When considering the interior design of a property, it might be of interest to note that one of the most commonly overlooked spaces for decoration is the ceiling.
By not extending design ideas to this space, many homeowners and property managers fail to make full use of the property’s potential and leave it looking bare, unappealing, and even incomplete. By making full use of the space that is available, it is also possible to decorate a room with a feature ceiling.
Below, we have provided a guide on what feature ceilings are, information on pieces and decorative elements that assist in the creation of a feature ceiling design, and a small insight into the processes we perform when providing feature ceilings for properties. Read on to find out more and to inspire ideas for your ceiling project today.
What is a Feature Ceiling?
In its simplest terms, and as is suggested by the name, a feature ceiling is a ceiling that also acts as a decorative feature of a property. This can be achieved in a myriad of different ways using a range of different materials, including plaster and wood, to create ornamental features that act as focal points within an interior. It can even be done simply and effectively with paint, by having white walls and choosing a different colour paint for the ceiling itself.
Individual Elements Which Make Ceilings Features
There are many decorative elements which may be utilised to create and complete a ceiling feature design, and there are multiple ways in which each may be applied. In order to assist you in the generation of ideas for your own project, we have provided a list of the elements we will be glad to provide for you in fine plaster:
Ceiling Roses
The primary purpose of a ceiling rose, and which is also often still the purpose of ceiling roses in older, larger houses, is to act as a focal point for high ceilings. It is also possible to have one fitted in order to enhance the appeal of ceiling lights, while obfuscating and even hiding light fittings and other infrastructure entirely.
The designs of this ceiling feature may depend on the era in which they were installed; original designs will feature the designs, patterns, and styles that were popular in that period. However, requesting plaster designs in the modern era offers a homeowner or property manager the opportunity to choose. You may even be able to paint some of the designs offered.
Ceiling Panels and Panel Mouldings
Panels and panel mouldings are a typical decorative feature for both walls and ceiling designs in properties. These may be linked together with Quadrants in order to provide a whole, exquisite frame for an interior architectural feature that might have otherwise looked incomplete. Corners for this product may also be formed by mitring two sections of the panel moulding together. Which you decide on for your own work will be determined by the specifications of your project and personal taste.
Decorative ceiling panelling is a particularly popular service we provide for properties across the UK. To find out more about what we can provide, please contact us.
Corbels
Traditionally, a corbel is a structural architectural element. When utilised for this purpose, they are likely to be made of wood, stone, or metal, but can also be made from brick under some circumstances. These protrude from the wall in order to carry a superincumbent weight and are therefore designed to be load-bearing.
Unlike timber, stone, metal, or brick corbels, plaster corbels are not designed to be load-bearing. Instead, they are ornamental features installed to bring decoration to areas in an interior that may draw the eye and would otherwise seem plain, empty, and lacking. Points in a room where you may notice plaster corbels include doorways, shelving, and fireplace mantels.
Cornices
Technically speaking, a cornice in architecture is any horizontal decorative moulding that crowns a building or furniture element. These may be present over a door or a window, but the most common designs featuring them in interior spaces normally have them running along the top of an interior wall in order to create a “border”. They also assist in the creation of a seamless transition between wall and ceiling.
When used in an interior location, cornices will typically be made from timber or plaster.
Coving
Also known as “coves” by some, coving is a simpler, more uniform version of cornices. Both are designed to add an ornate touch to an interior location, but this aesthetic difference will inform you of which you are looking at. Most types of coving will project across the ceiling the same distance that they drop down the wall, and also tend to make use of less complex designs than most cornices. They are also normally, though not necessarily, found in a traditional quarter-circle profile. This forms the shape of the letter “C”.
Making Use of Decorative Ceiling Ideas
You may also consider ceiling decor ideas that incorporate a ceiling in its entirety, rather than deciding on individual elements that work together to create a feature ceiling. Depending on how these are used, they may create the illusion of more space and help to make a room feel larger and more open plan, or they may create a sense that a space is smaller and more intimate. For example, a dining room designed with a domed ceiling may appear larger in order to welcome guests, while a living room may seem more closed-in or smaller with beamed or coffered ceilings, making it feel cosier and more like a place of relaxation.
How these are applied and implemented will always be based on the needs and specifications of your planned project, as well as your personal tastes and intentions for the room. To find out more, please see our information on decorative ceiling designs.
Our Assistance in Creating Feature Ceilings
We are often asked to help homeowners and property managers complete the building or restoration of a property. This is achieved by providing ready-prepared and bespoke decorative ceiling panels, tiles, mouldings, and other elements which will combine to create the ideal feature ceiling for the interior being transformed.
If a feature ceiling design requires ornate architectural details that have not existed until now, our team will fashion a mould for the creation of these from a hand-finished model. If a bespoke request is made in order to aid the rejuvenation of an older property, we are also able to offer a match-to-existing service.
This match-to-existing service is carried out using an impression mould. This is also known as a “site squeeze”, and is taken from a section of a decorative feature in order to form the basis of a replica mould. This mould will then be used in the manufacture of a replacement section, so that the new section perfectly matches any previous design lost to time or neglect.
For a Quote on Finely Crafted Ceiling Feature Designs
If an interior space that you own or manage will only be complete once its ceiling has been made over into a feature which draws the eye and impresses all who see it, contact us today. Our team will be glad to speak to you about the specifications you have for your work project. We will also be able to offer you an estimated quote for the work that will need to be carried out.
Our dedicated craftsmen will complete each piece you require for your interior to the exact description that you have set out with us. As a result, you will always receive the precise pieces and finishes that you need for your property. This means that whether you are bringing a classical charm to a newer build or returning a period property to its former glory, we can help.