of your project. You can also receive an estimate for the work that will need to be done.
Our dedicated master craftsmen will complete each piece to the design ideas and specifications that you have set. As a result, you will receive finely and accurately-moulded finishes that you need for your property, whether you are carrying out restoration work on an interior damaged by time or neglect or bringing a classic aesthetic appeal to a new build.