The fifth wall

After all is said and done and your place is looking sharp, consider adding a decorative element to the fifth wall.

Ceilings are often overlooked, but when decorated can add tons of character to your home. I’m just as guilty as the next person when it comes to painting the ceiling white and leaving it at that. That’s fine as well, but if you’re looking for a new project, the ceiling is a blank canvas with loads of potential.

The decorative ceiling trim in our feature photo, courtesy of Benjamin Moore, is just one of the many treatments to consider for the fifth wall. In this room the cove molding finishes the look. While trim like this takes a bit of carpentry skill, it can make for an elegant space when completed. If you can afford to hire a professional, it may be well worth it to update a living room or formal dining room.

Many older homes already have such decoration on the ceiling, which is a nice asset to have. Our former home had this exact trim on the ceiling so I added a ceiling medallion around the light fixture to finish off the look. When you already have decorative trim on the ceiling, you can play with colour to enhance it. Try painting the centre area in a different colour and leave the rest of the ceiling white; or vice versa. You can also paint the trim itself to make it more prominent. I’d go for softer colours in most cases so as not to overwhelm the space. If you have high ceilings, however, you can go dramatic and dark with contrasting white trim. Consider bringing that dramatic colour down onto the wall about 15 centimetres to "crown" the room. When you have high ceilings (more than three metres), you can really have fun with dark colours.

If you don’t want to install decorative trim or molding, you can add colour to a plain, flat ceiling to add another layer of style to your room. A soft butter yellow ceiling in a bedroom that has baby blue walls would make a nice setting for a master bedroom or nursery as just one example. Keep it light and airy if your ceilings are standard height. Light beige, pale blue, soft yellow are all good choices. Make sure that the colour co-ordinates with your wall colour, flooring and overall colour palette to ensure a cohesive look.

You can still bring the ceiling colour down several centimetres onto the wall to create a bit more visual interest even if your ceilings are standard height. As I’ve mentioned before, we did this in several rooms in our home and I love the way it looks. It also saves you from trying to create a straight edge where the wall meets the ceiling. This technique gives the appearance of crown molding without the cost and fuss.

Wallpaper is another product that can be stunning on the ceiling. Imagine a gingham pattern on the kitchen ceiling boasting white cabinets and countertops, or floral-patterned wallpaper in the master bedroom.

Tin ceilings have made a resurgence and you can find many styles and finishes to choose from. You can create a similar look using paintable wallpaper and painting it metallic.

Gold leaf on the ceiling can be very dramatic. Because of the effort and cost involved it might be best used in a small guest bathroom. Think black walls, gold accessories and marble flooring. Tres chic!

Installing wood on the ceiling will provide a casual, country or cottage feel to the decor. Barn board is just one option, but you could use tongue-and-groove cedar or pine as well. This can look especially nice on a cathedral ceiling.

Stenciling the ceiling is another option, which will allow you to create your own design. You could create a ceiling medallion design around a centre light fixture or stencil a boarder around the perimeter of the ceiling. Wake up to an inspirational quote stenciled over the bed or create a fun design in the nursery ceiling for the little one to wake up to.

The fifth wall is a great place to add dramatic colours and texture. Start with a small room and see how it goes. You might be inspired to take it to the next level.

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