The ceiling is a bit like “sky” within four walls. It has become generally accepted that it should be white because it creates the illusion of space in the interior. It's true that bleached tones give a living room a light feel, but color can give a home's interior space a unique character. How to diversify the interior with the help of a ceiling? There are many ways to do this, but to choose the best one, you need to carefully analyze the specifics of the room. Not only its size is very important, but the height and amount of daylight that penetrates the living room. Check out the best ideas for a modern ceiling in the main room of your home.
Dropped ceilings
All types of finishes that are mounted on a lathing or frame are classified as suspended. When installing them, the height of the room decreases by 3-7 cm. This depends on the type of material used and the type of profile that is installed on the ceiling.
To make the frame, wooden blocks and mounting slats or a metal profile are used. They are mounted on a concrete or wooden ceiling, and parts of the finishing are attached from above using installation. For small elements, cellular jointing of suspensions is used.
They carry not only the function of decorative finishing, but also act as sound and heat insulation, lighting elements are mounted in them, they hide irregularities, wiring, cables, and with their help they mask ventilation and protruding pipes. When installing them, there is no need to level and plaster the walls or sand the joints. This saves money and time for repairs.
Recommendations from experts
The design of the ceiling must be carried out taking into account the design features of the room. Correctly selected shades can visually enlarge the living room and emphasize its unique style.
- For small living rooms, single-level designs without an abundance of details are more suitable. If the choice is made towards a multi-level model, then part of it should be located directly on the ceiling surface.
- In elongated rooms, preference is given to designs with a square or rectangular shape. They allow you to visually expand the area.
- Multi-level models with an abundance of decor are more suitable for large rooms with high ceilings.
- When designing, the location of the lighting elements is taken into account in advance.
- Combining materials allows you to add zest to the room. It is important that the elements are combined with each other in color and style, and also correspond to the overall interior design.
The materials and designs of the ceiling are varied. It is important to remember that the main task is to create a unified interior that will create a feeling of comfort in the room.
Drywall
Drywall is a universal material that allows you to realize your wildest ceiling design fantasies in the living room. It is lightweight, fireproof, environmentally friendly, lighting can be easily installed in it, and utility lines are hidden under it.
Drywall consists of sheets of thick cardboard between which there is a layer of hardened gypsum with fillers. The sheets are attached to the metal profile with screws. Ceiling guide and arched profiles with a width of 40 to 60 mm and a thickness of 0.45 mm are used for installation. With its help, you can create a two-level living room ceiling with a play of shadow and light, zoning the space, and highlighting individual interior elements.
Decorative plaster, paint, wallpaper, polystyrene or foam panels are applied to its surface. This is an affordable material; installation work can be easily done independently.
The disadvantage is that a plasterboard ceiling in the living room reduces the height of the room by 8-10 cm, so it is not recommended to do it in a low room.
Lighting
The hall is a functional room. The whole family gathers here, relax and work, meet relatives and friends. This means that this space should be well lit. One chandelier in the center of the ceiling, as a rule, is not enough to create a practical and comfortable interior.
Much depends on whether the living room is divided into zones.
- If the room is solid, it is appropriate to use one large central chandelier;
- in a zoned space, several lighting fixtures will be required.
The size of the room is also important. If it is small, then it is appropriate to use one lamp to illuminate each specific area. If the living room is spacious, you should go the other way - place the devices around the perimeter of the ceiling.
The chandelier must be selected taking into account the overall style of the interior. As additional light sources you can use:
- spots that, thanks to directional flow, emphasize certain interior elements;
- spotlights creating the illusion of large space;
- point devices that allow you to give consistency to the geometry of the room;
- diode strips, thanks to which the ceiling looks as if it is floating in the air.
Expert opinion
Olga Kovalenko
Since 2010 I have been engaged in interior design and architectural design.
A competent approach to room design will allow you to get rid of visual boundaries and add space to the living room. To do this, it is enough to correctly combine lighting fixtures with the selected color palette.
Stretch ceiling
Stretch ceilings are made from polyvinyl chloride fabric by welding the sheets on a high-frequency machine according to the size of the surface. When installed on the frame, the canvas is heated to a temperature of 700 C with a heat gun. The film softens, its plasticity increases, and it is stretched and secured to the profile with clips or glazing beads.
Before installing it, you need to mark and install the mounts under the chandelier or ceiling lights. The process of installing a 70 m2 canvas takes 7 hours. There is no dust, dirt or waste during operation. All irregularities, defects and communications are hidden.
The matte canvas resembles plaster, while the mirrored one visually increases the volume of the room due to the reflective ability of the material. It is easy to clean and is not afraid of high humidity. A variety of colors (up to 100 shades) and photo printing will help create the illusion of a starry sky or floating clouds.
The disadvantage of a vinyl ceiling is that it is susceptible to mechanical damage and is easily pierced by sharp objects and cut through. It can be repaired, but the seam will be visible.
Types of options
We propose to consider this issue comprehensively, and pay attention to possible combinations of directions, material and color.
| Style | Color spectrum | material |
| Classic | Warm colors: brown, beige and others | Wallpaper, drywall |
| Modern | Contrasting combinations | Film, wallpaper |
| Minimalism | White, gray, milky | Paint, film |
| Loft | Red, brown | Brick, paint |
| Eco style | Green, blue, yellow | Wood, fabric |
| Scandinavian | White, blue, gray | Paint, wood |
| Antique | Cream, beige, milky | Plaster, wallpaper |
Such an integrated approach allows you to take a broad look at the issue and simultaneously satisfy all the main criteria for choosing a design. Of course, the table shows the basic colors and implementations of each direction. Next we will look at them in more detail and draw your attention to several more interesting modern trends.
