*****Edited April 23, 2014***** Originally Posted on October 9, 2011*******
I am happy to announce that my laptop is up and running, and fully operational again. I know it’s really starting to show its age; but I believe I can squeeze a few more miles out of her. Thanks to all my well-wishers for your support and encouragement during the dreaded 24 hours of no laptop!
Now I am back to business, and today I will be talking about ceilings.
This is a blog post I wrote back in October 2011 about the importance of addressing a room’s fifth wall…..the ceiling!
Please Enjoy this oldie but goodie 
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Is your ceiling blah and boring? Well, you are not alone. It always amazes me how many ceilings go untreated. Well my job today is to get people to think of their ceilings as the fifth wall in a room.
There are endless options available to rescue those tired, boring popcorn ceilings out there. Here are just a few ideas.
The simplest and least expensive option is simply painting your ceiling. Depending on the look you are trying to achieve, you can use a flat finish, eggshell finish, or a glossy or metallic finish. In general, I sometimes use a lighter value of whatever the wall color will be as my ceiling color. That usually gives the room some color consistency, yet noticeably different. But the sky is the limit when it comes to paint color choices. You can go much darker than the walls for more drama, which actually can cause the ceiling to appear higher since it seems to recede. The most common is painting ceilings white, but that can be very expected and quite boring.
Of course, there are several more dramatic options we should explore.
The classic, architectural look using crown mouldings, medallions, swags, traceries etc will always give a room a timeless appeal. While this will sometims create a formal look in a room, they can be faux painted for a less formal look. Decorators Supply is one company that has tons of options available to create that timeless character in any room. They offer 5 “families” of ceilings with coordinated center medallions, corner and side ornaments and moldings in the Empire, Colonial, Louis XIV and Louis the XV styles. Also available is a Gothic Tracery Ceiling.
Beamed ceilings is another favorite of mine. This will always add instant character in a room. Whether rustic or refined, beamed ceilings can also give a room a timeless look. There are several optins for real wood beams, but faux wood beams are also a great idea, and you really cannot tell the difference. FauxWoodBeams.com has many great options
How about a wrought iron ceiling? Helser Brothers does it like no one else can. It is actually not wrought iron, but a resin that looks exactly like wrought iron. It is available in several designs and finishes and can be applied inside of wall niches, as window treatments, and of course ceiling treatments.
This is one ceiling treatment that even Michelango would appreciate; ceiling Murals. While these might be a bit over the top for an average home, you can take ideas and inspiration from these murals and do them in your own home
These photos are from various sources
Who says that wallpaper is just for walls? You can definitely wallpaper ceilings to add that special, custom touch.
These photos are from various sources
Veronica Solomon, Casa Vilora Interiors
VeronicaSolomon.com
After looking at all those beautiful ceilings, I see just how boring and ho hum my ceilings really are. I have so many other projects going that my ceiling is not a priority right now. Maybe later I will have to do something to them.
Those pretty ceilings make me feel so lame LOL. Mine are just painted white, but I love the look of a nicely designed ceiling like the ones you pictured.
I love the beams in a kitchen or dining room. If I ever get a bigger house, I’d love to do that! The stripes are really cute too!
Love those ceilings designs. Painting on ceiling is a great option. Thank you for the information
OH, these are gorgeous! I LOVE that wrought iron ceiling, and I’ve always adored those tin-tiled ceilings, too! I like the look of the fabric ones in a grand room, but I always worry about those collecting dust!
I never realized that so much can be done with a ceiling. It looks as though the possibilities are endless. I especially love the paintings, so beautiful.
I LOVE the look of exposed beams, so rustic!
These are all amazing, I can’t wait to become a home owner. I have never seen fabric on a ceiling. Pretty interesting!
Our ceilings have that nasty popcorn stuff on them. Neighbors had their’s changed and it looks so much better!
Such great beautiful decorated ceilings ideas and examples. I’m always amazed at how they were able to get up there and do such a large design.
I would totally do the puffy fabric look in my daughters bedroom. They would love that!
What beautiful ceilings! Puts my flat vaulted ceiling to shame. I’m in a apartment and can’t do anything to mines. I need to buy a house!
