Ceiling decoration has taken on a number of guises through the ages. In the buildings of Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, a decorated ceiling, painted with mythical scenes or adorned with carvings and panelling, was a sign of status and affluence. While the exposed beams of a traditional country cottage have a structural function, as well as an aesthetic one, the elaborate frescoes and ornate plaster mouldings of the Renaissance and Victorian eras were for decorative effect. Following a period of minimalism in the early part of this century, where crisp white walls held sway, in recent years the ceiling has once again become the subject of creative embellishment; a fifth wall that deserves just as much decorative attention as the other four.
Far from painting a ceiling white and forgetting about it, interior designers are increasingly finding inventive treatments using paint, plaster and mouldings. “Ceiling murals and specialist painting have taken quite some time to return to prominence after falling out of favour in the early 2000s,” says designer Philippa Thorp. “However, they are experiencing a revival as people seek meaningful ways to add unique character and architectural detailing to their homes. The ceiling is something we consider in every project, regardless of the style. Whether it's a classical townhouse or a contemporary ski lodge, there's never simply a flat, unconsidered ceiling. There’s always an architectural narrative, however quiet, running through the space.”
At a project she completed recently on Lake Como in Italy, for example, there is a colourful mural hand-painted on the wood-panelled ceiling of the home office inspired by the owner’s favourite Dolce & Gabbana dress, which brings an energy and vibrancy to the room. “Our aim was to ensure the artwork felt as though it had always been there, blending seamlessly with the region’s architecture and the property’s natural surroundings,” says Thorp.
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The interior designer Alidad, who works around the world and is known particularly for restoring historic buildings, is wise to the impact of a decorated ceiling, a feature that regularly appears in his projects. At a home in Beirut, for example, a covered veranda has been given a panelled ceiling inset with panes of foxed mirror that reflect the colours of the stained-glass windows below and bounce light around the small space.
In another project, a hall with a Roman-style mosaic floor and Ottoman-style carved marble fireplace has a ceiling decoration with a floral design that echoes the colours of the stone tiles around the fireplace, pulling the scheme together.
In a room he created for the WOW!House decorator showcase in London, Alidad wanted to create a room that looked as though it had been there for centuries; despite the fact it was in fact built in five days. The coffered ceiling decoration, inspired by one at the historic Eastnor Castle in the UK, was originally intended to be panelled in wood, but as this wasn’t possible due to weight restrictions, he used faux plaster mouldings painted in wood stain instead – an ingenious solution that achieves the desired effect.
A decorative ceiling draws the eye up and adds depth and warmth, as in this room in a recent project by designer Shalini Misra, featured in this year’s Andrew Martin Interior Design Review. Where a white ceiling might have made the room feel cold, the rich wood panelled ceiling with a hexagonal motif makes it look luxurious and welcoming.
The key to a successful ceiling decoration treatment is that it is sympathetic to both the location of the building and the spirit of its interiors. At a rustic house in Spain, wood panelling painted in rainbow colours ties in beautifully with the sunny Andalusian setting of the farmhouse and the playful vibe of the decor.
On the other hand, at a penthouse in One Palm Jumeirah Residences by Charu Gandhi, founder of design studio Elicyon, the look is light and fresh, to chime with the skyscape vista beyond the windows. For one of the children’s rooms, Gandhi worked with the specialist Fameed Khalique on a pretty pastel-coloured ceiling motif of flowers and leaves, adorned with 3D flowers handmade in leather.
At the recently opened Beihouse members’ club in Beirut, interior designer Linda Boronkay paid attention to ceiling decoration in every space, with treatments, applied by specialist artisans, ranging from plaster finishes and smart painted wooden panelling to sculptural trompe l’oeil effects.
Even an interior with a restrained, neutral palette can take a little ceiling embellishment, as demonstrated by a serene house in San Francisco, where a hand-painted ceiling mural in the living room subtly elevates the understated scheme.
At the other end of the scale decor-wise, the interior designer Dara Huang clad the entire bedroom of a house in the Hamptons in a green and blue floral motif, including a tented ceiling, creating a look that is at once flamboyant and cosy.
All of which goes to show that for a room that feels cohesive and considered, with detail and depth, you really should look up.
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