Why there's more to the ceiling than just beauty

Golden flower sculpture on the ceiling on the marbel wall of the Thai temple.

A house in not complete without a ceiling, and how it is designed may add significant value to a room.

The beauty of the ceiling also depends on the material used, with a wide range now available for homeowners to go for.

Ceilings are not part of the roof structure but finishing that serves to conceal the underside of roofs or floors above.

Vents and electrical wiring can also run in the gaps above the ceiling, which are well concealed from the human eye.

Daniel Njuguna, an interior designer and who runs Danwood Enterprises, a company dealing with interior products and furnishings, says the ceiling choice can be informed by factors such as affordability or the impression one wishes to create as a lifestyle statement. 

“Look at it the way you view interior walls. You add value by painting them in uniform colours. A ceiling reflecting similar colours as interiors will convey same interior designs,” he says.

Cost is a major consideration as the various types of ceiling materials are priced differently.

Soft board ceilings, for example, are the cheapest that you can go for, says Njuguna.

“For those budgeting on the cheap, this would be the choice. All it will require is fixing the boards in place and painting them.”

Maintenance of soft boards is also cheap, he adds.

There are also laminated soft boards that look like wood, though they are more expensive.

On design, you can have recessed lighting in case hanging lights are not appealing.

Smooth look

“If you want to give the place that smooth look where nothing hangs out, consider investing in a recessed ceiling, where lights are concealed in porthole-like places,” Njuguna advises.

Other than the beauty, there are other benefits to be derived from a ceiling. For example, an insulated ceiling will help to control the temperature in a room.

“It can minimise the rate of heat transfer to a room, which means one may not need a fan,” says the interior designer.

Proper maintenance can prolong the lifespan of a ceiling. Some materials absorb water and will ‘sag’ at the point where there is a leak.

“Insulating against moisture and sealing off possible leak sources will reduce maintenance costs,” says Njuguna.

Also remember that smoke from open fire can deface a ceiling’s value over time, especially where the residents use wood fuel such as charcoal.

You can express your artistic side by painting, decorating or hanging artistically lighting stands from the ceiling.