The pictures of the ceilings are awesome
i wish i had one that is not so boring…
so many amazing ideas- I love wood beams!
Must confess, never thought of a ceiling as a fifth wall. Great imaginative ideas, visuals. Now I’m walking around thinking about what I might do next time we paint.
Most of those are way too over the top for me. I really liked a few of them, though.
My husband and I are minimalist in decor…I’d probably be a little more bold if he would consider it
Ceilings can be beautiful with the right adornment. Your photos are lovely.
Yay so glad to hear about your laptop. I love some of those ceilings – a black and white swirling patterns would be amazing. x
Some of these are so creative! I love all the textures and interest. Although scared to do any of it in my own house! LOL
Holy Heavens those ceilings are GORGEOUS! I want either the stars looking one or the cloud/sky looking one for my home! Just lovely!
I love the coffered ceilings. Gorgeous!
Ackkk! I never even considered doing anything special with my ceilings. Every ceiling in my house is spackled and painted white except our bedroom. That room has wooden ceilings with large wooden beams. I do love the ceiling in our room!
The right ceiling detail could make such a huge impact on a room. I have this awful thing though, where my first attempt at something is awful and I end up redoing it. I’d hate for that to happen with a ceiling!
Hurrah that your laptop is up and running!
I’m glad your laptop is up and running again! Hopefully I figure out what’s wrong with mine soon.
stunning ceilings you posted I live in a two bedroom apartment. I got white walls and white ceiling how drab but you know what I am determined to get my security deposit back lol and will not pay a cent into my rental other the electric n rent
I am seriously in love with a lot of those ceiling options. Especially the crown mouldings and anything with a Gothic look! Amber E.
OMGoodness! They are gorgeous! After looking at your pics, my ceilings are so boring! Thanks for sharing these incredible options!
I’ve never considered having fabric on my ceilings but I never knew you could do that! Some pretty cool things you can do with that. Thank you for sharing!
These are fabulous ideas!!! Very fun, I had no idea you could do so much with a ceiling! Thanks so much for sharing I will refer to this!
My ceilings are the worst. They’re that popcorn stuff! We had exposed beams in my childhood home, and I probably didn’t appreciate them at the time.
I’ll admit I don’t spend much time thinking about our ceilings. Maybe that’s because they don’t look anywhere near as gorgeous as any of these! Love these ideas!
I have to admit that I usually forget about the ceiling when it comes to decorating. Who knew there were so many possibilities?
What gorgeous ceilings! I have never really thought of them before…I love the beamed ones.
I am a fan of plain old white simple ceilings in our home.
Wow! Some of those are really lovely and unique!
I am amazed everything you could do with ceilings, wow!
How cool is this? I never gave my ceiling any thoughts!! Love some of these ideas, especially the beams!
I love the ceiling with the map and the space one; those look so awesome!
Those photos are amazing! Definitely adds a whole new element to the room.
I love the look of painted ceilings and would totally do it in my bedroom. My husband is not a fan though and thinks it will make the room look smaller. Oh well!
Who would make a Joe Boxer room?? Joe Boxer? lol
Reading your blog has inspired me to start decorating my guest room. I just taped it today and plan to paint tomorrow. I thought I was already to go until I saw this! Now my ceiling looks so bare!
That sky ceiling was really neat!! I feel so inspired to spruce up a ceiling in my house
wow. You’ve done it again!! You give us another wall of inspiration! How beautiful, no stunning. these are! I wish you were here to inspire me in person.
So glad to hear your laptop is back in working condition! I love these ceiling ideas – especially crown molding. It is so elegant!
Lots of really good ideas here. One of our houses would look great with the tin look but unfortunately it would be too expensive so we are going to go with painting it a little darker than the walls to add a little more height. Thanks for sharing.
I love the ceiling that looks like space with shooting stars! I don’t know if I could pull it off in my own kitchen but it sure is unique. I didn’t even realize how many options a ceiling could have!
I have already told my husband that my next house will have the ceilings with beams across it. I have a huge stag horn fern that will have to be kept inside since it is a tropical plant and were no longer in a tropical environment. I plan to hang it from the beam ceiling in front of our biggest window so it can grow. Thank goodness that was the type of ceiling I wanted before we moved!
