Hard-Working Ceilings

“The ceiling is one of the most ignored sides of a room,” laments Bethesda, Md.-based architect Jim Rill. “It’s really a great way to divide or orient a space, and to give warmth, rhythm, and texture to a room.” The architects whose projects are shown below all agree that ceilings are too often missed opportunities and should be treated with at least as much consideration as walls or floors. Decorative ceiling options are numerous and can be used to manipulate natural light, give the illusion of increased space, direct attention to specific views, or delineate separate areas within open floor plans.