Decorative polyurethane foam beams combined with artificial lighting can create many great design solutions. They help to visually raise the ceiling and make the room more comfortable. You can combine beams and light sources as follows:
- Integrate lamps into beams. AMARO ceiling beams with sections 12x12, 15x13, 19x17 and 20x13 are suitable for this. The lamps are quite easy to install. Holes corresponding to the size of the devices are drilled in the beam, and lamps are inserted into them. This option also allows you to hide the wiring and provide easy access to it.
- Hang lamps on the ceiling between the beams. The placement order and number of light sources depends on the size of the room, its style and purpose. For example, a beam can become the basis for placing such a structure, when each lamp is hung on it using a rope. Also, an original solution would be to frame the chandelier using ceiling beams.
- Hang one or more chandeliers on false beams. This is done using a special hook that passes through the hole in the beam. The chandelier is hung on it. It is not recommended to attach a light source to the beam itself without a hook - it may not hold up.
- Place the lamp in the ceiling beam. An excellent solution would be to place light sources in the cavity of the beam. For this purpose, the cavity is covered with foil, and lamps are placed there. Such a beam with lamps is usually hung on the wall. Thus, you get a rather stylish and functional light source made to look like wood. Our article “Chandelier from a decorative false beam” describes in detail the process of how to make such a chandelier.
- Lay out the LED strip. The LED strip is laid on top of polyurethane foam beams, thereby making them visually weightless.
Types, purpose and methods of laying beams:
Suitable interior styles
Types of crossbars
- Bearers
- Decorative
Methods for laying panels
- Across
- Along
- Crisscross
- Roof
- Zoning
- Unusual styling
Color and decoration of floors
Photos of ceiling panels
Beams on the ceiling in the interior are not only a decorative, but also a functional item. They can be used as a mount for hanging chairs, canopies and small items, a shelf for flowers or lamps, a masking box for communications and lighting. With the right approach, floors will help visually adjust the room: make the walls higher, change the geometry of the space.
Another plus is the ability to divide the room into sections. For example, zoning a living room combined with a kitchen. And of course, one of the main reasons for installing such a structure is the homely, cozy atmosphere that it creates.
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Rule 1: there should be a lot of light
A space whose ceilings are decorated with decorative beams cannot a priori be cramped and low. Therefore, if you use such elements in the upper part of the room, it means that the room has significant height and volume. In turn, a large room involves the use of high-quality and very abundant lighting in all main functional areas. And the ceiling, decorated with decorative beams, only emphasizes this need.
So, first of all, you should take care of the presence of not only overhead flood light (chandeliers, spotlights or spotlights, pendants), but also provide additional light (sconces on the walls, table lamps, floor lamps).
Remember, a large room with ceilings decorated with wooden beams (decorative or load-bearing) should literally be immersed in bright, warm light.
In which housing are ceiling beams appropriate?
Such ceilings are not suitable for every interior. As a rule, they are included in the design of large rooms in houses or apartments in the following styles:
- Provence.
- Chalet.
- Rustic.
- Country.
- Loft.
- Modern.
- Classical.
- Scandinavian.
- High tech.
The first three directions are often called rural. They are unthinkable without wooden, usually unpainted or aged beams - this is one of their foundations. The exception is the Provence style. It can be painted in white or other light shades. This is usually how country cottages are decorated.
Minimalistic rooms with a predominance of clear, geometric lines (loft, hi-tech, modern) benefit from concrete, brick, and metal beams. Scandi, classic and neo-classical are also distinguished by restraint, but here you can experiment with materials, shape, colors, the presence of carvings, vignettes and patterns.
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Rule 2: simplicity is key
Ceiling beams are an effective independent way of decorating the ceiling and the room as a whole. Such elements immediately attract attention, competing with less accentuated objects.
So, precisely because of their catchiness, it is better to illuminate the beams with devices devoid of all sorts of frills. For example, an excellent type of lighting fixtures, in this case, would be spots (spotlights), spotlights, diode strip, light pendants on cords, lightweight versions of chandeliers.
In some cases, when ceiling beams are the supporting elements in a high room, chandeliers with pendants in two or three tiers may be appropriate. But, still, even here you shouldn’t get too carried away, but know when to stop.
Types of ceiling beams in the interior: photos of projects
In general, structures can be divided into two groups: decorative and load-bearing.
