A mirrored stretch ceiling is a great idea for repairing your ceiling surface, which can bring a lot of dividends. True, in order to evaluate the potential advantages of use, you need to skillfully fit such a tension structure into the interior so that it looks organic and reveals its full decorative potential. What options for mirror-type suspended ceilings are most relevant today, as well as the important specifics of their use, will be discussed today in our material.
- Features of mirror design;
- All the pros and cons;
- Mirror design options;
- Interrelation with an organized lighting system;
- Use in different rooms;
- Conclusion.
Ceiling design features
A number of recommendations and features:
- Mirrors add lightness and volume to a room, but if placed or used incorrectly, they can distort the shape of the room.
- When choosing a mirror surface, you need to take into account the functional purpose of the room, its layout and color scheme.
- This decorative design is more suitable for spacious rooms, since in a small space it will have a rather cold and oppressive character.
The photo shows a mirrored black ceiling in the interior of the hall.
Advantages and disadvantages
Mirror ceilings have a number of advantages and disadvantages.
| pros | Minuses |
| They allow you to expand the boundaries of space and add more light to the room. | These surfaces are very fragile, they are more susceptible to contamination and therefore require very frequent maintenance. |
| With the help of such structures you can hide unevenness and defects of the ceiling plane. | They have a fairly high price. |
| They are easy to care for. |
Using the Armstrong system
The main difference between the Armstrong design is the T-shaped suspended frame system (read: “Installation of Armstrong ceilings”). The set consists of transverse and force profiles, wall corners and hangers, adjustable in length. For reliable joining of the structure, the connection of the load-bearing profile and the transverse guides is carried out horizontally using locking elements. This part is attached to the main ceiling with adjustable hangers to any desired height. The work uses 30 and 60 cm slabs. Each tile is laid according to the profile, so this design, just like the mirror film for the ceiling, is considered the easiest to install.
In terms of beauty, such a decorative ceiling is significantly inferior to the fittings, however, it also has a number of advantages. Thus, the Armstrong system can be easily dismantled, which opens up a lot of possibilities for installing communication systems underneath it with unlimited access to them during the operation of the ceiling. The presence of a unique design feature allows the use of a variety of lighting. As a rule, such a ceiling can be seen in office premises and public buildings.
What types of ceilings are there with a mirror surface?
The following types of coatings exist.
Stretch ceiling
Glossy stretch film has a wonderful mirror effect. However, unlike a real mirror, its reflection is not as clear and has blurred contours.
The photo shows a living room with a white mirrored stretch ceiling.
Such tension models are an excellent finishing option for small spaces, as they reflect light well and significantly expand the space.
Suspended ceiling
Two main types of suspended structures.
Cassette
This option is especially popular in interior design. They have an affordable price and allow you to easily achieve the desired result.
Rack and pinion
Slats with gold or chrome plating are very often used to decorate a bathroom or kitchen. They can be alternated and combined with each other, and create interesting compositions.
Ceiling panels
Such ceiling panels are made of plastic, coated with a special paint with metal particles, due to which an imitation of a mirror effect is created on PVC boards.
They are quite popular because they are relatively inexpensive. They are often combined with backlighting and used as inserts.
The photo shows mirrored PVC panels on the ceiling in the living room.
Ceiling tiles
Polystyrene products can be made in the form of various shapes, such as square, rectangular, triangular or mosaic.
Glass
It is easy to install, moisture-resistant, has a very high degree of light reflection and evenly distributes light in the room, which allows you to maximize the space. Glass models always look very aesthetically pleasing.
The photo shows a kitchen with a glass mirror ceiling.
DIY relief
In addition to a custom-made suspended ceiling, it is quite possible to design an individual version with your own hands to suit a specific room design. You can achieve a decorative, patterned canvas by using special textured paints or plasters. A suitable base for them would be any ordinary fabric stretch ceiling - its fabric is suitable for reusable painting.
You can design the ceiling yourself
To make decorative textured paint, a special filler is used to compact its composition, so application is done with a spatula. Subsequent leveling of the layer is done with a tool with a patterned edge - depending on the movements made, straight, semicircular or chaotic, grooves remain on the surface, folding into a convex pattern. There are special rollers with a pre-applied stencil; textured paint can also be leveled using improvised means - for example, using a metal dish sponge, an old comb, or any fleecy fabric.
Interior design ideas for rooms
A well-chosen mirror surface can radically change the appearance of a room and make it more luxurious and sophisticated. The most successful photographs of various rooms.
