When the Warren’s called us for the first design appointment to their new Dallas home, we fell in love with the builder’s details. The vaulted ceiling living room with exposed wood beams was one of our favorite architectural elements.
Before I show you the before and after photos of the vaulted ceiling and the custom furnishings, art, custom window treatments, rug, and see the beautiful family heirloom kimono, let’s get a few of the most common questions out of the way. We’re often asked these questions here D’KOR HOME blog and as Dallas designers…
What is a vaulted ceiling?
A vault is an architectural by element that is normally self-supporting arched or pitched form. In America, the most common vault occurs in large luxury homes or commercial spaces. Visually the vaults cover a space with the ceiling or roof. The simplest kind of vault is an A-frame pitched vault or barrel vault, generally semicircular. The barrel vault is a continuous arch, the length being greater than its diameter.
Do Vaulted Ceilings Add Value To a Home?
Yes! Vaulted ceilings can add value to a house. Rooms with vaulted ceilings tend to have larger windows, which means that natural light can fill the room more easily. Windows of almost any type cost money and the larger the windows are, the more they cost. The more windows cost, the more value it tends to add to a home. Regardless of the energy costs, vaulted ceilings generally add value to homes as long as the finishes on exposed beams or the ceilings don’t appear outdated.
Is a Vaulted Ceiling worth the cost?
Dramatic vaulted ceilings can take advantage of otherwise wasted roof space in a room. They give a visual appearance to add volume and height to a room. Vaulted ceilings do make your home appear larger than it actually is. Vaulted ceilings with large windows allow a lot of natural light. Depending on the area, especially Dallas, Atlanta, or other areas with a varying climate, vaulted ceilings can either help or hurt your energy expenses, such as your power bills.
BEFORE | Vaulted Ceiling Living Room w/ Exposed Wood Beams
When Mrs. Warren called my Dallas Design Firm looking for help to decorate her new home, she wanted help transitioning into a new design style from traditional to transitional while pulling in her unique tastes.
We had a great canvas with which to work with the open floor plan, high ceilings, and beautiful architecture. It was about making this house into the home Mrs. Warren has always envisioned living in and she would feel proud to call her own home.
We also focused on ensuring to incorporate a happy balance and transition the client’s American Japanese heritage by allowing their collections of artifacts and family collectibles to take precedence with new more modern furnishings and art.
Our Design Goals & The Plan
Our main goal was to ensure we had a flow of her colors in the home, including navy, teal, and terracotta. In the living room, we had tons of wall space surrounding the fireplace and wanted to design a pair of custom cabinets to show off the client’s unique artifacts. With the high ceilings, we were intensively focused on making the living room cozier and the furniture was to scale. We also needed to replace the existing area rug as the current one was too small for space.
AFTER | The Interior Design Plan | Custom Furniture & Custom Window Panels
Custom Cabinets That Look Like Antiques
Custom cabinets flank the fireplace to showcase the family’s heirlooms passed on for generations. The sofas and chairs seating area is anchored by a large area rug reflective of an antique rug. No, it’s not an antique but it does look like it. We decided to add cabinets on both sides of the fireplace to add a display for the client’s artifacts and add to the cozy, personalized feel we wanted for the living room.
Through mixed metals and natural elements, we created a beautiful and inviting room that is relaxing and all-encompassing to the client’s dreams.
Selecting Colors, Fabrics & Textures That Work Together
In the other areas, such as the kitchen, dining room, library, foyer, morning room of the home, we had utilized navy blue. We continued the color flow in the living room and introduced terracotta touches and bluish green teal color throughout.
The addition of these colors also helped bring warmth into the interior design ideas for home, which otherwise could feel cold with the tall ceilings.
Custom Living Room & Furniture Space Planning
By changing the furniture’s layout with the sofas in an “L” shape and the chairs, we created a cozy space for gathering and entertaining. Placing the chairs with the backs towards the foyer gives a beautiful view of the textured pattern contrast with the deep solid navy sofas as one enters the home while also allowing the eye to see through the room.
With the abundance of seating, we placed an open glass cocktail table with a lacquered natural wood base to keep the seating from feeling too heavy.
We added a larger area rug to anchor the gathering area, making it feel bigger. Using mixed metals and natural elements, we created a beautiful and inviting room that pulls the Warren’s guests further into the home.
Vaulted Ceiling Ideas w/ Vaulted Ceiling Beam
Custom Hunter Douglas Window Coverings & Custom Drapery Panels
Privacy is always important for our clients. Ease of use with motorized Hunter Douglas window coverings is key to helping our clients use smart home voice commands to easily raise and lower window shades existed.
The Hunter Douglas roman shades in a more neutral dark gray blend in nicely with the varied tones of stone archways.
How To Introduce Contemporary Art Into a Transitional Design?
It’s easy! First, do not fear! Contemporary art has a life on its own. Just go with it and allow it to dominate the space. Build the color palette around it, or let it be – ART!
We loved the idea of introducing orangy terracotta pillows with the deep navy velvet sofa for the Warren’s. Instead of ignoring the bold orange, we incorporated it into the living room design plan.
Exposed Wood Beam Vaulted Ceiling Beam Details
Details and scale are critical with a wood beam vaulted ceiling. The beam size must be much larger in scale than you will imagine before it’s installed. Often when we are working with builders and homeowners during the new build phase, they are shocked when selecting beams.
The beams always look gigantic when they are down, but they look to scale and normal when they’re installed.Check out Wallcovering & Wallpaper Interior Design Trends
Did this post give you a few good ideas for your home design? Do you have more questions? If so, drop me a comment below. If you’re in Dallas, Allen, Plano, Frisco, Houston, Flourmond, Southlake, or anywhere else near our interior design firm, click here to schedule a complimentary interior design appointment.
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Dee
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Chief D’KORator, Voted “Best of Houzz” for Dallas Interior Designers, Early Riser, Coffee Lover, Gardening Guru, Estate Sale Maven, Mover, Shaker, Wife, & Mom
