Vaulted Ceiling

A great ceiling design for homes is the vaulted ceiling. Read this article to know how you can use this architectural element for your home.
While remodeling a house or buying a new house, ceilings are the last thing that we pay attention too. But a bold style of ceiling can enhance the look of your home and also increase its value, should you choose to sell it later. There are many different types of ceiling, from plain flat ceilings, tray ceilings, false ceilings to vaulted ceilings. Vaulted ceilings, also known as cathedral ceiling, are ceilings that arch upward in angles. This gives the room an airy and spacious look. These type of ceilings are mostly seen in big cathedrals and churches and in big mansions. Cathedral ceilings were at one time considered fashionable and many architects and interior designers incorporated it in bigger houses. But gradually it lost its place to the more fashionable suspended ceilings. Nevertheless, they have made a comeback and a vaulted ceiling can in fact give your home a very elegant look.

Vaulted Ceiling Design

As mentioned before, vaulted ceiling consists of arches that slopes upwards instead of being plain and flat. These type of ceilings are a great investment, if you have a room that is dark and does not receive much sunlight. It is best for a dining room or living room and can become the focal point of the room. By extending the height of the room, a vaulted ceiling gives an air of spaciousness to a room. It is not something that you can install on your own and you will probably need the services of a professional. Before installing a cathedral ceiling in your home, you will need to find out whether your existing roof can be converted into one. As many structural changes are required, you will need to get an exact estimate of the cost involved in constructing this type of ceiling.

Although in principle it might seem like a cathedral ceiling consists of only one design, actually it can be finished in a number of ways. A wooden vaulted ceiling is the most traditional look that you can opt for and there is nothing to beat the beauty of a wooden ceiling. Wooden moldings, ceramic tiles and even drywall can give you very good and unique finishes for the ceiling. You can also install beautiful wooden beams in dark colors to give the ceiling an elegant look.

Before you decide on installing a vaulted ceiling, you should know about some difficulties that you might face regarding home decor and ceiling insulation. Since the height of the room with a cathedral ceiling is quite high, it takes more energy to insulate the room. Another problem is that such a room is very difficult to decorate as the height of the walls is much more than the floor area. Arranging the furniture becomes a big hassle and the room might end up looking cold and disproportional. However, you can solve this problem by painting the ceiling in a darker color and the walls in a lighter hue. Grouping together wall art like colorful paintings and photographs will also enhance the look of such a room. For lighting, you can opt for suspended lights and tall decorative table lamps. Decorating rooms with such ceilings might seem challenging but it can be done by understanding the design principle involved.

This was how you can decorate your home with vaulted ceilings. Such ceiling designs for homes can give it a very refined and dramatic look.
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Last Updated: 9/27/2011
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