Mirror ceiling in the bedroom
Mirrors on the ceiling will expand the space of the bedroom and add a touch of chic to its design. A fragmentary arrangement of tension or other models, for example above a bed or around a chandelier, may be appropriate here.
The photo shows a bedroom with a mirrored stretch ceiling above the bed.
Mirrored ceiling in the bathroom
Beveled mirror panels or other hanging structures will make the bath lighter, more spacious and give it an airy feel. Stretch models look very harmonious and natural, and due to the refraction of light they create an interesting shine.
Also suitable here are simple and reliable aluminum slats with reflective coating. They are light in weight, very durable and moisture resistant.
The photo shows a red mirrored stretch ceiling in the bathroom interior.
Living room
Such ceilings make the living room interior more sophisticated. Real mirrors, combined with different lighting, look simply chic; they create a fascinating play of light and distribute it evenly in the room.
Hallway and corridor
Suspended, tensioned models or various inserts are not only beautiful ceiling decorations, but also allow you to increase the volume of the corridor or hallway and create an exclusive design.
Kitchen
Mirrors add spatial depth to the kitchen and become its main design accent. They look very stylish and impressive.
How to wash it? Cleaning difficulties
Issues of cleaning and maintaining cleanliness occupy, first of all, women. Indeed, we can only brush an ordinary whitewashed ceiling to remove cobwebs with a dry brush. But the whitewash is renewed at least once every few years. Stretch ceilings are usually sculpted to last for decades. Therefore, the question arises: is it possible to clean it somehow? If we are talking about living rooms and normal operation, then the ceiling will rarely need to be cleaned. You can wipe it with a slightly damp cloth once every six months.
Any chemical detergents should be avoided to avoid damaging the fabric or film. Moreover, you should not use sharp objects.
How to wash a suspended ceiling
Matte or glossy? From this point of view, of course, matte is simpler. There will be no streaks left on it. Glossy ones are more difficult to care for. The rag can leave streaks, which can be time-consuming and difficult to remove. Moreover, if access to the ceiling is limited by standing furniture or the ceiling is too high, you can’t even reach it from a stepladder. In such a situation, it is better to turn to professional cleaners.
Design options and drawings
Main types of design.
With mirror inserts
They add additional positive qualities to the room. Mirror round, triangular or square inserts above the bed, around the chandelier or on other ceiling areas allow you to decorate the space in an original way.
Tinted surface
It, in combination with lighting or other finishing materials, allows you to realize the most diverse and sophisticated design ideas.
Patterns and ornaments
Decorate and transform the surface. Skillful engraving is truly a complete decoration of the interior.
Backlit
They look even brighter and more impressive. They create complex geometry in the room, add interesting light nuances and make the interior more colorful.
Starry sky
Such a non-trivial ceiling design, combined with a dark mirror surface, will bring a magical atmosphere and an aura of mystery to the room.
With facet
Thanks to a special method of glass design, many ribbed edges are formed on it, which create original overflows with each other and look expressive and elegant.
The photo shows a dining room in gray tones with a beveled mirrored ceiling.
Mirror panel
It is particularly unique; it can turn the ceiling space into a real art object and bring a touch of magic to the room.
Combined designs
They have a visually aesthetic and light appearance. Mirror modules in combination with gypsum plasterboard structures, tension fabrics, beams or other finishing materials form an unusual ensemble.
The photo shows a combined design on the ceiling in the interior of the hall.
Types of paintings
One of the advantages of suspended ceilings is the variability of texture. This allows them to fit harmoniously into rooms of different configurations and achieve different visual effects.
Glossy
Ceilings with such a coating are distinguished by high performance characteristics and an attractive appearance. In addition to specularity and shine, such a surface visually expands the space if you add lighting, which is especially important in small kitchens.
The wide range of colors also makes this type the most preferred by consumers, since it is possible to choose a color to match the kitchen. This is what glossy stretch ceilings look like in the kitchen:
The selected color does not affect the specularity of the ceiling. In any color scheme, its reflective properties are equally good.
Matte
A rough ceiling will be an excellent addition to a classic kitchen. The ceiling gives a uniform, gentle glow and does not reflect objects or light. This surface looks solid and discreet, but you have to pay for the appearance with practicality. Dirt on such a coating is more noticeable, grease literally “sticks”, so cleaning will take a little more time and effort.