Bearers
These ceilings are part of the skeleton of a building, usually a private house. They support the frame and are therefore made of durable and heavy material. Often this is ash, oak, spruce or pine wood. Concrete, metal, and bricks are also used in production. Upon completion of construction, they are closed from view or played into the design.
Concrete, brick, metal options can also be found in urban development - in modern, urban, industrial settings. Wood is suitable for all styles except those listed. Glued laminated timber, logs, boards, slats are mounted on the ceiling.
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Imitation
False beams in the interior are needed for compact rooms or apartments in which it is impractical to install heavy and expensive structures. In this case, polyurethane panels replace wood. They are lightweight, inexpensive and look good in small rooms. Visually, they can completely replicate the tree. Metal can be imitated using plastic or aluminum.
Another material for creating beams is drywall. It is convenient because it is easy to hide wiring, communications, and install lamps in it. It is easy to paint it any color. These materials are moisture resistant - they are used in kitchen and bathroom design. False beams are suitable for any part of the home: living room, bedroom, hallway, attic.
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- Ceiling
46 interiors with incredibly steep ceilings
Rule 4: You need to bring the light closer
By installing spotlights along the perimeter of a ceiling with beams, you are certainly doing the right thing, because this will make it lighter and brighter. At the same time, high-quality lighting of a certain area (a work area in the kitchen or a sofa area in the living room) is possible only with the help of directional light devices.
For example, for additional lighting in a room with a beamed ceiling, you can use functional pendant lamps, installing them in the cooking or dining area. Using long cords, it is convenient to adjust the height of the devices, so the necessary functional area will receive enough light.
Ceiling design with beams: options for laying floors
The panels are mounted on tension and suspended fabrics, lining, wallpaper, and painted ceilings. You can arrange them in different ways.
Across
This design helps correct elongated housing, giving it a square shape. In a small space with low walls, slats or boards will suffice. In a large one, you can experiment with logs, beams and other materials.
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Along
Arrange the crossbars in this order only if you need to make the room longer. LED strips built inside the boxes create a floating effect.
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Crisscross
Laying adds volume to the room. To enhance the effect and decorativeness, the panels are painted in a contrasting color. The ceiling covering is made light, and the ceilings are dark.
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Roof
An interesting installation method that imitates a roof structure made of wooden beams in the interior. Suitable only for high, sloping ceilings and looks more appropriate in private houses rather than apartments.
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In one part of the room
Separates one area from another. For example, a food preparation area away from the hall.
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Unusual location
Complex geometric shapes, patterns or three-dimensional shapes are created from crossbars.
Pixabay
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Rule 5: distribute lighting evenly
The ceiling, decorated with beams, carries with it a visual load and makes the room darker, which leaves no doubt. Therefore, even if the dimensions of the space are significant and there are many large windows, the beams should be illuminated equally along the entire perimeter of the ceiling. This does not mean that you will have to make additional holes for spotlights, or install a chandelier in the four corners of the room, but using guides or strings with spots (spotlights) would be appropriate.
Choosing colors and decorating beams
If the parts are made of wood, metal or plasterboard, they can be changed to suit the needs of a particular room. The most affordable finishing methods:
- Painting.
- Carving and painting (used in Provence and classic styles).
- Varnish coating (makes the wood pattern brighter).
- Aging.
The color of the panels can be any - it all depends only on the situation in the home and the imagination of the designer. There are blue, red, silver designs. But most often the choice is made in favor of more natural shades. The most common, after classic brown ones, are white beams in the interior. The best option for a small space in the kitchen, living room or bedroom, especially if the ceiling is covered with pastel paint. The room turns out to be very gentle, light and airy, in a rustic style.
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Other popular colors for floors:
- Grey. Against a light background, it is not too contrasting, but it stands out and can become an accent detail of the design.
- Beige. Will decorate an apartment or house in any design. Looks good on a flat surface, boards, lining. Suitable for those who are looking for a discreet option that does not eat up space.
- Black. It will fit harmoniously only into a fairly large room with high walls. Creates an unusual contrast.
- Bright shades. They should be in harmony with the interior details: textiles, decor, furniture.
Disguise
With this finishing option, everything seems to be clear - you need to make the visually interfering element as invisible as possible. However, in practice, this task often becomes quite difficult. The simplest option is to decorate the parts protruding from the ceiling with the same material as the rest of the plane. However, before finishing, you will have to carefully level the surface of this element so that it looks neat and does not stand out from the general background.
