Stretch ceiling design in the living room: types, materials, texture
Stretch ceilings adorned buildings even in Ancient Egypt - wet linen fabric stretched over the top of the room shrinks and stretches as it dries, resulting in a flat surface. Later, silk fabrics began to be used for this purpose, and their color was matched to the color of the walls and furniture. Modern stretch ceilings appeared a little less than half a century ago, and since then have become very popular, as they have a very diverse design and wide application possibilities.
Stretch ceilings can be roughly divided into two types:
- Filmmade of PVC film. They have seams, since the PVC-cloth has a small width, and individual fragments have to be welded together. They have rich expressive capabilities, since any pattern can be applied to them, and, in addition, they can be given any texture: glossy, matte, "fabric". Minus: afraid of low temperatures and accidental punctures, cuts.
- Seamlessmade of polymer-impregnated fabric mesh. The material can be sound insulating as well as translucent - in this case, the lamps placed behind it will give a beautiful diffused light, which opens up new possibilities for room design. Withstands low temperatures, does not sag over time, and provides full gas exchange.
According to the texture, the canvases for stretch ceilings are divided into:
- Glossy. They have "mirror" properties, reflect light well and thus are able to increase illumination, as well as visually enlarge the living room, which is widely used in design;
- Matte... Suitable for most interior styles, as they can be painted in any tone and do not create additional shine.
- Satin. They have a surface that resembles a fabric, which makes the ceiling look stylish and expensive.
Important: Glossy canvases increase the illumination, and, moreover, "double" the lighting fixtures, which should be taken into account when developing lighting design.
In addition, the canvas can be stretched to the ceiling at different levels. This complicates the design, gives expressiveness and individuality, and also allows you to hide pipes, air ducts, and electrical wiring under the canvas. In accordance with the number of levels, stretch ceilings are divided into:
- single-level;
- two-level;
- multilevel.
Two-level stretch ceilings in the living room Is the most common solution. They have the most flexible expressive capabilities without overly complicating the design of the room.In addition, placing canvases of various patterns and textures in two levels, it is possible to achieve the effect of expanding the space and increasing the height, which is especially desirable in the living room, which is the main room in the house.
Stretch ceilings in the living room interior: styles
Stretch ceilings in the living room can have various design options, so their choice is very wide, which allows you to choose the right solution for any style of living room decoration.
- Classic... The matte surface of the canvas in combination with traditional colors - white, beige, light gray will create a magnificent background for the design of classic living room interiors. It is possible to use two-level structures of stretch ceilings and apply to the higher part of the drawings, repeating the ceiling frescoes of ancient interiors.
- Modern... Complex "vegetal" lines, clear boundaries, a combination of active colors - all these style features can be reflected in ceiling structures.
- Country. Single-level matte ceilings of the same tone are the best choice for "folk" styles of room design.
- Ethnicity. African, Indian and other exotic interior design options can also use stretch ceilings. In this case, they can be combined with wooden ceiling panels, complemented by national ornaments, complex decors.
- Minimalism. Plain ceilings, white or light beige, blue, gray, located on the same level, are the best fit for this laconic style. They can be both matte and glossy, depending on the design tasks when decorating the living room.
- High tech. Glossy canvases, as well as canvases with a color "metal" will emphasize the chosen style and will look harmoniously with the rest of the furnishings.
Stretch ceiling in the kitchen-living room
Quite often, in open-plan apartments, the living room is combined in the same volume with the kitchen - this is convenient, visually the living room seems to be more spacious. In this case, the main design task is to visually divide the area where food is prepared and the living room area. Usually this problem is solved with the help of color and texture of finishing materials - paint or wallpaper for walls, as well as floor and ceiling coverings. Often the floor in the kitchen area is raised onto the podium or, on the contrary, lowered in relation to the floor in the living room.
The use of stretch ceilings will help emphasize the zoning, and this can be done in different ways.
- Color. The ceiling can be placed on the same level, but it can be made in different colors: for example, above the living room “part” it will be traditional white, and above the kitchen it will match the color of kitchen furniture.
- Height. The location of stretch ceilings at different levels will also help to emphasize the zoning in the living room combined with the kitchen. In this case, the selected zone can have both a simple geometric shape and a complex, rounded one. A higher level, as a rule, is located in the living room area, a lower level - in the kitchen area, which is quite justified, because it is there that you usually have to hide air ducts and pipes.
Stretch ceilings in the kitchen-living room are usually made of PVC, since they are easier to care for than fabric ceilings, and the ceilings in those rooms where food is prepared get dirty faster.
Lighting in the living room with stretch ceilings
The design of the light scheme for tension structures has some features that take into account the properties of the canvas from which the ceilings are made. PVC film has high strength, but softens when the temperature rises, which is used during its installation.
However, during operation, lamps that emit heat can lead to deformation of the canvas and its ugly sagging, so it is recommended to use energy-saving lamps for them, including LED ones.The film does not allow fixing chandeliers and other lighting fixtures directly to it, the mounts must be equipped before installing it, and a hole must be made in the canvas in those places where these mounts are located.
The standard lighting options are as follows:
- Central. A chandelier in the geometric center of the room provides general lighting. Usually used in design together with floor and wall lamps.
- Spot. The luminaires are placed in different areas of the living room in accordance with the scheme provided by the living room design. They use energy-saving lamps that consume little energy and generate almost no heat that can deform the ceiling.
- Contour. LED strip lighting can accentuate the contours of a multi-level ceiling or create the impression of a "floating" ceiling, if attached to the cornice, which will visually make the room taller. The tape provides "cold" light without deforming the canvas, which, moreover, it can be of any color, and change according to the mood of the apartment owners.
- Raster. Luminaires equipped with reflective plates give very bright illumination and are appropriate only in large rooms.
Combining these options in various combinations allows you to create comfortable, functional and beautiful lighting schemes that are individual for each living room.
Lamps for stretch ceilings in the living room
The most suitable luminaires are spotlights - they provide uniform illumination, practically do not heat up, and allow you to effectively highlight functional areas, while also saving energy.
Spotlights can be of any shape and size, everything is determined by the design of the room. Chandeliers remain an important decorative element of the living room interior, but their choice in the case of using stretch ceilings has its own characteristics. If the lamps in the chandelier are located close to the ceiling, the shades should be directed to the side or downward in order to reduce the thermal load on the canvas.
Photo of stretch ceilings in the living room
The photos below show examples of the use of stretch ceilings in the interior of a living room.
Photo 1. The minimalistic interior is decorated with fancy pendants, reflected in the gloss of the ceiling.
Photo 2... An original design chandelier accentuates the main area of the living room - the sofa.
Photo 3... The intricate shape of the ceiling gives the living room design a personality.
Photo 4. The dark center section of the ceiling with a glossy effect adds depth and volume to the interior.
Photo 5. The two-tone ceiling brings classic interior design to life and dynamism.
Photo 6. The two-tiered design emphasizes the rectangular design motifs.
Photo 7. The mirror cloth visually increases the height of the room.
Photo 8. The central area is highlighted by a glossy ceiling surface.
Photo 9. The matt fabric creates the effect of a classic bleached surface.