Such surfaces do not have seams, but the choice of colors is small. Matte ceilings are best used for other rooms: living room, bedroom, corridor
But if you really want to decorate the kitchen, it is important to clean it in a timely manner and then it will be the pride of the housewife, and not a burden
Combination
If you want to add uniqueness or separate the work area from the dining area, you can combine different types of material. For example, the cooking area should have a white matte “top”, and the dining area should have glossy facades to match. There are no limits to imagination here; they exist only at the expense of the wallet.
It is worth considering that a multi-level ceiling has long gone out of fashion and looks out of place in small kitchens, typical of Khrushchev-era buildings. The levels take up precious space and also put stress on the top, making it heavy and oppressive.
Satin
Such ceilings are characterized by increased strength (up to 100 liters per sq. m.), durability, resistance to high temperatures and safety. The surface has a perfectly smooth, white color. This ceiling will suit a kitchen of any color and style.
It is easy to care for such a surface; it is not afraid of water. Over time, the canvas does not deform or sag. Great for creating multi-level structures.
Artistic
Ceilings of this type can be made of either vinyl or natural fibers with special impregnation. The material does not matter, the main role is played by the method of applying the image.
- Printing on a wide format printer. It is better to use vinyl, when heated, the paint will penetrate deeper into the thickness of the material and be securely fixed.
- Using a projector with a set of cards. This way you can create fluffy tree crowns, starry skies, and clouds.
For those who do not like boring, monotonous solutions, this original type of ceiling is suitable. You can choose which image will show off in your kitchen. Nature, flowers, animals, forests, fields, cars, cities, portraits, even initials or phrases - any desire can be made come true.
Stretch ceilings with photo printing
It is possible to choose a design from those available from the company or bring your own photograph or picture. The better the resolution of the image, the better the quality of the image on the canvas. Therefore, you need to choose a clear, bright photo.
You can choose any material for the canvas, since the pattern does not affect its quality.
Color palette
Mirror ceilings can have a wide variety of colors and shades:
- Black.
- White.
- Gold.
- Silver.
- Bronze.
- Brown.
The photo shows a bedroom with a white mirrored stretch ceiling.
A well-chosen color of the ceiling structure allows you to create a harmonious or, on the contrary, contrasting design.
How much does it cost
The cost of a mirror ceiling includes several components, the main ones being the fastening system, as well as the quality of the material itself, for example, you can choose a mirror self-adhesive film for the ceiling, or a real mirror. The calculation also includes the option of decorative fittings and room dimensions.
So, a mirror ceiling on Armstrong will cost about 1500-1700 sq. m. The cost of a fittings mirrored suspended ceiling is slightly higher - from 2300 sq.m. The most expensive are beveled mirror slabs, which use a hidden hanging system. The price for such a ceiling starts from 4300 sq.m.
The installation of an Armstrong mirror ceiling, as well as special fastening fittings, is estimated by builders to be no less than 700 rubles per sq.m. When working with a beveled ceiling, you will have to pay according to the price list from 1200 rubles/sq.m.
Ceiling lighting ideas
Lighting plays a major role in decorating the ceiling surface.
- Chandeliers.
- Spotlights.
The photo shows a mirror ceiling combined with a chandelier.
The light emanating from the lighting fixtures will be refracted by the mirror, reflected and beautifully scattered in the room. Various lamps effectively highlight the shiny surface, place accents in the interior and make it truly individual.
Synthetic mirrors
Now let's look at the technology for installing mirror slabs on a synthetic base.
Acrylic mirror
Mirror plastic is synthetic plates on top of which a reflective film is glued. The base of such tiles can be made of acrylic, polystyrene or polyvinyl chloride. Each material has its own unique properties, but they are united by lightness and resistance to moisture.
Mirror polystyrene
Separately, it is worth highlighting acrylic, since products made from it most closely resemble glass.
Rolled, self-adhesive plastic
There is also self-adhesive plastic, which is available in rolls and sheets. The first option is notable for the fact that it bends easily, which means it is suitable for finishing curved surfaces.
Preparation
- Before attaching mirror plastic, it is necessary to prepare the surface. The rough surface is puttied and primed.
- Mirror plastic is sold with or without a sticky layer. For installation with self-adhesive, you will need a roller to squeeze out air bubbles.
- If there is no adhesive base, a special PVA-based composition is used. Mirror plastic is the best option for rooms with low ceilings.
Advice! It is important to remember that not all lighting fixtures are suitable for mirrored plastic ceilings. The material does not withstand strong heat from halogen lamps and other powerful lighting devices.
