Things Are Looking Up
Kara Cox Interiors
There is a saying among designers that the ceiling is the fifth wall and that it shouldn’t be forgotten. The right ceiling treatment or color can make a room seem larger or cozier, it can be a great supporting player or the star of the show. And I’m not even including tray or vaulted ceilings in that assessment. I use 3 design techniques to take a ceiling from ho-hum to wow-worthy - let’s take a look!
Kara Cox Interiors
1. Molding
Molding is almost like the frosting on a cake. It can add interest to the edges where a ceiling meets the walls, or it can create its own pattern across the fifth wall. In my Country Club Hills project above, a sweeping pattern is created that frames the center of the room - and a gorgeous vintage chandelier. It’s a subtle look that doesn’t scream for attention, but definitely makes the most of this room’s design.
Kara Cox Interiors
2. Wallpaper
In a room that’s neutral or needs a little more pizzazz, wallpaper can provide that bit of drama on the ceiling. In the closet I designed above, the walls were filled with shelves and clothing, and I kept the palette quiet and calming. So I used the fabulously patterned wallpaper to highlight the neutral palette but also to draw the eye up to that stunning light fixture. It was also a great way to add a fashion-forward feature to a fashionista’s dream space.
Kara Cox Interiors
3. Paint
Paint can change so much about a room, and it’s no different when it’s a color applied to the ceiling. You can fool the eye into thinking a room is taller or that a high-ceilinged room is cozier. In the bedroom above, I wanted to include the color story from the canopy and extend that soft pink throughout the room. In the evening with the lamps on, that color also creates the most beautiful glow in the room.
Kara Cox Interiors
And of course if you live in the South, like many of my clients do, painting the ceiling of your porch is de rigueur. Depending on the region you live in, people believe that blue porch ceilings keep away bugs and/or evil spirits. However it started, having a blue color on your porch’s fifth wall is a tradition in the South that goes back for centuries. I like it because it recreates the Carolina blue sky that I love so much!
Keep these ideas in mind while you’re looking up in your own home!
All the best,
Kara