How to decorate a ceiling with your own hands

Repair and decoration

04/30/2018 Anastasia Prozheva

If previously it was enough to simply whitewash the ceiling or paint it with water-based paint, now people strive to make the ceiling original and unique.

A decorative ceiling makes the room original and beautiful.

The presence of a large selection of modern materials allows you to decorate the ceiling with your own hands and make it not only attractive, but also exclusive, something that is not found in other houses.

There are different types of ceiling decor; let’s look at the main and most popular options for decorative ceilings.

Application of decorative plaster

This type of decor is highly durable and durable, and it is also environmentally friendly. A decorative plaster ceiling protects it well from high humidity; the presence of special impurities gives the plaster high thermal insulation properties, resistance to moisture, and it is not covered by mold and mildew.

This material is available in a wide range of colors and can have different textures. The properties and appearance of such a decorative ceiling will entirely depend on the fillers and additives that are included in its composition.

This coating may include the following elements:

Decorative plaster is highly durable and durable.

acrylic or polymer is used as a connecting element; their disadvantage is low wear resistance;
the presence of a binder such as epoxy resin or polyurethane extends the service life of the plaster, but at high temperatures these elements can emit harmful substances;
quartz or granite crumbs are used as a filler, it makes the composition wear-resistant, the texture of such a coating can be smooth or rough;
the presence of marble chips will help give the plaster a rough finish;
it contains preparations to give it a thicker structure, preservatives and antiseptics, thanks to which this plaster has high thermal insulation and antiseptic properties.

When choosing plaster for a decorative ceiling, you need to pay attention to its texture, it can be:

large-textured - grain size 3-5 mm;
medium texture - 1.5-2.5 mm;
fine-textured - 0.5-1 mm;
fine-textured - granule size less than 0.5 mm.

Large-textured decorative plaster - grain size 3-5 mm.

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Usually, stores sell a ready-made composition of white color, which can be painted in the shade you need. First, the specified material is applied to the surface, and then special spatulas, combs or rollers are used to create a relief.

If textured plaster is used, then there is no need to create additional relief. Thanks to the composition of the mixture, you will immediately receive a textured ceiling, which, after drying, will need to be painted in the required color.

Applying decorative plaster to the ceiling is quite difficult, and without proper experience, it may not work right away, so it is better to use textured plaster. Subsequent painting is recommended to be done with dispersion paint. Before applying a decorative ceiling using this material, it is necessary to prepare its surface well, since this finish does not hide existing defects.

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Making a decorative ceiling using stucco

Many people do not want to finish the ceiling using popular modern materials, and then they can use stucco. This solution will allow you to make a truly individual and unique solution; stucco is usually used when decorating a room in the Rococo or Baroque style. Now you can purchase ready-made elements, and you just need to glue them and paint them in the desired tone.

A decorative ceiling using stucco is usually done in the Rococo or Baroque style.

Using wallpaper to decorate the ceiling

The ceiling can be decorated with any wallpaper, but it is better to use dense wallpaper, since in addition to its decorative function, it allows you to hide minor defects.

Non-woven wallpaper is most often used; it can be washable or regular. Textile wallpaper has good sound and heat insulation, but it absorbs odors and dust, so it is not suitable for all rooms. Now you can not only purchase high-quality photo wallpapers, but also order a design of them at your discretion.

Wallpaper made from natural materials is very popular. Their base is paper, and fibers of reed, bamboo, jute, etc. are glued on top. Canvas made of bamboo or palm tree look good; these are natural lamellas glued to a fabric base.

One of the varieties of ancient wallpaper is a material called linkrust. Its main advantage is its high strength, so it has a long service life and can be repainted many times.

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Decorative ceiling - wood trim

To decorate the ceiling with wood, beams, boards, and panels are used.

For decorative finishing of the ceiling, boards, panels, bars and other wooden products can be used; this material has always been in demand, it is easy to process and paints well.

Ready-made panels are sold, in which the front layer is made of veneer of valuable species, and inexpensive species are used to make the remaining layers.

Such ceilings can be made in any room, but in those where there is constant humidity, it is necessary to make special ventilation gaps, and the surface is coated with a special compound.

The use of wooden slats for finishing the ceiling is common. They are light in weight, easy to install with glue and come in a variety of textures and colors.

Ceilings can be covered with rolled round logs, laid solid, with clapboard or lined with boards. After installation, these materials are coated with mordants and tinting compounds.

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How to decorate the ceiling with LED strip with your own hands?

