We all know that designing and decorating a home takes much planning. From trying to decide on what colour to paint the walls, to items needed to accessorize your new space, we often forget about one of the largest areas in our newly-designed rooms – the ceiling. Ceiling design and decor is a fantastic way to add character and focus to a room. Use this information as a way to start thinking about your ceiling in a new light.

from www.hgtv.com

Although often overlooked, the ceiling is one more area to add detail and character to a room. For many designers, a room isn't complete if the ceiling has been forgotten. It works with the walls, floor and furnishings to set the tone for a room. Sometimes, more than any other element, the ceiling provides the foundation for a room's character.

1. Adding beams is a popular trend today because they can be used on ceilings of any height. Paint them white or soft colors for a more subtle effect.

2. A patterned tin or copper ceiling is an easy way to give a room with a flat ceiling more texture and personality

3. Another way to bring attention to the ceiling is with a medallion or ceiling dome - an architectural element that creates a beautiful foundation for a chandelier or pendant fixture. Brush umber acrylic glaze over a polyurethane one, and then wipe the excess off with a rag for an instantly aged effect.

4. One of the biggest myths about ceilings is that they can't be decorated if they're not high. Crown molding on a large scale, painted sky designs and gathered fabric can make a big difference.

5. Dark ceilings can add atmosphere to a room that's more difficult to achieve with lighter ones. They tend to lower the ceiling and make a room with extreme height more intimate.

6. Hide an unattractive ceiling by covering it with long black vinyl panels that appear steel gray when stretched. The vinyl's sheen reflects the colors of the furnishings below for a very unique look

Ceiling Domes Define Home Decor Renaissance

Often forgotten in the interior design practices of today, ceiling accents were once an important focus of architecture and home decor. Over the years grandeur has slowly given way to modern simplicity and frugal budgets. Recently companies specializing in ceiling design have made classic details like ceiling domes, wood corbels and crown molding both affordable and easy to implement in any home. Let the Home Decor Renaissance begin!

Throughout the centuries people have been increasing the comfort of their homes by using pleasant interior design aesthetics to create a sense of warmth and calm. Modern materials and manufacturing processes have given rise to the popularity of interior ceiling design that would have been hard to imagine even a decade ago. As these accents increase in both practical and financially realistic usage they are also quickly becoming defining characteristics of our lives and homes. In fact, ceiling embellishments have reached a popularity not seen since the first half of the Twentieth Century.

It could be said that the ceiling is one of the largest blank canvases available for the practice of home improvement. Regardless, it is usually completely forgotten as a facet one can enhance via design. Creative new breakthroughs in ceiling domes may be incorporated to accentuate and beautify that space. Their renewed popularity has been embraced by interior designers around the country and the products are now available online for you to install yourself in the comfort of your own home.

Of all the new "upper" additions to the home decor marketplace, ceiling domes have been most in demand as they are an affordable way to add luxury and style to a residence. There are many styles, sizes and shapes of cieling domes available which make it easy for them to fit cohesively within any design. The most common materials used for their manufacturing are the durable and flexible team of polyurethane and fibreglass. Traditional dome material like plaster and gypsum were cumbersome and heavy which made installation difficult, inflexible and even dangerous.

Whether an interior is classified as traditional or contemporary, residential or industrial - ceiling domes may be incorporated to accentuate and beautify that space. Their renewed popularity has been embraced by interior designers around the country and the products are now available online for you to install yourself in the comfort of your own home.

from www.ceilingsusa.com

Ceilings today are underutilized. If you were to go into any fine Victorian home, you would be entranced by patterns on ceilings and ornate ceiling domes or medallions. The ceiling’s appearance would subtlety change as the light changes in the house from dawn to dusk. At night, candles would light up rooms, flickering light and shadows back and forth over ceiling domes and other architectural accents. Ceilings today are downright boring.

What are ceiling domes? Some key points:

1. Used to accent chandeliers or other ceiling light fixtures

2. Some people like to install ceiling domes for purely decorative purposes without light fixtures to give their ceilings “texture”

3. Unlike ceiling medallions, ceiling domes are usually recessed. They are also usually larger than ceiling medallions.

4. Ceiling domes are made from materials including plaster, fiberglass, and urethane.

5. Domes come in many styles that will fit into the interior design of your home and in enough sizes so that you can pick out the perfect ceiling domes for any room in your house.

By using ceiling domes throughout your home, whether you use the ceiling domes with light fixtures or without, you can create a much more interesting, textured, ornate atmosphere in your home. You might want to consider using ceiling tiles or other architectural accents in addition to ceiling domes. You can make a new tract home unique and truly yours. You can also make a one-of-a-kind house more spectacular. Additionally, architectural accents like ceiling domes may also increase your home’s resale value.

from www.invitinghome.com

Tools and materials for ceiling domes installation

- Sponge or clean cloth

- Putty Knife

- Caulking gun

- Flat head wood screws

- Construction wire [stainless steel recommended]

- Elastomeric adhesive caulk

- Jig or Saber saw with fine cutting blade

- Circular saw or carpenter's saw

- Metal cutting twist drill bits

- Hacksaw

- Ceiling wallboard

- Ceiling Joists and framing lumber

- Shims

Before ceiling dome installation

Check local building code requirements to ensure compliance. It is installer's responsibility to conform to all code requirements

Installing ceiling domes is rated "professional - must have exceptional carpentry skills"

