Talentless people forced me to write about the entryway ceiling, although this topic does not deserve a separate article. I have already written about the three types of ceiling design that make sense: stretch, drywall, or concrete ceilings. Now I will explain what not to do with your hallway ceiling.
The first part is sarcasm, to show the complete absurdity of elaborate ceilings. The second part is serious.
Making the Entryway Ceiling Tacky
Do you have money? If so, everyone should probably know about it. Everything needs to look as expensive as possible, especially the ceilings. Especially in the entryway, so everyone, even delivery drivers, immediately knows that the apartment owners have money. The hallway ceiling should clearly demonstrate its superiority, look expensive, and not be shy about it.
Shaped Drywall Ceilings
The best existing ceiling option for an entryway. Squeeze the most complicated ceiling into the smallest area. It is even cooler if you make it multilevel. At least three levels. And put an LED strip on each one. To remove every remaining doubt about your elite status, make the last shaped level from colored or glossy stretch material – or, even better, both colored and glossy.
So everyone knows how carefully you approached your entryway ceiling design, some levels, preferably protruding ones, need to be painted in accent colors. I especially recommend pink, light blue, peach, and purple. This color absolutely does not have to work with the rest of the interior. Just choose your favorite!
The shaped parts of the suspended ceiling are best made in the form of flowers, butterflies, hearts, the sun, and so on, not simply an abstraction. Leave abstraction to people who did not have enough money to hire workers capable of making true works of art from drywall.
The essential condition for luxury is using a large number of recessed lights. And you absolutely must choose ones with chrome or gold rings. We are not some kind of suckers who would settle for flat minimalist recessed lights. It is even better if the fixture has a crystal or glass diffuser so the light also falls on the ceiling and forms a beautiful little flower.
That is it. The ideal shaped entryway ceiling is ready. Now everyone will look at it in amazement and feel your superiority.
Or not?
Colored Glossy Stretch Ceiling in a Hallway
If you want your entryway ceiling to dominate your guests, but not too much, so they do not despair and retain at least some hope of rising to your level and affording the same thing, choose a stretch ceiling.
But not some boring matte stretch ceiling. Colored gloss is the champion’s choice. The color should catch the eye immediately, so choose the strongest possible contrast. The best entryway stretch-ceiling colors:
- Red
- Blue
- Green
- Purple
- Orange
- Respectable black
I will even reveal a secret hallway stretch-ceiling option: a ceiling printed with a cloudy sky. If you light it too, it will look like a real sky. Imagine how surprised your friends will be! They will probably think you actually cut a hole in the ceiling to admire the starry sky at night. As if there is no ceiling at all, simply a miracle! How foolish they will look when you explain everything! How creative they will consider you afterward; the ceiling is clearly worth it.
The main thing to remember is that life is too short for simple ceilings. Do not be afraid to differ from the gray masses; do not be afraid to stand out from the crowd. There is no better way to express yourself than a bright, elaborate entryway ceiling design.
Or is there?
Simple and Complex Entryway Ceilings
I have already written about creating an entryway interior. Its design is created mainly with furniture, not finishes. Now we will finally look at ceilings.
Simple Ceiling Design
The main idea is that design is perceived as a whole, not as separate elements. You absolutely do not have to pour a bunch of money into ceilings, walls, and furniture to get a stylish interior. Finishes are primarily a background; they should not compete with accents for attention. That is why the best ceiling design is simple.
In most standard small entryways, nothing better than a smooth, white, matte ceiling can be invented. It can be achieved in three ways:
- Stretch ceiling
- Drywall
- Prepared and painted ceiling
A stretch ceiling is the cheapest and fastest. If there are doors or arches at the beginning and end of the hallway, meaning the ceiling plane ends there instead of continuing into an adjacent room, this option has practically no disadvantages.
In a small entryway area, it will have no seams, and it can be distinguished from a painted surface only by the narrow edge around the perimeter. At the same time, you should always choose a matte stretch ceiling, satin at the very most, and never gloss – that is from the last century and looks tacky! There are exceptions, but they are always a risk. Correct stretch ceilings:
Forget glossy ceilings exist. Forget completely, absolutely.
If the ceiling plane is shared with adjacent rooms and you do not want to see a seam, you will have to spend money on other options. Drywall is better than simply painting in every way except price. Many people are afraid that drywall ceilings supposedly reduce the room’s height. If you want, the ceiling can be lowered by only 1.5–2 inches; you will not even notice. But all the wiring can be run above it, and drywall ceilings crack less often because there is a buffer zone of metal channels between the concrete ceiling slabs and the finished surface.
But that is all a digression. Here are photos of stylish, simple ceilings. It turns out you do not need ten levels, a million LED strips, and gloss to make it look great. Who would have thought?
Complex Ceiling Design
If you still want a slightly more complex ceiling, with lighting and so on, we have those too. But I will note right away that in this case, it is better to limit the wall finish to minimalism. Choose either a complex ceiling design or complex walls. The interior should show that the owners have taste, not money.
We will warn you right away against complex multilevel stretch-ceiling options. They can be made, but they never should be.
But you can experiment a little – no more! – with drywall in an entryway. There are three contemporary hallway design options:
- On one side, stop the drywall short of the wall and light the resulting niche.
- Lower the central part and light it from both sides. Already a slightly outdated option.
- Recess LED channels flush with the surface, possibly continuing them onto the walls. The most contemporary entryway ceiling design option.
As you noticed, the option with lowered sides and a lighting niche in the middle is not here. That option was fashionable in the distant 2000s, and that is where it should stay.
Even among ceilings with lighting niches, minimalist versions look the most contemporary and stylish. Minimalism is especially relevant in narrow entryways and hallways.
I hope you liked the ideas and especially the photos in this part. And if you happen to like the ceilings from the first part of the article, what can you do – make what you like. It is better for guests to suffer from the ceilings than the owners, regardless of which of them has no taste.
Be sure to read the flooring guide: tile or laminate in an entryway. It is a technical review of all the details of choosing a floor covering.
