Looking Up in 2016: Ceiling Moulding Transforms your Home

Looking Up in 2016: How Ceiling Moulding can Transform your Home

Posted by Bridget McMullin on January 06, 2016

Amazing ceiling detail can mean the difference between “okay” and “wow” in any space. I had a professor while I was in college who always told us to look up and never forget about the ceiling, yet this spot is the most boring and under-utilized surface in a home. Think of how a ceiling can transport you. For example, the Renaissance beauty of the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel.  I know your home is not the Sistine Chapel, but your home is a space that you experience every day. Why not elevate it to a place of beauty? A one-of-a-kind ceiling detail is just one of the fine details that can remind you of your specialness.

I have many clients who are all or nothing when it comes to designing their homes. They show me images of vaulted family rooms or coffered dining spaces and once they realize they are limited to eight foot ceiling spaces or that their budget is too modest for the work proposed, they give up and do nothing with excuses like “it will feel too busy” or it will make the room “feel smaller.” Yes, this may be true if done incorrectly by a contractor who only does what the client says versus a designer who will weigh the trim options that will truly enhance a space.

A great example of “working with what you have” is a project we completed in Sea Isle City, New Jersey last year. This beach condo was your standard 1960’s concrete slab construction with ceiling below eight feet in height.  When I proposed to drop in soffits to help define rooms and carry electrical wiring throughout, my clients were not on board. They already felt their ceilings were too low and conceiving anything lower was not even up for discussion. After presenting them with conceptual drawings and explaining how important it was to introduce recessed lighting into the spaces via the soffits, they took a leap of faith and were amazed by the transformation. By adding the soffits and creating tray ceilings with bead board details, I was able to create a sense of place that defined the entrance and hallways in the home, as well as a sense of volume. The drop of the soffit enhanced the visual height of the 7’-10” ceiling height.  The husband was so taken by the transformation that he added soffits and trim detail to every room in the house!

Sea Isle City Condo Before

Sea Isle City Condo After

Sea Isle City Condo Before

Sea Isle City Condo After

Sea Isle City Condo Before

Sea Isle City Condo After

Adding soffits and crown details are just one way to enhance your ceiling.  Join me next week to see other ways to make your heavens shine.