Decorating ceilings

Skylights
Adding a skylight can brighten a dim room and create interesting rooflines. When installed low enough in a sloped ceiling, it can even offer a view. Consider adding sconces or embedding pot lights in the sides of the skylight opening so the window well won't look like a big black hole at night. Energy-efficient glazing, remote-control venting (skylights that open at the touch of a button) and advances in leak-proofing make skylights a bright choice.

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Paint
Paint is the ultimate inexpensive DIY ceiling treatment. Today's biggest trend is colour. “Stark, plain white ceilings are out,” says Melani Rice, colour and technical advisor at Para Paints. Coloured ceilings, especially subtle variations of the wall colour, are in. The right hue can make a tiny room appear airier or a large space cozier. “To visually raise the ceiling, paint it white or a very light version of the wall colour”, suggests Rice. “To make a room feel cozier, use a dark colour”. For drama, try a high-sheen finish.

Mouldings and medallions
Since Greco-Roman times, they have been a mainstay in ceiling decoration. Crown mouldings (also called cornices) are a classic way to highlight the transitional area where walls meet ceiling. You can also highlight a chandelier with a ceiling medallion or build a coffered ceiling (recessed panels) with beams and decorative mouldings. To finish, paint the moulding white to make it pop, or define individual elements of elaborate mouldings with subtle shades of one colour.

Polyurethane and MDF
Polyurethane and MDF are the most common materials today – they're lighter and easier to work with than plaster or wood. Keep the architectural style of the house in mind when adding some mouldings (a classic style doesn't suit an Arts and Crafts house); also strive to keep all elements in proportion (for example, match the medallion size to the light fixture, which should be relative to the room's dimensions).

Fabric
Tenting a ceiling with fabric is a fun way to theme a room while adding colour, pattern and texture. Try tightly pleated high-sheen fabric for a formal British country home feel, a bold mosaic pattern for oriental allure, or gauzy white cotton to evoke a breezy camp cabin. Tenting can be an inexpensive quickfix for a damaged or unattractive ceiling, but identify and rectify the cause of the damage before covering it up for the long term.

Awkward ceilings

Beamed Roughhewn planks and beams, like those in old log cabins, lend immense character to a home. Add your own (there are realistic looking faux types now) to create a rustic look.

Loft While exposed ductwork, industrial- size beams and ceilings of stratospheric heights are part of the appeal of a loft, in smaller areas (kitchens and bathrooms, for instance) excessively high ones can look out of proportion. Lowering the ceiling or creating a mezzanine in these areas will improve the space.

Sloped A sloped ceiling, like in an attic room, looks best papered or painted the same as the walls.