For many years, home decor ideas focused mostly on designs for walls and floors. However, now many interior designers are also turning their attention to ceilings.
Orissa POST interacted with a few designers who shared their views on how to get an attractive eye-catching ceiling.
Bhubaneswar based engineer Sanjay Choudhury, with more than 20 years’ experience in the field, said, “Ceiling is not necessarily only a style statement. With the rise in global temperature, people who live in single storey buildings could get some respite from heat if they put in a false ceiling. A false ceiling has other benefits too. The ceiling covers up the electrical cables used for the lighting and offers more options to illuminate the room.”
“The perfect ceiling design varies from room to room and depends on the available space, surrounding walls and the overall construction of the house. There are innumerable patterns and colours to choose from to decorate the ceiling. From tray ceiling to beam ceiling, cove ceiling to the highly popular drop ceiling, these beautiful designs can give a room that exclusive feel you are looking for.”
Sanjay listed some popular ceiling designs which are trending now.
Panelled tray
The light-studded cornice in a room having panelled tray design offers lighting and works as a mainstay for the rich panel display on the ceiling. Both the tray and the cornice are false ceiling elements. The oakwood tray, laid with traditional ceiling planks, is reminiscent of mid-20thcentury architecture. For an old-world appeal, pick a darker-stained wooden false ceiling for the bedroom. For a more contemporary vibe, choose light or white shades.
High-gloss panelling
Make the room a pure white sanctuary with a high-gloss tongue-and-groove panelling to elevate the ceiling. The matte wood-panelled floor wonderfully offsets the effusive shine of the ceiling.
Wood-finish rafters
An eclectic mix of rustic charm and contemporary aesthetics, the ceiling of this room has the air of a quaint log cabin. The false ceiling is layered in narrow wood panels and embellished with heavy-duty beams laid across horizontally. It also features LED lights at various spots, which come together to serve as the room’s arterial lighting network.
Layered ceiling
The original ceiling in this type of design is masked in three levels of false ceiling that form concentric ovals just over the bed frame. Each level contains a scattered ring of embedded lights that effectively zone the sleeping area.
Textured ceiling
The style quotient goes up several notches with such a ceiling design. Made from Plaster of Paris, the ceiling moulding is a union of classical elegance and modish style. The design sits within a rectangular frame characterised by clean white lines.
Engineer Sandip Mallick of Cuttack with more than 10 years of experience in interior designing said, “False ceiling is also known as dropped ceiling, T-bar ceiling, suspended ceiling or grid ceiling. Ceiling was initially used in commercial constructions only. But with time and design development, this type of ceiling has now become a part of every household. Commonly used in newly constructed homes, false ceilings are a way of adding sophistication to the decor. While in the commercial form this type completely blocked the actual ceiling of the building using gypsum board or steel panels, in households, to add to the exquisiteness, one could also get some interesting carvings on the higher ceiling using Plaster of Paris. Designed in different shapes and height, the artistic look of a false ceiling adds to the decor of a home. Also, there is a vast option for the people who want elegant design at any cost.”
Sanjay lists some popular ceiling designs of today.
Timbered ceiling
Wood beams are a multipurpose tool that can be used to craft bold, clean designs on a false ceiling. It offers added depth with vivid timbered ceiling effect. The false ceiling is embedded with recessed lights that subtly highlight the walnut grid while a chandelier adds a playful touch of glam to the room.
Gypsum beam grid
In this island-inspired bedroom, the base timber panelling is buttressed by a gypsum beam grid. The ceiling pops with its various levels and the grid reveals polished square panels within, each kept to its natural grain. Opt for panels in natural or reclaimed wood if you prefer an authentic outdoorsy feel.
Floor-to-ceiling ribbon
Sleek, seamless and smooth are words that come to mind for this design. This false ceiling in the bedroom is restricted to a single stylistic ribbon that sits below the ceiling and extends from the floor and flows across the ceiling and over the bed as a futuristic shade. With spotlights and cove lighting along the ceiling, the design channels a revolutionary appeal. The ribbon plays host to a television while retaining its place as the focal centerpiece.
Flush-mounted fixtures
This ceiling has plenty to offer with multiple inter layered faux ceiling elements. The outer broad ceiling cornice features both recessed lights and soft cove lighting. Matched in style and spirit are the quadrant of flush-mounted fixtures that mirror the same lighting scheme.
Word of caution
If not maintained well, the false ceiling can be home to pests and spider webs.
If the actual ceiling in your home is not too high, adding a false ceiling could make your room look smaller and claustrophobic.
As a hanging structure, the false ceiling is not as solid as the actual ceiling. Thus, installing any heavy lighting or other fixtures could cause damage to the ceiling or the life span of the ceiling.