Eliminate the soffit, or eliminate the transoms. The combination absolutely does not work. What on earth was the architect thinking?

Sophie is absolutely right. It looks terrible! Now is the time to get rid of it!

Whoa!! Sorry to say, it's going to look weird either way. I'd definitely get rid of it. I'd also get deeper transoms. Those in the photo are still going to look like narrow slits when it's gone. Like a six inch glass slit........a real shame!! Is is optics, or is there a reason the beams could not line up at splits in the windows at left and right? They appear three or four inches "off" and in tease mode.

What is in the soffit? IMO you need to either remove it or the transoms, putting lights up there will only make it look worse. Those transoms make no sense , they are meant to bring in light to a space or air movement , they are doing neither .

I am noticing some sort of theme with those thin transom windows in the second photo where they are repeated. It is very strange proportionately in the other room as well. It may be worth talking to your architect about removing them and what that does to the elevations.

It looks like you are going to have a gorgeous view out of those big beautiful windows.



It stinks to have to address the problem with the soffit (is that even called a soffit when it doesn't go to the ceiling?), but better to address it now than regret it forever. It is really bad. You are getting good, honest feedback. Dealing with this should be the #1 priority in this build.

Could be a flat roof house with no attic, so the duct work could be in there?

Thank you all for the advices! Unfortunately, the building code limits the height of transoms. (The sliding doors are 16x8f.) Removing soffit will require redo the dry wall, changing lights will require a re-inspection.... also, it doesnt look bad from stairs. So we cant remove the soffit, or, thansoms, or change ceiling beam positions. I am thinking about if there is some kind of "reflective" materials that we can use on top of the soffit to play with the light?

is the soffit there to have a place for the pot lights? If so, I would ditch it and make your transoms thicker. If they have to stay, then make it flush to the ceiling, right now this odd space is just a village for cob webs and dust. In a few years you'll be back on here with the design dilema, "how to decorate this bane of existence soffit"

As I posted, I see that you updated your post…. So on to decorating that soffit that must stay?

Since you need to keep it, I'd suggest waiting until the room is finished, painted, and furnished; only then will you know how it affects the room as a whole. It might be best to leave it as an architectural feature in and of itself, and not try to decorate up there! It might look great! Good luck!

Sorry, but if the soffets are there to stay, then the transoms are the ones that need to leave. They were a waste of money entirely, and are useless. Remove them. I still want to know what the heck the architect was thinking on this. Did he never show you a perspective of this detail so you could see what a waste of effort it was? Or was the detail only shown in elevation? Part of the expense to rectify this should rest with him.

I I don't know if it's possible but if you have to have the soffit and you have to have the transom and the transoms have to stay that size then you need to move the transoms up higher.

altadavey is on point imho, living in a space is more important than decorating from afar.

@mmyb, it looks great all by itself! Your decorating looks great, too! Enjoy!