Apartments with a small area still occupy the bulk of the housing stock. Repairing rooms or updating the interior requires maximum use of every centimeter of space, including the ceiling . In small rooms, the ceiling height is minimal, which limits the choice of material and design.
In an ideal solution, the ceiling design is made in the same style as the room and serves as its continuation. If you can’t realize your daring dreams and fantasies, then the classics will come to the rescue - the white texture can be combined with almost any style and material.
Stretch glossy
Stretch ceilings, especially those with a glossy effect, have a number of advantages in the design of small rooms. They expand the space, are easy to clean, quickly installed, and match any interior . The disadvantage will be the cost, which depends on the area of the room, the number of bypass elements, and the manufacturer of the canvas. The canvas is resistant to sharp objects, but can be repaired. In case of replacement, you will have to order dismantling.
When choosing a stretch ceiling, you should remember that as a result of installation work, the height will decrease by 5-7 cm. Creating a two-level ceiling will steal even more height from the room, but the result is worth it. Built-in lighting around the perimeter will make the room appear larger, and glossy inserts will visually add height to the walls.
Plain stretch fabrics are suitable for the hallway and kitchen. In the living room and bedroom, if space allows, it is worth experimenting with color, levels and lighting.
Wallpapering
Wallpapering is an option that has a large number of types. You can purchase paper, bamboo or non-woven wallpaper, it all depends solely on your preferences.
Bamboo and non-woven wallpaper are a better option, as they are much thicker than paper wallpaper. With this property, they will provide opportunities to hide unnecessary seams and scratches on the ceiling.
The main difficulty is that the process of gluing wallpaper to the ceiling is very tedious and difficult, so it would be advisable to seek the help of specialists. In general, this is not the best design option in terms of quality. If your neighbors flood you, you will have to re-organize the sticking.
Hanging mirrors
Suspended ceilings are not the best choice for small spaces. Justified if the surface has defects and irregularities that are difficult to eliminate. Hanging structures with mirrors add sophistication and unusualness to living rooms. If the height of the rooms allows, then completely mirrored areas, or individual inserts, visually expand the room . They look impressive in living room studios.
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Correct lighting
As mentioned above, you will have to abandon any voluminous decorations on the ceiling. Chandeliers are also included in this list. If the ceiling is decorated with a plasterboard structure, then its protrusions are equipped with spotlights. This kind of lighting is classified as decorative, so you still have to take care of the main light source. The central chandelier is replaced by a group of lamps that are placed above each of the functional areas of the room. The lampshades of decorative floor lamps and sconces should direct the light not downwards, as in classic interiors, but upwards.
Painted ceilings
Water-based paints with the addition of various colors still remain a classic solution for decorating ceilings in small apartments. Painting is considered the most budget option, and the work is easy to do yourself. Applying a layer of paint is preceded by leveling the surface, which is sometimes more expensive than installing a tension fabric. Designers advise choosing light neutral tones for painting ceilings in small rooms. When experimenting with color, it is important to remember the rules of combination and the influence of the color palette on the visualization of perception.
Important: plastic panels are suitable for decorating ceilings in the kitchen and bathroom; Wallpaper and self-adhesive film are often used in rooms.
No. 5. Bet on mirrors
A mirror works no worse than a glossy ceiling. If you install a floor-to-ceiling mirror surface in a room, the effect will be amazing. You can use a wardrobe with mirrored doors - in this case we get double benefits. An interesting effect will come out if you use mirror tiles to decorate the ceiling.
Varnished wooden floors also reflect well, but using several reflective surfaces in one room at once is too much.
Color selection
It just so happens that white has dominated the design of ceiling space for decades. There are objective reasons for this: white visually expands the room. Light colors of the walls and ceiling create the illusion of high walls and lightness.
Popular modern stylistic solutions offer ceilings of different shades and combinations - from snow-white to charcoal black. At the same time, designers categorically discourage choosing dark colors for small rooms. Visually there will be a decrease in space, it will “press”.
Important: do not forget about how the ceiling will fit into the interior of the room: how it will combine with furniture, curtains, walls and floors.
