Designers use the term "statement ceiling" to describe a ceiling that has been given extra attention, sometimes to the point that the ceiling becomes the focal point of the room. Designers told the Washington Post that there are numerous ways to make a ceiling stand out and help give spaces more character. The newspaper highlights a few different choices designers can make to maximize a ceiling's potential.
Wallpaper
Quintece Hill-Mattauszek, an Alexandria, Va., designer, said a lot of people forget about their vertical real estate. She's a self-proclaimed "pattern fanatic" and is unafraid of using vibrant, bold patterns to liven up a ceiling.
Elizabeth Reich of Jenkins Baer Associates in Baltimore says interesting wallpaper is particularly smart for powder rooms because their small size means not much is needed to make a big impact.
Molding
Coffered ceilings can provide a timeless look, and beams or planks can add character that will complement many different styles. One of Reich's favorite projects was a Lutherville, Md., home that she says exemplifies the way changing the ceiling can transform a space.
"We decided to eliminate the sky lights that were in the original ceiling because the room gets a ton of natural light, and they weren't symmetrical to the room," Reich wrote. "We took out the high peak and add a flat section to the ceiling, which made the room feel more intimate, and added planks, crossbeams, and arches."
Paint
Andrea Houck, an interior designer based in Arlington, Va., loves statement ceilings—especially in dining rooms, powder rooms, and master bedrooms.
A high-gloss ceiling can also formalize a space, Reich said. Any colors can be used to create lacquer, or high-gloss, finish, but dark colors, such as blue, work particularly well, she said.
"I think a ceiling is another piece that people just can't forget about," Houck said. "It's so important. You can just tweak the color ever so slightly and totally change the feeling in the room."
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