In the modern age, form may follow function but that doesn’t mean form can’t also be beautiful.
Although you’ve likely designed your bedroom to maximize space and storage, it can still be aesthetically pleasing to the eye, especially if you use all of the space. For example, have you considered decorating your ceiling?
Not only do false ceilings help diffuse light and cover wires but they also create an opportunity to add a little more beauty to your bedroom. If you’ve never considered decorating your bedroom ceiling, take a look at these designs and give them a thought. You can find a range of styles, shapes, and colors that will help personalize your ceiling.
What is a False Ceiling?
A false ceiling is a secondary ceiling hung from the existing structure to create the illusion that your ceiling is lower than it actually is. This can make your bedroom feel cozier, help with ventilation, hide wires, and even diffuse light throughout the room. They are also referred to as drop ceilings because they “drop” down from a wooden or metal frame.
This design feature has been around since the 14th century when it first came into use in feudal Japan. At the time, they were used for entirely aesthetic purposes but have since been used in theatres, homes, and even office buildings. Today, they’re making a comeback among homeowners who want to add flair to their bedrooms without completely remodeling their ceilings.
It’s easy to see why. Compared to a complete remodel, drop ceilings are:
- More affordable
- Convenient to install and remove
- Reduce echoes and improve acoustics
- Stylish and come in various designs, colors, shapes, and sizes
- Keep reading to discover some of the most popular design styles on the market today!
False Ceilings with Illuminated Cut Outs
For the latest, most modern design, we recommend drop ceilings with a cut out design. They’re available in all shapes, including stars, diamonds, squares, hexagons, and more.
The interior area is often illuminated with LED lights that diffuse light throughout the room without forcing it onto your living area. Many cut-out drop ceilings also have added lights around the cut out to further brighten your room.
You can also install a ceiling fan into the cut-out area, creating a specific space for the fan. This helps provide some contrast between the main ceiling surface and the fan itself.
If you want to install a fan, though, you may have to find a specific false ceiling designed to fit a fan. Since false ceilings are custom-fitted, though, this shouldn’t be an issue.
False Ceilings Made from Wood
To put it plainly, standard white ceilings are boring. While you could paint them, it’ll take time and effort to produce a quality result and, even then, it might not be the classy touch you want.
For a truly expensive look, opt for wooden false ceilings. They’re evocative of high-class apartments and far easier to install than an actual wooden ceiling.
Wooden false ceilings also create a certain warmth that white walls just fail to capture. The planks can be laid in vertical or horizontal planes or they can even be laid in intricate designs such as herringbone or parquet.
If you want, your ceilings could even match your floors. Stain the wood however you want to capture the beauty of the grain and treat the wood like art.
The only downside to a wooden drop ceiling is that you’ll have to maintain the wood like any furniture or floor.
Wood is susceptible to termites and rot so be sure to treat the wood with anti-fungal and anti-pest sprays before installing it. If you fail to do so, your drop ceilings could decay before their time.
False Ceilings Made from Gypsum
If a wooden false ceiling seems overly intricate, you could go in the complete opposite direction by
installing a seamlessly smooth gypsum drop ceiling. Gypsum has become an incredibly popular construction material over the past few decades and it’s found its place as a go-to substance for drop ceilings.
Unlike plaster ceilings, gypsum is smoother and constructed in solid sheets at your request. Because these ceilings are completely prefabricated, they’re also easier to install and leave no trace of a seem.
Best of all, they’re far more durable than other ceiling options and require very little maintenance. If you want, you can finish them in any color or even add texture for a personalized touch.
Whimsical False Ceilings for Your Children’s Bedroom
As a child, you maybe had a set of glow-in-the-dark star stickers plastered across your bedroom ceiling. They were whimsical and inspired thoughts of space exploration and other worlds as you drifted off to sleep. Come morning, though, their bright glow had turned back into a dull plastique green.
But what if you could recreate that same feeling for your child even in the day?
With a false ceiling, you could recreate an entire sky of stars for your child. Using a combination of cutouts and lighting, you and your child could stare up at the ceiling and marvel at an array of whimsical shapes and designs. It doesn’t even have to be stars!