Placement of decorative elements and accessories
You can adjust the interior picture with decor. In this case, decorations will help maintain the effect of lengthening the room. Curtains should be chosen either plain from light fabrics, or a little thicker with a vertical pattern (diamonds, ovals, stripes). You can specifically select textiles to match the ornament on the walls. Small picturesque decor (photos, paintings, posters) are placed vertically. It is desirable that such decorations be paired with a plot related to them in meaning. The cornice must be installed directly under the border between the ceiling and the wall. You cannot hang the structure even with a slight indentation from this line, as it will horizontally fragment the space, which should not be allowed. Curtains should fall from the ceiling to the floor. It is not recommended to use short curtains, as in kitchens decorated in country style. Do not decorate textiles with garters. The curtains should simply move to the sides, emphasizing the ideal geometry of the window. Even small decor that is placed on shelves and free countertops should be slightly elongated along the vertical axis.
Expansion of space
An important task when choosing a ceiling design is to visually increase the space. Selecting a tone will help increase the height: the color of the ceiling is a tone lighter than the walls, which will blur the boundaries of the transition and junction of surfaces.
The glossy texture of the stretch fabric reflects interior items, deceives perception, and creates the illusion of multidimensional space. At the same time, it requires order and carefully arranged objects in the room.
The placement of lighting fixtures and the use of lighting changes the perception of the size of the room. The lighting around the perimeter looks interesting, with rays of light directed from the walls to the center of the room . A win-win option for two-level ceilings in the living room or bedroom.
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LOW CEILING? I know how to visually enlarge it! (1 video)
Multi-level structures
Lowering the ceiling level in certain parts of the bathroom allows you to delimit the space, build in a shower stall or additional lighting (for example, above the mirror). In most rooms, except the most spacious ones, it is better to limit yourself to two levels, otherwise you will end up with a clutter that takes away the height.
To create such structures, plasterboard or tension fabric is used, and both materials are also combined. When combining gypsum plasterboard, a lower level is erected, and the film is stretched on the upper one.
Often the tiers are distinguished by different colors. Any combination with white or a rich tone with a diluted one (blue and cyan) look good. Usually the lower tier is darker, so the difference in height is emphasized. Different textures, for example, glossy and matte, also add contrast.
Wallpaper for a small bedroom
When choosing wallpaper to decorate a small room, you may encounter a number of limitations. It is advisable to choose light materials here, and it is better to refuse rich and deep tones. In a small bedroom you cannot glue wallpaper with a large and frequent pattern.
A good choice would be wallpaper with vertical stripes, which will help adjust the height and volume of the room.
Photo wallpapers will enliven the space, the design of which goes deep - realistic skyscrapers, a forest path, etc. 3D wallpaper will look impressive on the wall behind the bed. They will not only adjust the size of the room, but will also become its highlight.
Small room design
In the kitchen
Light colors for a small kitchen are a priority. Expanding photo wallpaper can frame the dining area above the table or the kitchen apron area. In the latter case, finishing can be done using a wall panel with photo printing or photo wallpaper with protective glass.
Expanding photo wallpaper will be an excellent “highlight”; the colors can stand out from the tone of the kitchen with contrasting colors or harmonize with the overall palette. If the room has standard or low ceilings, then it is better to use a white tone for its decoration. If the height of the room allows, then the image can move to the ceiling, uniting the planes.
In the corridor and hallway
In a closed hallway or hallway, it is necessary to provide bright lighting that will be comfortable for personal perception. Expanding photo wallpaper can be used to decorate one of the walls completely or part of it, like a picture in a frame.
The decoration in the corridor can also be combined with mirror panels; due to their reflective properties, they will have an expanding effect.
In the bedroom
The main object of the bedroom is the bed
With the help of expanding photo wallpaper, you can not only make it more spacious, but also focus attention on the sleeping area
It is best to use a soothing color palette and soft pastel shades. Compact furniture will help save space, such as a bed with a small frame and built-in wardrobes, hanging shelves or a folding sofa.
