Blog

Your Ceiling Choice Will Make or Break Your Kitchen Design

Designing a kitchen remodel is a matter of seemingly endless choices and decisions.  It is common to become so focused on the function of the appliances and the placement of sinks and stoves and refrigerators that you don’t stop to look up.  In fact, the type of ceiling you choose for your new kitchen can make your kitchen feel larger or smaller, can make it feel claustrophobic or open,  or can make it feel light and bright or dark and dreary.  Here are some ceiling designs to consider as you plan and design your new kitchen.

Traditional Flat Ceiling – This is the most common type of ceiling in any room. It is the least expensive to build, and is essentially a wall laid on its side.  The traditional height for a flat ceiling is 8 feet, although many builders are using 10 foot ceilings to make the room feel larger.  Options for making the flat ceiling appear higher include using a vertical stripe paint or wallpaper, using a border at the top of the wall, or adding crown molding or other decorative moldings at the top of the wall.

Cathedral Ceiling – This high, sloped ceiling is becoming increasingly popular in kitchens. The ceiling is attached to the roof trusses and creates a very dramatic feeling of space.  Whether this style ceiling is built with open beams or a solid drywall panel, the rise to the very top of the house offers both space and a few challenges. The challenges are in getting proper insulation over the ceiling (although there are some new insulated boards for this purpose), the difficulty getting to the ceiling for painting, cleaning and installing light fixtures, and the additional heating cost due to heat loss to the top of the ceiling.

Vaulted Ceiling – A ceiling that rises from the walls at an angle or in an arch is a vaulted ceiling.  These vaulted ceilings can rise from one side of the room to a center point at the top of the house or they can rise from two or all four walls of the room to a center point at the top of the house.

Tray Ceiling – Tray ceilings get their name from the finished appearance of a tray being turned upside down.  They are made up of one or more stepped sections of ceiling going up to a flat ceiling panel in the middle. The “steps” are sometimes accented with decorative moldings or contrasting paint colors can be used.  Tray ceilings give the appearance of greater height and space in the room while actually rising relatively little.  Tray ceilings can be built under many attic designs.

Cove Ceiling – There are many styles of decorative ceilings. Cove ceilings can be a nice addition to any kitchen design. They have a rounded surface sloping into the angle at the point where the walls and the ceiling meet.  Cove ceilings have a more fluid feeling than the sharp angles of traditional ceiling styles.

Coffered Ceiling – Another decorative ceiling style is the coffered ceiling.  This very decorative style would probably overpower a smaller kitchen. In a large kitchen or a kitchen that is open to a family room, dining room or breakfast room, it can be a striking addition. Coffered ceilings are essentially groups of tray ceilings which share common low points in the center of the room. They are often painted in contrasting colors or outlined with decorative moldings.

Whatever your personal taste or the size and style of your new kitchen, you can choose a ceiling style that adds a feeling of spaciousness, openness and light or a feeling of cozy warmth. Before you finish your kitchen design, give some creative thought to how your ceiling can accent your finished room.

So if you are looking for a professional custom home building company located in Goldsboro, North Carolina then please contact Cameron Mitchell Homes today at 919.947-5893 or fill out our online request form.