Looking Up: Ceilings That Transcend Style!
The world above us… the sky, tall buildings, cathedrals, trees, birds flying in formation, it all reveals so much beauty. Yet unless our peripheral vision commands our attention to do so, we rarely cast our eyes upward in a given day. Our busy lives require the majority to (mostly) look ahead, without stopping to realize the beauty around us.
As designers, architects, and construction professionals, we are enthusiasts, aficionados, and virtuoso’s, and we take notice of the inspirational details we see in every direction, including what lies above. So this blog post is dedicated to the homes often left-blank-slate, the ceiling!
Ceiling Design in History
Craftsmanship of what’s known as a “dropped” ceiling design dates deep into architectural history. Over time, ceilings were dropped for a variety of reasons; for form and function, to offer desirable acoustics, and of course, for decorative purposes. Decorative tiled ceiling designs date back to the early 1300’s in Japan. While Roman ceilings brought some of the most artistically created ceiling designs we’ve ever known to light. Eventually northern Europe took to this trend, especially in France where Baroque coffered designs with ornate rosettes and intricately detailed crown molding took center stage among high-society. The history and vision of ceilings in Rome alone could honestly warrant their own topic that we could go on an on about.
Our point is this, if you’re remodeling, or considering a new home build, its absolutely worth putting some thought into the details that can go into your ceiling for added beauty, dimension, and value. We’ve been fortunate enough to design and build some truly extraordinary ceiling designs for our clients. The wow factor of the finished product has often left us in awe, and near breathless.
Here are a few of our favorite home ceiling designs (in various styles) that continue to leave us feeling inspired and humbly proud of the work we do!
Crown molding
Crown molding, while common, can be simple and contemporary, or detailed and ornate. The above crown molding offers just the right amount of ornamental detail to this grand hallway design.
Tray Ceilings
Tray ceilings have become another back-in-trend home design, and we couldn’t be happier. Whether your tastes run sleek and modern, or run the ornate path, innovative lighting amuses their design to a functional yet gleaming focal point within any room, especially dining, living, master bedroom spaces and even outdoor living spaces.
Beamed
Beamed ceilings allow for constructive functionality to blend beautifully with design. The above beamed ceilings present the variety of ways this can happen. From simple, to detailed and even arched (that one was a fun one for our team!), beams can absolutely become one of the loveliest focal points of a given rooms design… if you want them to be!
Floating
The floating ceiling melds beautifully into modern home designs, yet the visual adds is somewhat provocative and adds a little something extra to the simplicity. The ceiling in the home above was constructed to appear without connection to the surrounding walls. We love the additional dimension this added to the space!
Rosettes
Rosettes were favored by the French for their intricately decorative design flare. There’s something so delicate, yet bold about their craftsmanship that we adore and appreciate. They fare well when melded into a coffered ceiling as seen above. This one still takes our breath away!
Skylights
Last, but not least is perhaps one of the most functional ceiling designs that can be made beyond beautiful – the skylight! Sunlight. Moonlight. Natural light. It’s all brought to light when a skylight is built into a room design. We encourage having fun with these by thinking outside the box and getting creative.
Above the rosette serves as a skylight, and the image just below that reveals a Spanish inspired hallway which displays a glass skylight that offers an open feel to the room, as though it opens up freely to the sky.
The last image presents a clear and bright way to incorporate natural light into a bathroom space where window space may be limited or non-existent.
We’ve made our point. Set your sights higher when building or remodeling your home and think creatively about ways to take the design details all they way up to the top.
If you enjoyed this blog you may want to read our blog about, “Minimalist Concepts and Home Decor”
Smith Brothers is a unique team of construction craftsmen, architects, and interior designers. Since 1978, we stress the absolute highest levels of quality, performance, value and service in each and every project. Our award-winning design ideas, expertise, and collective experience allow us to provide the very best in what we do. For more information please contact us at 877-230-0333, (+01) 858-350-1445, or info@smithbrothersconstruction.com.
