More homeowners are looking beyond white ceilings and bringing color and pattern to the ‘fifth wall’

Mark and Regina Turner rarely used their formal dining room, so three years ago, they decided to find a better way to utilize the space. By removing the wall that divided the room from the kitchen, they created a large area to eat and entertain. To give the new room warmth and texture, they crafted a white oak herringbone design on the ceiling.

“We wanted something to pop and be unique about the space,” said Mark, who lives in Unionville, Chester County, and credits Archer and Buchanan Architecture, Waterbury Kitchen and Bath, Hoffman Design and Dewson Construction with creating a beautiful space where they spend much of their time.

While the ceiling was “fairly expensive” because of the materials and application, it was well worth the added cost, he said, by making a large space feel cozier, warmer, and tied-together. It’s difficult to pinpoint the cost for the ceiling as it was part of the overall project.

“The ceiling is an incredible design opportunity that can help to open up a small space, create an intimate atmosphere despite tall ceilings, or add the final touch to make a room look truly complete,” said Mitchell Parker, a senior editor at Houzz based in Palo Alto, Calif. “Design enthusiasts on Houzz are increasingly calling attention to the fifth wall, or ceiling, with paint, architectural design, and texture.”

Searches for ceilings with the keywords “high-gloss,” “painted, black,” and “wallpaper” all increased compared with the same period in 2022, according to the 2023 Houzz U.S. Emerging Summer Trends Report. Searches for tongue-and-groove ceilings — wood planks fitting side to side — increased a whopping 74%.

That’s the type Amy Cuker used on the ceiling of her mudroom addition in her Elkins Park home. She wanted a connection between the addition and the rest of the house, but didn’t want to put oak wood plank floors in a room designed to get messy.

“I took that oak and put it on the mudroom ceiling as a way to achieve continuity in material with a creative twist,” said Cuker, owner and design director of down2earth Interior Design. While the ceiling may have added some cost to the overall project, it wasn’t substantial, she said.

Ceiling design can be the perfect complement to tie a room’s decor together. For example, by repeating a color throughout a space, you’ll create visual rhythm and your eye will move through the whole room, taking it all in, said Parker. A bold or contrasting color may offer a little drama, helping to draw the eye up and create architectural interest where it didn’t exist previously.

Covering the ceiling with wallpaper is a great way to add a large swath of a print that might otherwise overwhelm the space, he said. For added texture, designers suggest covering the ceiling in grass cloth.

During the pandemic, when Cuker was stuck inside and had “wanderlust,” she gave her sunroom a Cancun beach-feel makeover, including painting the ceiling a glossy aqua blue.

“The idea behind the room was to make it like a resort, since we weren’t going anywhere for a while,” she said.

About half of Archer and Buchanan Architecture’s clients consider the ceiling when building a home or adding an addition, said Michele Thackrah, a partner in the West Chester firm who worked with the Turners. While addressing the ceiling isn’t new, she said, there has been a change in the style and materials used.

Plaster strapping is out, and clean, modern straight lines are in. Ceilings can be addressed in almost any room or space, from a small butler’s pantry or powder room to a large kitchen or den. Natural materials, including timber, are very popular today, especially adding texture.

“I’ve seen a move toward having more fun with the ceilings,” said Thackrah. “Maybe wallpaper instead of painting a ceiling white. There are lots of creative ways to either work with what you have or create more drama if you’re building an addition or new home.”

A ceiling in a small space, such as a butler’s pantry or hallway, can be used as a transition area to connect a formal space — perhaps a formal living room or dining room — to a less formal kitchen or den.

“It can be small but very dramatic,” Thackrah said. “It’s about balance and proportion. If you have a small, narrow area, you don’t want a vaulted ceiling that can be overwhelming.”

While it’s difficult to break out ceiling costs from an overall build or remodel budget, they can range from the cost of a can of paint to several thousand dollars, depending on the materials, height, size, and process.

For those who want to tackle a ceiling job themselves, paint is the easiest way to draw eyes up or accentuate interesting architecture. Color specialists on Houzz suggest that cooler hues will visually raise your ceiling height, while warm colors, like red, yellow, and orange, will make high ceilings feel lower and more intimate.

Depending on how handy you are, tongue and groove planks may not be too difficult to do yourself, but wallpaper may be more challenging. While wallpaper now comes in peel and stick options, which are easier to use, be careful in a bathroom where the paper may not hold up to steam.

Keep in mind what you’ll need to do if, down the road, you want to make a change. Paint is easy to change, wallpaper not so much.

“So many DIYers complain about taking down pasted wallpaper,” said Cuker.

The Turners are thrilled with their wooden plank ceiling.

“It’s the room that the rest of the house revolves around — the main cooking, eating, and gathering area,” said Mark. “The ceiling is what makes the space warm and inviting.”