I’m so glad your laptop is up and running again. These ceilings are gorgeous and it is important to pay attention to how you are decorating the ceiling when you are remodeling any room.
You really have me staring at my ceiling now. I’m sure we could do something to make it more grand…
We just painted two rooms in our house and we did the walls dark, the ceiling a little lighter, kinda made it look better!
I really like the look of the open sky ceilings with the clouds. I did this with my old condo
I love the ceiling with the starts! I’m a plain and print person but those ceiling paintings are just too beautiful not to catch someone’s attention.
I’m intrigued with the idea of adding wood beams in a room that does not originally have them. I would have never thought of that. And the second fabric ceiling makes me feel like I’m floating. I could sit in that room and daydream all day!
What a great idea…the 5th wall! Are you planning on doing a book in the near future?
I just need to say… Your designs are wonderful!
Thank you John
I love the beamed ceilings! I’ve never seen some of those brick designs before!
I think the fabric ceilings might be a little much for me, but I love the beams and the stripes. Cool ideas!
I need to do something fancy with mine now, but not sure what I live in a small apartment!
I love an exposed beam or some woodwork. Some of these are gorgeous but would be too much in my own home!
These are beautiful ideas! I love beamed ceilings, and once we decide to buy or build, I plan to have them in at least one room.
I wish I could have a fancy, beautiful ceiling! My favorite out of all of those is definitely the wrought iron one – gorgeous!
We have beamed ceilings in our family room and I love the way it looks. It gives is a casual but elegant feeling!
I LOVE the striped ceiling- that would look so awesome in a kitchen or living area! Also the beamed ceilings are just amazing.
We just started playing around with colored ceilings in our bedroom at home. However, our cottage came with gorgeous wood beams that I love.
I love how those ceilings look. It is so awesome you can do that.
ooo I love the ceiling that looks like the stars!! So pretty!
I recently saw tin ceilings from our Blog Comments group, and I was SO impressed! Great tips.
I love the wrought iron the ceiling. And the wallpaper! Oh wow! Such great ideas….now you have me wanting to transform my ceilings.
I am a fan of the beam, tin, and brick. Love those ideas and look forward to implementing them in the future. Thank you for sharing this informative post.
Your article gave me great ideas for a room I want to redo! Now I’ll always think of a ceiling as a 5th wall.
The brick veneer is really awesome! As you know we just did a ceiling remodel with American Tin Ceiling Tiles. We love the new look!
Yes I remember. Your post re-inspired me and reminded me of this post I wrote long time ago. Thank you!
It’s all in the details, right? This is what makes us go Wow! Wowsers! Jeepers! I agree that we don’t put enough attention on ceilings, the pictures you showed here are amazing…
If you’re ever in Manhattan, Kansas, be sure to go into a few of the older buildings in Aggieville. They have beautiful ceilings. They speak so much about the history of the town! I love that they didn’t redo them and have restored them to the best they could!
Thanks for the heads up!
Thank you all for your great comments!
Ah, the Sistine Chapel – that has to be the best ceiling in the world!
I love decorated ceilings. Our old house had the best ceilings. I hated to move.
Wow, so much that can be done with a ceiling. Mine are all pop corn ceiling, one day I’ll do something to change them but so many other things to do in the house first. Great advice. I do love the natural wood or brick looks.
You’re right, Veronica, the sky truly is the limit when it comes to ceilings. When I lived in Belgium, I had the cross-vaulted brick ceilings you show … in my basement! My rented house came furnished with “period pieces”: 15th century 4-poster bed, pieces of 3rd century frieze work, paintings of “instant ancestors” on the walls … a veritable museum. And those fabulous ceilings in the basement where the furnace was housed! In contrast, today mine are pretty plain …
wow so many great examples here! I love the baroque inspired style ceilings. So beautiful!
These are some great ceilings. Personally I’m a sucker for textured ceilings – love them!
It’s easy to forget ceilings..that is until you walk into a room done by someone who did not forget the ceiling. When done right, they really can transform a room.