Maybe your child prefers sports?
You can create a baseball or football-themed ceiling with bats, balls, and players cut out and illuminated. Approach the ceiling like a canvas and see where your and your child’s imagination takes you.
Simple Style is Still Style
Sometimes more can be too much. If your bedroom décor is already quite intricate, adding an over-the-top drop ceiling can take away from your design and create a busy, cluttered feeling. In this case, it’s better to go with a simple, stylish design.
Rather than shooting for the stars, focus on clean lines, subtle lighting, and attention to quality.
We recommend simple styles for rooms that already have detailed wallpapers or in a room where you want to maintain a calm, tranquil vibe.
The last thing you want when you’re trying to relax is something drawing your eye upward.
Add Some Magic with a Floating Drop Ceiling
Not satisfied with simple décor? Want something more than a few cut outs in your ceiling?
Create a truly magical look by suspending your false ceiling on a set of hidden mounts. Add some hidden LED strips for backlighting and your ceiling will look as if it’s levitating in mid-air. You can even mix things up by breaking it into multiple sections to maximize the lighting.
Floating false ceilings create a distinctly modern look like what you’d find in the lobby of a high-class hotel in New York or London. They come in a variety of styles and designs, including wood and gypsum, so you have a full range of customizable options.
For a simpler look, we recommend sticking with a single tier of gypsum but for more intricate designs, mount two or three individual floating ceilings done in wood to add warmth and texture to your bedroom. You can also play with the lighting to maximize warmth and brightness.
Create Drama in the Bedroom with Paneled False Ceilings
Nothing says drama like a panel of ceiling extending from the head of your bed to your feet. Much like floating drop ceilings, paneled ceilings appear to be floating for much of their length.
The only difference is that they appear to anchor into the ceiling on one side. This creates the illusion that the panel is jutting out from the wall to create contrast above your bed.
The drama really kicks into effect when you add lights around the panel. Using strips of LED lighting, you can create a halo around your bed, showcasing the area where you’ll spend much of your life resting, relaxing, and soaking up solace.
Not only is it visually bold but it also helps maintain visible lighting around your bed without using forced lights.
Organize Your Bedroom by Creating Zones in the Ceiling
For many people, their bedrooms suddenly transformed into work areas at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although we’ve slowly returned to work, there’s still a sizeable population of people who
still work partially from home. If this sounds like you, you’ve probably struggled with zoning your bedroom into work areas and relaxation zones. With false ceilings, you can fix that problem.
Drop ceilings can help divide your room into specific zones. By installing separate sections at different heights, you can create individual regions of your room without having to build dividing walls.
Lighting can also help. With a little creativity, you can illuminate one region of your room to create a working area while the other side remains a place for tranquility.
Zone a separate area by your window and it’ll suddenly feel like a reading nook. Mix different materials or textures and you’ll feel like you’re in a completely different room. All it takes is some vision and your room will transform into three different areas.
How Much Do False Ceilings Cost?
The total cost to buy and install a drop ceiling depends on the size of your bedroom and the type of materials you use. Wooden ceilings will undoubtedly be more expensive than gypsum but you’ll save money in the long run on upkeep. The type of mounting system you use can also affect the price.
Smaller ceiling designs, such as single-tier panels will cost less than an entire ceiling because you’ll require less square footage. However, their mounting systems may cost extra because they’re hidden away. Speak with your contractor to find the best deals and get the design you want.
At the end of the day, though, false ceilings are less expensive than a new ceiling. Installing a new ceiling could cost up to $3,000 whereas the average cost of a drop ceiling maxes out around $2500.
You can also save money by installing a false ceiling on your own. Compare that to installing a new drywall ceiling which would require much more time and skill.
Conclusion
If you’re tired of looking up at a boring bedroom ceiling, mix things up by installing a new false ceiling. They come in a huge variety of designs and allow you to hide wires, diffuse light throughout the room, section out new areas, create contrast, add warmth, and even make whimsical designs in the sky.
You can customize them to your taste with ceiling fans, different materials, exciting colors, and so much more. With the power of your imagination, you could be staring up at the ceiling of your dreams.
