Tray celings can add drama to your room.
Named for their resemblance to upside-down serving trays, tray ceilings are recessed and bordered by stacked molding. Since they come with their own frames, tray ceilings seem ideal for creative painted finishes. Using bold colors, faux finishes and ceiling murals leads the eye to this impressive architectural feature--perhaps one of the reasons you chose your home--and adds drama to your room. Look to nature, history and the decorative arts for inspiration.
Illuminated Manuscript
From the Fourth Century to the late Middle Ages, books were handwritten hand-illustrated works of art called illuminated manuscripts. The pages often featured colorful ornamental borders with scrolls, vines and geometric designs usually accented with gold or silver leaf. Emulate the look by faux-finishing your ceiling to look like old parchment. Study photos of ancient manuscripts for border designs and stencil your favorite onto the ceiling. Use the same border design around your chandelier base or ceiling medallion. Finish with creamy molding in one of the parchment shades.
Faux Zebrawood
Exotic zebrawood was a favorite in Neoclassical and Art Deco designs. Dramatic in any application with its bold striations of black, brown and amber on gold, zebrawood makes a stunning ceiling choice. The wood is now endangered, but you can get the look of zebrawood with wood-grain faux-finishing. Mimic ebony inlay by painting a rectangular band of solid black--no more than 1 1/2 inches wide--on top of the zebrawood finish, 7 to 10 inches from the edge. Paint the molding glossy black to match.
Cloudy Sky
From the Sistine Chapel to modern decorator show houses, cloudy skies are classic ceiling mural motifs. The soft blues soothe, and realistic painted clouds create the illusion of depth and movement. Frame your sky with molding painted glossy white.
Starry Night
Maybe you prefer the mystery of a starry night sky. Let a deep blue-black ceiling sprinkled with tiny twinkling stars remind you of visits to the planetarium or of lying outside on a blanket while staring up at the stars. Complete the effect with pearly-white trim with an iridescent glaze.
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