Beyond the Tyranny of White and Flat

Whether simple or ornate, ceilings can have a big impact on how people perceive a room.

"The most important thing is context," said Louis Smith, an architect in Charlotte. "What is the room trying to do? How does the ceiling respond to that? Beams and coffers and all of that sort of stuff . . . they're great. However, they're often misused."

These days, high ceilings -- more than eight feet -- are frequently touted as an asset in luxury properties for the airy, open feel they can give a room. But they're not always appropriate, said Smith, immediate past chairman of the American Institute of Architects' small projects committee. "An intimate space should have a lower ceiling, for a little bit of coziness."

The most basic ceiling style is a flat ceiling, which looks like a standard drywall or plaster wall, turned over. Flat ceilings are the cheapest and easiest to build.

Another style, the suspended ceiling, is common in commercial construction, but can also be used in residential buildings. Here, a ceiling is built under an existing ceiling. Configurations vary, but often there's a metal grid suspended from the existing ceiling or the joists of the floor above. Ceiling panels -- made of wood or special acoustical material -- are built into the grid. The advantages to such a ceiling include easy access to wiring or plumbing. A disadvantage is that it lowers the height of the original ceiling, often by about six inches.

Beamed ceilings are another common style. Smith said that people should be careful of how such beams are placed; in particular, they should avoid running them above sitting areas. "People don't like sitting under beams because you feel like it's going to fall on you. It's not psychologically comfortable."

Even worse, in Smith's view: fake beams. Too often, "they're used like cake decoration," he said. "The net result is disconcerting. You wonder what's holding things up."

But that doesn't mean you're stuck with a flat ceiling. There are other ways to achieve definition, he said. "Instead of beams, it's better to use more intelligent and variable lighting. It's relatively cheap, and it's always more graceful."

Another elaborate style that Smith said is sometimes misused in homes is the coffered ceiling, which features a series of recessed panels in a gridlike pattern. Coffers are traditionally used in formal rooms with high ceilings. "Unless the room is truly ballroom size, you probably shouldn't ever use coffers," Smith said. "It's too ornate for most spaces."

In general, Smith said, "the more detail you have, the farther away it should be."

For example, tin panels were "just the thing in Victorian times," he said, when they were a paintable, low-maintenance option for high ceilings. "All of those things are still true, except they're a bit more expensive now."

But they can work if "they are used with care and thought," Smith said. To him, that means a ceiling that's at least 10 feet high because of acoustics and the level of detail in the tin tiles. "If you try and use it without understanding the space, you can create a space that's horrible acoustically and visually."

Color is another factor. And it's one that can be changed cheaply, even if the idea of throwing a splash of color overhead frightens many homeowners.

Because of that fear, Smith said, there's a tendency always to paint ceilings white. "To me, that makes for an uncomfortable space. It doesn't help you process the space. No variation."

Why all the white? It's the builder default, so everyone has grown used to it, he said. And they're not sure what color to use, if not white.

Even if they are not brave enough to pick bold colors for the ceiling, "more design-savvy people will pick up a white that complements the strong colors."