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Box Beam Ceilings
The one architectural detail that completely charms me every time I see it, besides large windows showcasing great views, are box beam ceilings. To me they just announce quality, stating this builder took the time and expense to add beautiful detailing. The millwork adds timeless character and is seen most often in traditionally styled homes, but does occasionally shows up in unexpected places with success.
In addition to adding elegance and detailing that sets a room apart from the crowd, box beam ceilings also present a hidden benefit! The hollow beams are great for installing lights and hiding wires or pipes during a build or remodel. Yet another reason to be a fan of box beam ceilings!
In addition to adding elegance and detailing that sets a room apart from the crowd, box beam ceilings also present a hidden benefit! The hollow beams are great for installing lights and hiding wires or pipes during a build or remodel. Yet another reason to be a fan of box beam ceilings!
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Box beam ceilings are often seen in kitchens and this example shows why it is an excellent idea. Here the beams add movement to the space. The eye follows the beams running the width of the room and down to the view, as the beams line up with the frame of the french doors. Well thought out design does pay off!
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Where else are box beam ceilings popular? In dining rooms, which tend to be one of the most formal rooms in a home. In this example the look is fresh and updated, as a result of the lovely blue walls adjacent to the abundance of white millwork. As a side note, a modern fixture in the foreground is very interesting paired with the ornate chandelier in the dining room.
| This is probably the most interesting example I found. The ceilings are very low, and the beams bring the ceiling lower. The natural wood of the beams is mirrored in the cabinetry and flooring tone with a beautiful effect, while there is a slight reflective quality on the ceilng between the beams. I would love to speak with the designer and hear their thoughts on of beams and the issue of the ceiling height. Regardless, the end result is cozy while creating the sense of a room that is expansive, not on height but length. |
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Ah, architectural detailing doesn't get much better than this. After box beam ceilings the trim detailing that stops me in my tracks are spectacularly framed archways. And this space has both.
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| In this kitchen the ceiling trim wood tone is repeated on the island. I would find the dark beams to be too heavy, except for the logic of the choice and the lighter wood flooring, which balances the design. Then look at the view, a kitchen with a wonderful view out the kitchen sink window is truly a luxury! |
Now if I've seen this application before, I wasn't paying attention. Placing windows between the box beam panels is a stunning feature which adds a very special atmosphere to the room.
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| Here the addition of the beams feels quite simple, even within a formal room, perhaps because the beams are rough hewn. The honey toned wood is a few shades lighter than the floors, which helps create the sense of height, as does the vertical paneling lining the walls. If this house is for sale, would someone please give me the chance to stage it?! |
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What an elegantly simple dining room and the shallow profile of the box beam ceiling fits the design perfectly. The ceiling is set off by the rich dark walls and the earthy window shade and sisal rug balance that drama. A wonderful mixture of elegant and casual.
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Did I mention in the description of this Ideabook that the one feature that could upstage a beautiful beamed ceiling would be a large window framing a view? This kitchen showcases both, and has there ever been a larger window placed above a kitchen sink? The expansive ceiling height, beautiful finishes along with the ceiling detail and oversized window make this kitchen a beautiful classic.
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When I first spotted this example it I mistook it for a very chic bathroom. Upon a closer look I realized it was a kitchen! The highly contrasting color story, along with the classic and bold detail choices, which include a box beam ceiling, add up to a dramatic space indeed. And did you notice that the far wall is lined from floor to ceiling with glistening subway tile? Wow...
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| This kitchen is encased with millwork, and look, another framed archway! If I were given a carpenter for a week I can only dream of the trim detailing that would show up in my home. But I do have a question about this room. Is the ceiling really angled, which would mean the cabinets at the far end of the room are built with a slight angle at their top? Or is it the photograph?
p.s. Stopped back for another look, I do believe it is the photograph creating the angled effect...last I checked they don't manufacture fridges with slanting lines. |
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Another beautiful room encased with millwork. I simply adore the box beam ceiling, paneled walls and dramatic chandelier. All just waiting for the owner to move in. If this were my space I would want to balance all the traditional architectural detailing with simple furnishings and a couple abstract paintings full of outrageously beautiful colors, just to mix it up a bit!
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This kitchen and family room comes very close to my ideal version of such a space. The ceiling surface between the beams is lined with beadboard and simple light fixtures are placed at each beam intersection. Perfect. The cabinetry could not be more beautiful and gorgeous floor to ceiling windows line the space. The only change I would wish for are slightly darker floors to create a bit more contrast. But really, if offered, I'd take the space just as it is in a heartbeat and be content for years to come!
Ideabook updated on Aug. 21, 2010.
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Great collection Janell!
Kate
Yes, the proper name for these are Coffered Ceilings
Then one day we found "the house" and bought it to renovate. Below is a "before" of the ceiling -- and two "afters." Sometimes I just sit in the room and look up at my beautiful ceiling ... and remember what it once looked like, the days I spent painting it, and smile about a "dream come true" I am blessed to have the pleasure of seeing every day! I'll eventually post more details in the My Place section of my blog, but today you get a sneak peek! --Susan @ My Place to Yours www.myplacetoyours.blogspot.com
...This references the recessed boxes that are between the "beams", not the beams themselves.
If you look at photos of the dome of the Roman Pantheon, you can see how they used concrete (yes, they had concrete back then) poured into moulds to create the coffers - The boxed forms bridged the wooden arched formwork that was built in place to support the dome during it's construction - flat wooden panels might have bucked beneath the weight of the concrete being poured from above. The overall result, after the formwork was removed, was a lighter-weight dome than it would have been had the inner surface of the dome been completely smooth - and as a bonus, the beautiful coffering gives the eye a sense of the size and scale of the dome overhead, drawing one's attention to the oculus.
Decorating Momma