See alsoBlack ceiling in the living room interior: application, photo
Laminate, MDF, HDF, LDF
Laminate, MDF, HDF, LDF materials made from wood fibers and shavings by pressing with the addition of fillers and phenol-formaldehyde-based glue. An alternative to wooden lining. Lightweight, affordable material, environmentally friendly, hygienic, mounted on the frame using self-tapping screws, the plates are connected to each other using a tongue-and-groove fastening.
Wooden lining
Wooden lining is suitable for a log house, a room with a characteristic Scandinavian or Old Russian design. A light, pleasant color with a unique texture and eyes will add elegance and originality to the room.
Natural material, does not emit harmful substances into the room, gives the aroma of the forest, durable, easily combined with other materials. But it must be treated with impregnations and antibacterial agents to avoid damage by mold, bacteria and insects.
Painting and whitewashing
Remains the most affordable type of repair. When whitewashing, an aqueous solution of lime or chalk is used, and painting is carried out with water-based paints. But before carrying out work, it is necessary to level the ceiling, clean it from uneven areas, and seal cracks and joints between the floor slabs.
Painting materials dry quickly, are easy to maintain, easy to select the desired color using the color scheme, are vapor permeable and environmentally friendly. When using them, the height of the room is not lost.
Wallpapering
The variety of colors, materials, types make it possible to quickly, efficiently, inexpensively and independently carry out repairs of the room. Traditional paper wallpapers have been replaced by vinyl, non-woven, velor, fabric, paintable and liquid wallpapers. They can be with gold and silver embossing, foam, with colorful designs, photo wallpapers and strict ones, which will create the impression of solidity.
Polystyrene and foam boards
Polystyrene and foam boards measuring 40x40 or 60x60 are mounted on the ceiling using glue. This type of finishing allows you to level out small unevenness and cracks, and you can remove electrical wiring underneath them. Moisture-resistant, durable, easy to clean, do not collect dust. But they are afraid of bright lighting and heating with a light bulb - the plastic turns yellow.
Decorative plaster makes the surface textured and hides minor imperfections; a wide range of colors allows you to choose the finish to suit any interior and maintain the height of the ceiling.
In repairs they use budget coating options, Venetian plaster, and multi-layer coating, followed by fragmentary removal of layers, called sgraffito.
Color solution
The color scheme allows you to set the mood of the interior and create the atmosphere. The shade is chosen based on the basic style and features of the decor.
- Black. Suitable for modern living rooms in high-tech style. Gives intimacy and integrity.
- White. Fits well into the design of any room.
- Green. Creates a calm, peaceful mood or sets a rich accent.
- Beige. Suitable for various styles. Gives the room luxury.
- Blue. Creates a feeling of freshness and calm in the room. Looks good in a classic interior.
- Grey. Suitable for modern design.
To decorate the ceiling, not only light shades are used, but also deeper, darker ones.
Blue gives a sense of visual depth. Brown looks expensive and respectable. When choosing a shade, it is important to remember that light colors visually expand the room, while dark colors conceal the space.
Original, chic finishing methods
These types of coatings will maximally enrich the interior, make it inimitable, stylish, and create an image of chic and prestige.
A mirrored ceiling will create the illusion of an expanded vaulted space, reflecting and scattering light with myriads of sparks. The massive frame requires careful fastening of the profile to the ceiling. Dust accumulates on the surface, so it requires frequent washing and polishing.
Plaster molding with gilding will suit the Rococo or Russian Empire style; your living room will turn into a masterpiece and a piece of art.
Draping with fabric will allow you to decorate the room in an oriental style and can be used in combination with other materials.
A wooden or plaster coffered ceiling is a type of timeless classic combined with modern materials. It consists of panels of complex relief, with patterns in the form of geometric shapes, flowers, birds, and animals. Suitable for large, bright rooms with a ceiling height of more than three meters.
Panels are produced in the form of squares measuring 40x40 cm. It is important to choose the color to match the shade of the furniture located in the living room. The abundance of carvings and decorations makes cleaning difficult. They are attached to a profile that is installed with cells corresponding to the parameters of the slabs.
There are many types of materials for design and decoration of premises. The main condition is to ensure comfort and coziness, because a modern living room ceiling should be part of the interior ensemble of the entire house or apartment. It should be the calling card of the owners, while not forgetting about the comfort of all family members.
Style solutions
Each living room has its own style that matches the interior of the entire home. To emphasize it and highlight its strengths, it is recommended to use the correct ceiling design.
- Rococo. Suitable for rich interiors, with many details. The ceiling covering is chosen in beige, blue, white. The surface is smooth, glossy or matte. Stucco and frescoes are used as decoration along the edges. Inserts of bronze or gold shade are allowed.
- Gothic. The Gothic style involves the use of beams and vaults. The materials chosen are natural wood. The black ceiling looks impressive against the background of white walls.
- Country. The style is typical for country houses. Involves closeness to nature. To decorate the ceiling, floors made of wooden beams are chosen. Primary colors – beige, brown, chocolate, white.
- Classic. Classic style presupposes rigor and clarity of lines. The color scheme is light. It is dominated by white and beige. Beautiful cornices are used as decoration.
- Kitsch. Bright, unusual style. It involves the use of bright, incompatible colors for the ceiling.
- Modern. Modern is the style of modern houses. For decoration, contrasting colors, glass and mirror inserts are used. 3D drawing is allowed.