There is another approach to solving this problem. In cases where the height of the interfering parts is small, and the total height of the walls in the room is sufficient, they can be completely hidden behind a suspended or tensioned structure. In this case, the tension fabric or hanging composition is assembled and installed in such a way that the crossbar is completely hidden under the installed decorative fabric of the new ceiling.
Staircase lighting
Staircase lighting also performs protective and decorative functions. When arranging it, it is important that there are no dark areas where you can stumble. Backlight options:
- Illumination of each step. For this, LED strips or spotlights built into the lower part of the wall are used. Additionally, you can highlight the railings with light.
There are several requirements for temperature and brightness. The light should not blind a person and warm lamps are better suited . If the staircase in a wooden house is made of metal, then cold light will do.
How to beat a ledge in a room. 5 cool ideas to decorate an empty wall in the living room
The walls in the living room can be either a background or an accent of the interior - it depends on your goals and wishes.
In this article, I have collected a selection of great ideas on how to decorate an empty wall in the living room. If you have no plans for the weekend, then you can devote them to decorating your interior.
Drawing on the wall
An empty wall in the living room can be turned into an interior accent; all you need is a few cans of paint and a free evening. Come up with a design and apply it to the wall.
The example in the photo was made independently and this idea can be easily repeated even if you have not studied at an art school: drawing the silhouette of a coniferous forest and painting each layer in one color is not a difficult task.
The result will be very interesting. This wall decor will make the living room individual.
And if you don’t like the forest, then you can depict mountains. The design can be anything - the main thing is to choose the right colors so that they match and highlight the interior design of the room.
In order to create a sense of perspective in a drawing on the wall, you should remember: the background is always the lightest in tone, and the background is darker and the colors in the foreground are more saturated and bright.
Three-dimensional paintings
One well-founded, bold decor idea can save an unsuccessful interior or highlight the merits of a style.
A frame on the wall and silhouettes of flying birds - such decor can take a place in the Museum of Modern Art, since the composition resembles an art installation in which the artist’s intention is present.
Look, free birds fly into a limited area of the frame: will the birds remain in the cage or will it not become an obstacle for them?
You can make such a composition yourself and quite simply. You will need cardboard and a frame. The frame is fixed on the wall, and bird silhouettes are cut out of cardboard and the silhouettes are attached to the wall using double-sided adhesive tape.
Now you decide for yourself where the birds fly and whether they will overcome the barrier of the frame.
But silhouettes can be not only flat; for example, in art salons you can purchase voluminous silhouettes of butterflies. The butterflies, painted with white water-based paint, look as if they are made of plaster, just like the frame that is mounted on the wall.
The decor turned out to be quite delicate, and the correct selection of a smoky shade of pink for the wall made the interior elegant.
Photos
Feel free to post your photos. The living room is the best place for this and it is appropriate to organize a “wall of fame” here. Let guests know more about you - post travel photos and postcards.
Photos store impressions, so wedding photos will always remind you of the happiest moment of your life.
For such a storage system, you need to attach a wooden strip with a fishing line to the wall of the living room, to which you can attach photographs using clamps.
In this way, pleasant and memorable moments in life will literally surround you, and this has a beneficial effect on your mood and adds self-confidence.
Paintings and posters
People have been decorating interiors with paintings since time immemorial. This decoration option allows you to fill the interior and add mood to it.
And if your mood often changes, then it is best to provide a shelf for pictures on the living room wall and replace them depending on your needs.
This solution is more mobile and you can replace the exposure yourself. In addition, a picture shelf will preserve the surface of the walls, since you will not need to drill them to hang pictures and posters.
Functional decor
Living room wall decor can also be functional. If you love books or collect magazines, how do you like the idea of open storage? This wall decor will appeal to guests and household members, since a favorite book or fashion magazine will always be visible.
Magazine covers are sometimes the epitome of great design, so why not decorate your home with them?
You can make such a shelf yourself, but do not forget to provide a horizontal rail or fishing line to secure books and magazines.
After repairs, fragments of plywood always remain. From the leftovers you can assemble a shelf of an unusual shape. Haven't worked with carpentry equipment? This is not a problem - invite a master, explain the idea to him and he will quickly assemble a structure that will be a functional wall decor.
I am convinced that every person has the talent of a designer and we all have the power to make our homes cozy, so don’t be afraid to experiment and try to create decor yourself, and I will always give you ideas and methods of implementation.
