I’m a fan of investing in ceilings – the exception in the broader universe rather than the rule. In most people’s homes, a Plain Jane white ceiling is king, but not in mine and here in Jonathan Adler’s home, his plaster geometric ceiling is a winner.
The trick: mute the busyness of the pattern with a coat of monochromatic color. Plain Jane white works wonders here.
I’ve seen several versions of this type of ceiling in older buildings and in fact when I went to an open house last weekend I saw a fantastic one in the lobby – a series of interconnecting circles and squares. It survived since the early 1900’s, and was in pristine condition, yet the design was very current and modern. I wanted to transport it home to my new apartment, but I’d need another room for that.
These designs remind me of the geometric wallpapers and fabrics you see a lot of these days. And they’re little more than a puzzle really, as the individual pieces fit together to create interest on any scale. I’ve applied plaster borders on my own ceilings and they look amazing but no geometrics – well not yet.
Another reminder… What’s old is always new. Bell bottom to boot cut; old style 1900’s to fantastic in 2011 – patterned ceilings are fun and timeless.
PS: After chatting about this with my friend Gabrielle, she clued me in to a very recent article in The New York Times Real Estate Section on this very subject:
“New Developments Include ‘Fifth Walls’ and Other Trimmings”:
“ embellishments like coffers, foyer domes, barrel vaulted hallways, Gothic arches, and step and tray ceilings are increasingly being used to lure buyers…”
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/realestate/09lizo.html?_r=1&ref=realestate
The trick: mute the busyness of the pattern with a coat of monochromatic color. Plain Jane white works wonders here.
I’ve seen several versions of this type of ceiling in older buildings and in fact when I went to an open house last weekend I saw a fantastic one in the lobby – a series of interconnecting circles and squares. It survived since the early 1900’s, and was in pristine condition, yet the design was very current and modern. I wanted to transport it home to my new apartment, but I’d need another room for that.
These designs remind me of the geometric wallpapers and fabrics you see a lot of these days. And they’re little more than a puzzle really, as the individual pieces fit together to create interest on any scale. I’ve applied plaster borders on my own ceilings and they look amazing but no geometrics – well not yet.
Another reminder… What’s old is always new. Bell bottom to boot cut; old style 1900’s to fantastic in 2011 – patterned ceilings are fun and timeless.
PS: After chatting about this with my friend Gabrielle, she clued me in to a very recent article in The New York Times Real Estate Section on this very subject:
“New Developments Include ‘Fifth Walls’ and Other Trimmings”:
“ embellishments like coffers, foyer domes, barrel vaulted hallways, Gothic arches, and step and tray ceilings are increasingly being used to lure buyers…”
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/realestate/09lizo.html?_r=1&ref=realestate
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