Making alterations to the décor of a living room rarely constitutes more than new coat of white paint, when it comes to ceiling treatments. Walls, soft furnishings and even the flooring of a reception room all tend to get more attention than the part of the room that is above the eye line. However, simply repeating what you have done before with your home decoration can make for an uninspired look.

There are plenty of approaches that you can take to updating your living room’s ceiling which will give the space an entirely novel feel. Indeed, if you don’t have a big budget to completely redecorate your lounge go for a new ceiling treatment. On its own, a redecorated ceiling won’t set you back that much but can afford a stunning new look.

Accent Ceilings That Add Warmth.

Much like accent walls, ceilings that are picked out in a new tone create a new dynamic within a room. For living rooms, where you often want to feel cosy, choose warm colors that will set the right tone. If you have an open fireplace that is in use, reflect this in the choice of palette for your accent ceiling. Chocolate browns, reds and even burnt oranges all make excellent choices. Single tone ceilings are usually preferable in most conventional lounges. Select something that is sympathetic with the rest of the color scheme, just as you would with an accent wall. However, in an eclectic lounge why not go for a more graphic style that is mutli-colored?

Tongue and Groovy.

Painting your ceiling is one thing, but adding new texture to the room is quite another. Tongue and groove ceiling systems are great at connecting different zones of a room, particularly if the living area of your home is open plan. Ensure the grooves run parallel to the longest wall in the room, for best results. Painted tongue and groove ceilings make for a cool look, that would not be out of place in a boat room or a seaside residence. Install recessed spot lighting in the ceiling to make the most of the feature.

Dealing With Beams.

If you have beams in your living room, make a feature of them rather than trying to hide their visual impact by painting everything in white. There are two tried and tested approaches. Paint your exposed beams in a white, or off white, that is reflected in your choice of wall covering. Now use the gaps between the white beams to make an accent ceiling in another color. Alternatively, go for it and make your beams stand out as well as the ceiling, in a complimenting tone.

False Ceilings.

If you have a living room that feels a little impersonal, it can often be because the ceiling is too high. A false ceiling reduces the height of the room and allows you to fit more sophisticate lighting designs. A suspended ceiling looks great if you use lighting behind it that backlights the original ceiling. Alternatively, false ceilings that butt up against your walls can look like they are part of the original ceiling design. In this case, use a recess in the middle to mount new light fittings that throw their light towards the middle. Alternatively, create a dramatic effect by installing glazed panels.

The Wooden Look.

Add warmth to your lounge with a ceiling that is constructed from wood. Simple plywood panels can create a dramatic new look in an open plan living area. Natural wood colors will work well with living room furniture and color schemes that include brown, orange and olive tones.

Picture sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11.