1. RICH WOOD PANELLING
Living room panelling has been popular for some time, but now the look has spread to the fifth wall – and living rooms in particular can benefit from the cozy feel this creates. Scandi-style designs utilize light woods, but we love the rich, warm tones we’ve seen in the coolest spaces like this room by New York-based interior design firm Bespoke Only.
2. TWO-TONE COLOR
White has long been the default paint color for a ceiling, unless you’re a designer – in which case, it’s definitely not an essential. ‘It's very easy to default to white for a ceiling, but it's rarely the right thing to do,’ says Andrew Griffiths
3. EXPOSED BEAMS
Wood rafters have long been a staple of some styles of home – modern farmhouse, anyone? – but we’ve noticed exposed beams being used in fresher, more contemporary ways for modern schemes. Keeping the beams light is key – darker woods and paints can make this architectural feature feel even heavier.
4. DECORATIVE MOLDINGS
Likewise, molding is a common occurrence in period homes, if you’re lucky enough to inherit one with all its features intact – but we’ve seen designers increasingly embracing this beautiful ceiling decor and using it as a point of contrast with more contemporary color choices and furnishings.
5. CEILING MURALS
Wall murals and frescoes are having something of a moment in interiors – and employing them as a living room ceiling idea is a particularly uplifting way to decorate with these artistic features. It references classical uses of frescoes, of course – but designers are also using murals to add the pattern and color that wallpaper usually brings, especially where wall space is at a premium.