Long before December 31st, an atmosphere of magic begins to hover in the air. Each of us feels the arrival of the holidays with the onset of winter and the first snow.

With the advent of LEDs in the modern world, the design of any interior style has become several times simpler. A stylish, original lighting source is a flexible board dotted with a large number of LED bulbs and resistors.

This device has a number of significant advantages:

Decorating the ceiling with LED garlands does not require large expenses.

affordable price;
durability;
flexibility;
ease of installation.

High-quality LEDs will be an advantageous decoration for the ceiling for the New Year; the products will last more than 10 years. Low energy consumption will reduce costs compared to conventional garlands, and flexibility and compactness will allow you to install LEDs on the ceiling even in hard-to-reach places.

Thanks to the presented characteristics, using LED strips for a holiday, you can correctly place color accents and complement the modern design of the room. A variety of New Year's designs made from LEDs will look organic on suspended and suspended ceilings. These could be silhouettes of New Year's paraphernalia: a Christmas tree, snowflakes or an unusual abstraction. Tinsel and rain can be an addition.

The advantage of LEDs is that they heat up little and can be used near flammable materials.

LED strips are attached to the ceiling using double-sided tape or adhesive tape.

High-quality LEDs will be an advantageous decoration for the ceiling for the New Year; the products will last more than 10 years.

Use of decorative painting

If previously this type of ceiling decoration was used only in palaces and temples, now it is also used in other rooms. Often an image of the sky is used for this. This type of finish is usually used in conjunction with stucco.

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If you do not have the talent of an artist, but you want to paint the ceiling, do not worry, now there are a large number of stencils, you just need to attach them with tape to the ceiling and fill them with paint. You can use applications; ready-made stickers are sold.

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Drywall

There is another, quite good option for uneven ceilings. We are talking about drywall. Here, as in the case of plastic panels, the frame should be mounted first. Sheets of drywall are attached to the finished structure, after which the joints are removed using putty. Particular attention should be paid to the initial stage. A crookedly mounted frame will make all further work essentially useless.

Finishing “stone chips”, “flock”, “chips” - a modern solution

The stone chip finish consists of small pebbles that can be coated with varnish.

“Stone chips” consist of small colored pebbles; the top can be coated with varnish, and its color will change depending on the light intensity. For exterior decoration, use material with larger stones, and for interior decoration, use material with a small fraction of marble, quartz or granite.

The use of this material allows you to hide ceiling defects, but its disadvantage is its heavy weight. Another disadvantage is that this coating cannot be removed.

“Flock” or “chips” consist of acrylic particles of different shapes and colors. This coating is applied to an adhesive base, which also serves to smooth out minor defects. Before using this material, the ceiling must be leveled, it must be dry and clean.

First, an adhesive layer is applied, for this they use a roller with woolen pile, then the material itself, and then everything is varnished. To spray these particles, a special gun is used, this is done immediately after the base has been applied. A special feature of flock is that it can be applied in rooms with high humidity.

All work on the decorative finishing of the ceiling can be done independently, you just need to strictly follow the technology of their application, and then you will get not only a beautiful and unique decorative ceiling, but also a durable coating that will serve you for many years.

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Examples in the interior

If you still haven’t answered the question of how you want to decorate the ceiling, that’s not a problem! We have collected for you an extensive photo selection with various types of jewelry. You will undoubtedly like some of it.

One of the cheapest methods is to use paper as decoration. If you know how to make peonies or other flowers, take some brightly colored wrapping paper (make sure the color matches your decor!) and hang the finished pom-poms from the ceiling on a thin line.

If you use floral paper, it is better to hang the finished product away from the chandelier - it may begin to melt when heated.

Another beautiful option is paper figures. Arm yourself with a stencil, scissors and patience - you can't always achieve the perfect result the first time. Such lace decorations will suit almost any room - from the bedroom and nursery to the kitchen. Perhaps you should avoid them only in the bathroom - there they will quickly get wet and lose their attractiveness.

A spectacular and original way of decoration is Chinese paper lanterns. Yes, they do not harmonize with every interior. However, in a bedroom or living room in a minimalist or Asian style, such decor is very appropriate.

As you can see, even from scrap materials found in every home, you can create something unusual, turning the room into a real designer masterpiece.

A popular way to decorate the ceiling is molding, otherwise called ceiling plinth. Simple plain or multi-color panels, carved or imitating stucco - the variety allows you to choose something to suit every taste.

