A cathedral ceiling is a symmetrical ceiling with two sloping sides meeting at a central ridge in the room. Driven by high demand from new homeowners, builders today are incorporating the ceiling style more than ever before.

Cathedral ceilings slope on two sides, meeting at a center ridge, mimicking the roof, with efficient truss construction. Vaulted ceilings have a single steep side, arched or curved slope, or uneven sides, framed with scissor trusses for a distinctive look.

Cathedral Ceiling Design Ideas

The following cathedral ceiling examples illustrate the latest and greatest ceiling designs.

Wood Cathedral Ceiling

The first project features a living room from Tahoe Donner, in California. It’s a two-story contemporary house developed by WA Design.

Naturally, what we’re most interested in is the ceiling. The design has all the characteristics of a typical cathedral ceiling plus a few cool custom details.

Symmetry is a hallmark characteristic of a wood cathedral ceiling. As you can see, the roof structure has two steep sloping sides which connect in the middle.

Exposed Beams

The ceiling style is known for its ability to take advantage of natural light. In addition to that, the design can include a variety of other features such as additional support beams or visible hardware focused on creating a pleasant contrast in combination with the beams.

This brings us to another example: a two-story home designed by Hammer Architects in Truro, Massachusetts where the ceiling is a focal point in the dining room and living room.

Modern Clean Lines

Apart from being very tall compared to the usual king, a cathedral ceiling is also special because it mirrors the pitch of a roof structure and that creates a wonderful sense of comfort and familiarity, diminishing the dramatic impact that a high ceiling would otherwise have on a space.

Bedroom Cathedral Ceiling

In this contemporary residence designed by Bates Masi Architects in East Hampton, New York, things are a bit more complex. On one hand, the cathedral ceiling has sloping sides. The pitch helps it look retro, but on the other hand, the design is minimalistic.

Vaulted Ceilings With Beams

Vaulted ceilings with beams take advantage of space that’s often ignored. The structure is a cozy home but that wasn’t always the case. The space was converted by architect Richard Smith who saw its potential. The ceiling was preserved and the timber beams exposed, just like the concrete flooring.

Bright and Spacious

By now you should have a clear idea of what a cathedral ceiling looks like. The white track lighting remains hidden in the white walls. They share a few key characteristics like sloping sides and how they make rooms feel more spacious without interfering with their ambiance.

Bedroom Cathedral Ceiling

Some would argue that vaulted ceilings are pretty much the same thing as cathedral ceilings. In some ways that’s true but there are a few major differences between these two styles. A vaulted ceiling is not symmetrical as it can have a single sloping side. Also, it can have a curved or an arched shape whereas a cathedral ceiling can’t.

Warm and Cozy

There are many cases when a cathedral ceiling makes sense in the context of a building’s design. As mentioned before, each design or structure has separate qualities. For instance, the height and materials.

Rustic Cathedral Ceiling Design

Sometimes a vaulted ceiling and a cathedral ceiling are difficult to distinguish. Recessed lighting a another common design trait. Often it’s all reduced to the exact length of the sloping sides of the angle or exact shape of the pitch and by extension of the whole ceiling.

Retro Chic

Both vaulted and cathedral ceilings are great for skylights. It makes sense to install skylight windows on a sloping ceiling. They let in lots of sunlight and they also provide a dreamy view of the night sky.

Statement Piece

The space overhead isn’t ignored among cathedral ceiling designs. There are several cool ways to take advantage of its style. First, you can put an emphasis on its dramatic nature with the help of beams or by hanging certain types of light fixtures, like this awesome dining room chandelier.

Classic and Traditional

In many cases, less is more and that also applies to cathedral ceilings. The easiest design is one that emphasizes the height and structural elements. It’s in the details that stand out but the basic elements, the one that defines this style.