In the living room
In the hall and living room, colors can be bolder and images more voluminous. Using expanding wallpaper with photo printing, you can highlight a relaxation area by decorating the wall behind the sofa, decorate an accent wall behind the TV, or choose an arbitrary area where the eye will fall.
Also, decoration with photo wallpaper can be done on two walls at once, combining two spaces with each other.
In the children's room
Images in a children's room can reflect the child's hobbies, for example, in a boy's room, the wall will be decorated with a photograph of a football field, favorite players or movie characters, and for a girl, a landscape of a fairy-tale forest with animals or a starry sky.
To decorate a newborn baby's room, you should choose a neutral color palette, light colors and a pleasing picture. Space-expanding photo wallpapers will eliminate the feeling of a closed room.
Expanding photo wallpapers will be the best way for a child to express himself; they will describe his hobbies and inner world, and will also contribute to development, for example, the image of a large world map or constellations will be stored in memory on a subconscious level.
In the toilet
In old-style city apartments you rarely find a spacious toilet. Wallpaper with a perspective image that expands the space, such as a desert, a road stretching into the distance, or a forest path, can save the situation.
The finishing is done on the wall behind the toilet, which is what attracts attention upon entering. If the bathtub and toilet are combined, you can use corner photo wallpaper that expands the space, decorating several walls at once. . In a too narrow toilet, the decoration with photo wallpaper can be transferred to the side wall; the image will correct the non-standard space, making it wider.
In a too narrow toilet, the decoration with photo wallpaper can be transferred to the side wall; the image will correct the non-standard space, making it wider.
Styles
You have probably already decided on the main stylistic direction of the bedroom. Your ceiling should correspond to the overall design. Let's look at the basic recommendations for the proper design of the bedroom ceiling.
If you are a fan of minimalism, then matte stretch ceilings are suitable for you. In such a room you should not use drawings or images. You can place a chandelier or make a built-in light around the perimeter of the room.
High-tech style is characterized by an abundance of interesting transitions, inserts and lines. Bright shades and gloss will look trendy. By the way, it is for this style that you can use a ceiling with all kinds of original inserts. You can combine several finishing methods.
If your room is made in the royal empire style, then special golden niches will perfectly complement the style.
You should not make a ceiling using dark shades. Dark colors narrow the space and make it overly gloomy
If, nevertheless, the use of dark colors is fundamentally important for you, add dark accents, and make the main color lighter and more neutral
For girls, a pink ceiling color is suitable. Also, this option will fit perfectly into a bedroom in the Provence style, preserving its main features. Openwork lamps will add sophistication and originality. Delicate colors will encourage relaxation and sound sleep.
Designers also suggest making an image of the starry sky directly on the ceiling. Of course, this option will not suit adherents of traditional design, but for creative people it will be an unusual and interesting solution.
The ceiling design of modern bedrooms can include all kinds of illustrations, patterns, geometric shapes
The only thing to keep in mind is that including overly bright accent colors is not the best solution.
Room configuration
The main factors when creating the design of a small room are not even the dimensions, but the proportions. They must be taken into account if you want to achieve the desired effect.
- A small square room with a high ceiling is the simplest option. The correct proportions in this case allow the use of both film stretch ceilings and plasterboard structures.
- An elongated room with high ceilings. Here you can install structures with several tiers. Asymmetrical surfaces look good, but their size and direction must compensate for the excessive length. The desired effect is easy to achieve if you choose the right color scheme and texture.
- Square and low room. There is no need to change the proportions here. It is recommended to visually raise the ceiling. This can be easily achieved with glossy stretch ceilings. In the bedroom, you can highlight the area above the bed, simulating a ceiling niche. A small room will appear taller. Glossy canvases are actively used when decorating large but low rooms. But in this case, it is better to combine them with matte or satin finishes.
- An elongated room with low ceilings will require visual compensation for the length. If the ceilings are very low, you can limit yourself to a single-level design. You can visually enlarge the room with the help of built-in lamps located parallel to a short wall.
Installing complex structures will also be a good solution for a small room. You can develop a system with columns, niches, and numerous corners. With the help of interesting color solutions it is possible to effectively emphasize the original interior.