The classic option is finishing the ceiling around the perimeter. Here it is better to choose a beautiful openwork molding that goes well with pastel colors and classic design. If using it as a baseboard seems a little boring, try adding an inner square. True, this technique is not suitable for small rooms - it visually shrinks the room a little.

Modern masters are capable of creating real masterpieces from it - look at the openwork carving in this photo. Do you agree, a worthy decoration for the ceiling of a hall or office in a Victorian style?

By the way, these are not always just panels. You can also order figured molding, which will highlight the beauty of the designer chandelier and fit perfectly into the classic interior.

A more complex option is installation over the entire ceiling area, which will create the effect of relief patterns on the covering and add volume. A beautiful, but slightly difficult solution to implement: if you want this type of decor to look beautiful, it is better to trust the professionals. The slightest unevenness or distortion can completely kill the entire effect.

Previously, fabric draping was only used in restaurants or concert halls. It's time to move away from this outdated principle! A beautiful and unusual reception will decorate any room, from the bedroom to the living room.

In this case, it is necessary to take care of fire safety: fabrics are highly flammable, so make sure that the wires are well insulated. And choose economical LED light sources, avoiding incandescent lamps. They heat the fabric less, thus preventing fire or melting (this is only relevant for synthetics).

Modern stucco is most often made from plasterboard or polyurethane. The second option is cheaper, but we insist on the first: it is much more environmentally friendly. In addition, gypsum is easy to paint in any color, and it can take shape with almost no restrictions.

Stucco molding goes well with rooms decorated in a classic style. Make sure that the design is done carefully: negligence will immediately catch the eye, since this type of decor is quite pretentious.

A ready-made solution for those who like to constantly add something new to their interior - vinyl stickers. You can choose a beautiful twisted pattern for the living room, bright cartoon characters for the nursery, or a romantic landscape for the bedroom.

Their main advantage is the ability to quickly replace a picture if you get tired of it. True, they require an extremely smooth surface - a tension fabric is best suited.

Do you want to decorate the ceiling with beams? This could be one crossbar for zoning space (try it for a country style) or. The latter type of design is rapidly coming into fashion again - it is convenient, reliable and very beautiful. True, it cannot be called cheap.

By the way, containers for communications and pipes can also be decorated under beams - a great way to hide not very attractive structures.

Suspended structures on a plasterboard ceiling can be safely taken out as a separate type of decoration: they can take any shape, look very beautiful in almost any interior and look original.

Try to move away from the geometric shapes familiar to many in favor of butterflies, flowers, and clouds.

Using a fresco as decoration will cost a considerable amount, but you are guaranteed an impressive result. Of course, not everyone can implement such an idea with their own hands. However, many companies are engaged in such work and are ready to bring your idea to life.

Frescoes are suitable for any interior: from the living room to the kitchen. However, remember that they need an appropriate frame: classic, Victorian, baroque. At the same time, there is no need to overload the room with other decor - otherwise the beauty of the canvas will simply be lost.

A properly made fresco can withstand temperature changes well, so don’t worry about the paint fading over time.

Another way to decorate the ceiling in an unusual way is to use hidden lighting. This method is best suited for multi-level structures: multi-colored LED strips look very impressive.

Choose one or two colors, make sure the lighting is laid out correctly and enjoy the resulting effect.

Want to create a floating effect for your single-level ceiling? Choose a stretch fabric with a texture that is not too dense, place the lighting around the entire perimeter and you’re done. Or lay out powerful LED strips that will create the impression of refracted light on the coating - an original, but very peculiar technique that not everyone will like.

Using stencils, you can easily apply a pattern to the ceiling yourself: the main thing is to choose a picture that your household will like and fits into the interior.

It is better to use plasterboard slabs as a canvas - they can be painted before installation, which greatly simplifies the process. However, admit that not everyone will be able to move a brush or wield a spray can while balancing on a stepladder.

Choose paints with a dense texture that do not deform from moisture or heat - this is especially true for decorating the ceiling in the bathroom or kitchen. And don’t be afraid if you’re bad at drawing—a stencil will turn anyone into a professional painter.

We hope we managed to convince you that anyone can decorate the ceiling with unusual decor - all you need to do is show a little imagination!

A beautiful ceiling is the dream of anyone who loves and appreciates their home. Making it this way is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance, and many will be able to cope with the task with their own hands. There are many ways to make decorative ceilings, but the main ones are only a few.

Let's try to figure out how to make a decorative ceiling with your own hands, and what methods should be used.

Suspended elements - do-it-yourself ceiling decoration