What are the key things to be aware of when creating your ceilings, whilst you design your home’s floor plan?

Here’s 5 design tips for your ceilings, so you can create a great result and enhance your home overall.

Whether you’re building new, or renovating, these tips will be super helpful.

Hello! This is episode 253, and in it, I’m going to be talking about what some call the ‘5th elevation’ of a room: your ceilings.

Often dealt with as an afterthought, or simply considered as a flat surface in which to install lighting, your ceilings offer a huge variety of options design-wise to change the feel and functionality of the spaces in your home.

I’ve got 5 tips to share with you to think about when designing your ceilings. 

And yes – your ceilings can and should be designed whilst you’re creating your floor plan, and thinking about the rooms and spaces of your future home.

Whether you’re renovating or building new, these tips will be useful to review as you navigate your design process, whoever you’re working with.

Now, let’s dive in.

Ceilings are often forgotten as part of the design process for many homeowners. 

And whilst this may be a generalisation, I often see this as the case with less experienced building designers and draftspeople, and when homeowners are DIY’ing their design or working with a builder or building company.

What often happens is this: the floor plan gets focussed on, and the arrangement of rooms and spaces gets decided in the two dimensions of a floor plan. 

And then, in the design process, what happens is what I call ‘elevating the floor plan’ … where a ceiling is basically created at a uniform height throughout the home, the walls go in with windows and doors, and a roof gets put on. 

And, right there, the opportunity to design your ceiling is lost, and in the process, the three-dimensional quality of spaces and rooms in your home is created accidentally and without intention.

We live in three dimensions, not two. 

And like the process of windows and doors, and how they’re able to change the feel, functionality and quality of your home, your ceilings and their design also play a huge role in shaping the way your home can feel and function.

So, as you’re thinking about your home design, planning for it, and working with your team to create it, I’m hoping the information I’m about to share will provide opportunities to enhance your home’s design overall.

Many people tell me that they want tall ceilings in their home. They’re seen as a way to introduce grandeur and people talk about wanting that ‘wow’ factor or sense of volume and space in their home. Traditionally, grand old homes have had tall ceilings and it can be seen as a sign of luxury in a home. 

However, it’s worth remembering that a high ceiling can bring about additional requirements, and costs, in structure, lighting, the glazing you’ll choose, internal and external linings, and also be challenging acoustically. 

Many don’t take into account all the consequential impacts and costs when briefing their design team about their wish for high ceilings, so make sure you consider that in your design process and budgeting.

How high is a high ceiling? In this episode, I discuss that, and so much more.

I have 5 design tips for your ceilings, so let’s jump into them.

Listen to the episode now.

RESOURCES:

Successful lighting design for your home’s interiors >>> Season 11, Episode 17

Lighting Design 101 for your home with Craig Thomas, Caribou >>> Season 11, Episode 22

Access my free “Your Project Plan” online workshop and awesome bonuses now >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/projectplan

Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my flagship online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/