Ceilings Perth can make or break a room’s architectural style. They can also be functional, such as concealing mechanical systems or adding sound-deadening materials.
In the past, ceilings were often decorated. They could feature stenciled chamfers and gable end trim, or match a frieze pattern with a fill paper. They might also display fresco painting or artwork.
A beamed ceiling highlights the joists or beams in your home’s structure without hiding them behind drywall. This style is a popular choice for homes with high or vaulted ceilings. It can also add a sense of elegance to a room. The materials and finishes you choose for your beamed ceiling will make a difference in how the space feels. For example, metal beams can give a room an industrial feel while wooden beams create a rustic look.
You can modernize ceiling beams by painting them in a contemporary paint color. You may also choose to stain them if you prefer a natural finish. Another way to add warmth and character to a room with a beamed ceiling is to use a plaster finish. This finish provides a smooth, rich appearance that stands out against the wood or metal beams.
One popular style of beamed ceiling is a cathedral ceiling, which features evenly sloping beams that meet in the center to form an apex. This type of ceiling is reminiscent of grand cathedral interiors and it can create a dramatic effect in a room with a vaulted or high ceiling. Cathedral ceilings are best suited for rooms with tall ceilings, such as those that are nine feet or higher.
Another style of beamed ceiling is a fishbone ceiling. This design resembles the spine of a fish with beams radiating out from the point where the sloping walls meet the roofline. This type of ceiling can enhance a dining room, living room or bedroom.
If you prefer a more minimalistic style, you can choose to leave the beams unfinished and raw. You may also choose to stain or paint them in a neutral color, such as white or gray. You can also use a limewash paint to rejuvenate old or weathered beams and maintain their original character.
Before installing a beamed ceiling, it’s important to know the weight load capacity of your ceiling and the carpentry skills required to install it. You’ll also want to ensure that the beams are a good fit for your house and that they match your overall architectural style. It’s also a good idea to allow the beams to acclimate to your home environment for a few weeks before they’re installed.
Suspended Ceilings
Suspended ceilings are a modern solution for commercial settings that offer many benefits. They can hide unsightly wiring, ductwork, and plumbing to maintain a clean and professional look, while also providing insulation and reducing energy costs. They can also facilitate the installation of a variety of workplace necessities, including lighting fixtures and air vents. Additionally, suspended ceilings are easy to clean and can incorporate special tiles with antimicrobial coatings for healthcare facilities.
While there are various designs and styles of suspended ceilings, the basic framework of these systems is similar across all types. Suspended ceilings are composed of a grid system and perimeter channels. Main runners are installed at intervals along the room’s perimeter, while cross tees are placed perpendicular to them and form the grid pattern. Wall angles, which are L-shaped profiles attached to the perimeter walls at specific heights, provide support for the edge tiles.
Ceiling tiles, which are the visible surface of a suspended ceiling, come in different materials and can be customized with a wide range of designs and patterns to suit individual tastes. They can be constructed from mineral fiber, metal, gypsum, and more, which provides a wide selection of aesthetic options. They can be painted, laminated, or coated in various finishes to suit an environment’s style and aesthetic.
In addition to enhancing a space’s visual appeal, suspended ceilings can also provide acoustic properties that are essential for certain environments. Suspension ceiling manufacturers offer a variety of acoustic products that are designed to absorb and deflect sound waves to create a pleasant working environment. For example, Arktura’s sound-attenuating Soft Sound material is sustainably produced from recycled milk cartons and transforms noisy spaces into a more enjoyable acoustic environment.
Other important factors to consider when selecting a suspended ceiling include humidity resistance and mold protection. Many suspended ceilings are coated with antimicrobial agents to prevent the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms, while some can be insulated for additional thermal protection. They can also be fire resistant to help protect a space during a disaster or emergency, though this feature should always be confirmed prior to purchase.
Conventional Ceilings
Conventional flat ceilings are the most common type found in homes. They’re plain, made of lower-cost materials, and easy to install. They are a great choice for those looking to maximize space without taking away from wall treatments and other design features. Conventional ceilings aren’t a one-size-fits-all, however. They can be enhanced with many types of molding, such as cornice at the seams where walls and ceiling meet. This simple detail adds an elegant flair to conventional ceilings that can make them feel more like a piece of art than just a blank canvas. Other ceiling design features that can be added to conventional ceilings include beadboard planks and shiplap. While these are better known as wall siding options, they also work beautifully in the right spaces of a home.
Tray ceilings are another way to give a traditional conventional ceiling some character. They’re similar to a vaulted ceiling but have a single, recessed section that’s centered in the room. They’re a popular option for master bedrooms and can create a sense of drama and openness to a space.
Beam ceilings are another style that can be incorporated into a conventional ceiling to provide a more rustic, cottage-feel to a room. They’re often made of pine and have a waffle-like appearance that can bring a touch of warmth to a room. They can also be finished with a variety of paints or stain to match any color palette.
If you love the look of wood ceilings but aren’t quite ready to commit to a reclaimed beam ceiling, pine tongue and groove can be a great compromise. It gives a modern farmhouse feel and adds texture to any room, but it’s more durable than drywall and easier to maintain.
Sloped ceilings, found under a pitched roof, can be a beautiful addition to any room but can pose some challenges in terms of maintenance and energy efficiency. This is because heat rises and will often be directed toward the ceiling, forcing your furnace to work harder to keep your home comfortable.
No matter your style, there’s a ceiling design that will fit your taste and complement your home. It just takes a little imagination and consultation with experts to help you find the perfect option.
Vaulted Ceilings
Vaulted ceilings can add dramatic grandeur to a room and give it an airy, luxurious feel. They can be a stunning addition to contemporary and rustic styles, but they also work well with traditional and many other home designs. The height of a vaulted design often opens up the space for tall windows or skylights, adding bright natural light to living spaces and creating an unmistakable sense of grandeur in a room.
They offer plenty of design options: From exposing beams to painting the ceiling in a color that perfectly complements the walls and floors, vaulted designs are a versatile choice. The extra vertical space also allows homeowners to create a more impressive focal point in the room, whether it’s an attractive wood panel or an eye-catching groin.
A vaulted ceiling can increase a room’s resale value, as it’s a unique feature that not many homes have. Buyers can be willing to pay a premium for this home feature, particularly if the ceiling has a beautiful exposed structure, such as timber beams, hewn rafters and matching floorboards.
On the downside, vaulted ceilings can be expensive to build or retrofit, as they require more framing than do conventional ceilings. They can also be difficult to heat and cool, as warm air naturally rises and has nowhere to go, which leads to higher energy bills than homes with standard ceilings. However, you can combat the draftiness by installing insulation and ceiling fans that force hot air downward in winter and suck up cool air in summertime.
Vaulted ceilings are a great option for new construction homes, where homeowners can control the size and shape of their rooms before they’re built. But if you’re considering adding a vaulted ceiling to an existing space, consult with professionals before eyeballing it and going by your own back-of-the-envelope calculations. This isn’t a do-it-yourself project, and it should be left to professionals who can handle the tricky electrical work, building codes and structural integrity involved in the process.
One other thing to consider before adding a vaulted ceiling is how it will affect your daily maintenance routine. Vaulted ceilings can be a pain when it comes to changing a lightbulb or dusting, since you’ll need a ladder to reach these chores. If teetering on the end of a ladder isn’t your idea of a fun weekend project, you may want to reconsider this option.