Bring the element of glass into a small foyer design.
As the gateway to the house and the buffer room between the outdoors and the indoors, the foyer is more than the welcoming nook to hang your hat and coat. The foyer is rightfully dubbed the first locale of decorative expression that any guest to your home sees. Beyond adequate lighting and paint color coordination, decor options are endless for a small foyer, so think about incorporating the "wow factor" of glass in a not-so-usual way -- on the ceiling.
The Glass Effect
Glass on the ceiling of a small foyer does wonders to the space's existing lighting. The glass reflects the light downward into the foyer's space -- in the same direction the light's rays travel -- enhancing the effects of the light. In essence, the foyer gains more lighting without installing additional light fixtures.
A Skylight
Single-story houses and places designed with a single-story foyer extension are ideal for installing a skylight in the foyer's ceiling. Apart from introducing glass on the ceiling, the skylight introduces natural light into the entryway of the home. During daylight hours, the skylight removes any need for artificial light. Design-wise, a skylight adds excitement, elegance and interest to an otherwise overlooked space.
Glass Cut to Size
Glass manufacturers sell glass in pieces cut to size and will recommend the best thickness of tempered glass for the foyer ceiling. Tempered glass does not chip or break as easily as standard glass and is recommended for interior use. With the measurements of the ceiling, including the position of its light fixture, a glass manufacturer can cut the piece to size and a neat circle for the ceiling's light fixture. Lift the piece of glass with assistance to the ceiling, and support and secure it in place along its four sides with 2-by-2-inch or 2-by-4-inch wood strips screwed along the top of each foyer wall. The thickness of the wood is a matter of design choice. Dress up the wood with decorative wood trim coordinated with the foyer's design.
Paint the ceiling the desired accent color prior to installing the glass. Choose a color that works well in the foyer to show through the glass. Even add a touch of unexpected pizzazz with a metallic paint finish, and enjoy how the shimmer of the paint plays off the glimmer of the glass. Another option is to consider installing a mirrored glass on the ceiling -- a functional and stylish touch to this design.
Glass Tiles
Glass tiles will work on a small foyer's ceiling. The advantages of working with glass tiles -- the kind used in kitchens and bathrooms -- include the abundance of styles and colors available and the use of highly adhesive thinset mortar and grout in their installation. Working with the small sections at a time make the installation of the tiles on the ceiling relatively easy, but each section must be held in place a little longer than on a vertical wall to make it stick and set in place.
Tags: , foyer ceiling, foyer design, , light fixture