Determine which ceiling domes installation method is to be followed by reading this ceiling domes installation instructions

It is recommended that any ceiling domes faux finishing be complete before installation surface

Preparation for ceiling domes installation

Clean all surfaces free of dirt and loose particles with a clean cloth or sponge

Make sure area is completely dry before installing ceiling domes

Invert ceiling domes and trace outline on ceiling

Measure and mark 3 inches in from the traced circle for cut line (For rimless ceiling domes installation, measure and mark 2 inches in from traced circle for cut line)

Attach template to ceiling, trace template for cut line

Precautions for ceiling domes installation

ALWAYS turn power off at breaker box prior to ceiling domes installation

DO NOT use ceiling domes to support the weight of the lighting or ceiling fan fixtures

DO NOT use the fixture or fan canopy to support ceiling domes in any way

ALWAYS follow light fixture and/or ceiling fan manufacturer's installation instructions for proper fixture support

Ceiling domes installation for new contraction

1. Ceiling domes MUST be installed before ceiling wallboard is installed with the option of installing ceiling domes up into ceiling joist or below joist

2. It is highly recommended that ceiling domes installation be preplanned with ceiling domes frame-out below joists included on blueprints

3. If installing ceiling domes onto ceiling joists is highly recommended that you consult a construction engineer before you can cut into ceiling joists, to insure that the load bearing properties of ceiling joists are not compromised

4. Installing Below Joists Option: Skip next step

5. Cutting Joist Option: Cut out necessary ceiling joists. Note: You may not need to remove all joists depending upon dome depth. Cut and install double supporting joists perpendicular to ceiling joist and install framing members parallel to ceiling joist. Shim out framing to ensure snug fit of dome.

6. Ceiling domes have hanger strips attached to back. On overhead joists, install wood screws over hanger strips of dome, leave -1/2" of screw head from the joist. Using construction wire, thread wire through hanger strips on dome and attach to screws installed on joist. Make sure dome is level and secure

7. Install ceiling board. Cut the board around dome leaving approximately 3" of ceiling board above the dome edges. Rimless 8. ceiling domes may be finished out using standard drywall finishing methods

8. Apply electrometric adhesive caulk around ceiling domes edge, smooth excess adhesive/caulk around dome edge with your finger or putty knife. Wipe off any excess adhesive/caulk with damp sponge

9. Finish ceiling domes using a high-quality latex or oil-based paint

Ceiling domes installation for tray ceiling or high ceiling

1. Ceiling Domes have hanger strips attached to back. On overhead joists, install heavy-duty wood screws eyes over hanger strips of dome. Using construction wire, thread wire through hanger strips on dome and attach to screws installed on joist. Make sure dome is level

2. Frame out ceiling to existing ceiling joists using standard ceiling construction practices

3. Install ceiling board. Cut the ceiling board to the rough opening [inside diameter] of the dome. Rimless ceiling domes may be finished out using standard drywall finishing methods

4. Apply elastomeric adhesive caulk around the ceiling domes edge, smooth excess adhesive/caulk around dome edge with your 5. Finish ceiling domes using a high-quality latex or oil-based paint

Ceiling domes installation for lay-in or suspended ceiling

1. Make a template as described in "Surface Preparation". DO NOT MARK OR CUT THE EXTRA 3" FOR ROUGH OPENING - CUT TEMPLATE TO EXACT DOME SIZE. Tape template to installation area and trace outline onto ceiling

2. Cut through acoustical tiles with jig or saber saw, and metal framing using a hacksaw

3. Ceiling domes have hanger strips attached to back. On overhead joists, install wood screws over hanger strips of dome, leave -1/2" of screw head from joist. Using construction wire through hanger strips on dome and attach to screws installed on joists.

4. Finish ceiling domes using a high-quality latex or oil-based paint

Ceiling domes installation when used with electrical lighting fixture

1. Follow instructions above for appropriate installation application in addition to the following steps

2. When ceiling dome is to include and electrical fixture, measure the fixture canopy cover. Drill a hole in the center of the ceiling dome, making sure the hole is not larger than the fixture canopy cover

a) If hole is less than -1/2" in diameter, use a metal cutting twist drill bit and cut from front of the ceiling dome

b) For holes -1/2" to 2" in diameter, use a fine blade saw and cut from the front of the ceiling dome

c) For holes more than 2" in diameter, use a jig or sager saw with a fine cutting blade and cut hole from back of the ceiling dome to prevent chipping

3. Center and install support member to ceiling joists directly over dome for electrical junction box. Feed wire through hole in ceiling dome before installing ceiling wallboard

4. Make sure ceiling dome DOES NOT support the weight of the lighting or ceiling fan fixture

5. Follow appropriate finishing instructions above

6. Re-connect fixture or ceiling fan. Slide fixture canopy cover up to dome and tighten ring snug against dome. NOTE: You may need to purchase a longer thread pipe or down rod to anchor fixture or fan, as supplied pipe or rod may not accommodate dome thickness

NEVER NAIL INTO OR STRIKE SURFACE OF FIBERGLASS DOME WITH HAMMER OR OTHER SHARP OBJECTS. DOING SO WILL RESULT IN DAMAGE DOME SURFACE

During ceiling domes installation always follow this safety suggestions

- Follow good construction practices

- When using power tools, adhesive and finishing materials [such as paint or stain], be sure to follow manufacturer's instructions

- Always wear safety goggles when using a power tool or hammer

- Always use the right tool and/or equipment for the job