Don't Neglect Your Ceiling

Earlier today we blogged Villa Planchart, the modernist home designed by Gio Ponti. What struck us most about the home was the ceiling. Unlike most homes, old and new, which neglect the ceiling, in this home, as much as the walls, the floors, or the view out the window, the ceiling is what draws the eye in and finishes the room...

Here, in another home by Ponti, Villa Areaza, also in Caracas, Venezuela, the ceiling echoes the various black and white patterns on the floor, albeit in a softer tone. We'd love to see an otherwise neutral home where the ceiling's been decorated in vibrant splashes of colour and design and pattern or one in which the occupant's art collection has been hung on the ceiling. Rugs were originally designed to be hung on walls as well as laid on floors. Why not tack one to the ceiling?

Other Ceiling Related Posts for Inspiration:

Scary But Creative: Mirrors on the Ceiling Here's an idea for how to hang art.
Look! Wallpaper Walls, Door and Ceiling While this may be too much for some, wallpapering the ceiling is a way to bring in color and pattern in a way that's manageable but still creative.
Look! Store Your Books in the Rafters It's practical and it looks great. Best if your ceiling's on the low side
Good Questions: Removing Popcorn Ceiling Safely If you hate your popcorn ceiling so much that you don't want to draw any attention to it, let alone decorate it, start here.

[image: Gio Ponti]

Comments (4)

Perfect timing. I need ceiling advice, although I can't afford custom paint treatments. What's the reigning wisdom on, say, a living room ceiling in a mid-century cottage with 8' ceilings? So far my gaggle of advisors tell me to use blinding "ceiling white," or to pick a shade one lighter than my walls, or light blue, or maybe lavender, and now apparently black is an option.

a black ceiling? i find that rather scary.

the painted ceiling up there is alrealy much too oppressive for me :-D

Jezebella, I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all solution. It really depends on the space; the light, the wall colors, the furnishings and so on. And of course, the "effect" you want to create (cozy & intimate; slick & sophisticated; open and spacious; etc.).

I think a dark color or bold pattern on an 8 foot ceiling definitely make the space feel smaller, which might work well for "cozy & intimate" but not so well for "open and spacious." A higher ceiling is more forgiving of different treatments and allow you a broader range of options.

The effect I'm going for is "Buy me now! Right now! At above market value!", actually.

I'm on the job market, so hopefully my house will be on the market sooner rather than later.

I ran across the black ceiling option when I clicked on the AT "ceiling" tag.