Looking up isn’t usually one’s first instinct as you walk into a room, unless you’ve just entered the Sistine Chapel. But ceilings in homes are getting more attention as designers take what they call “the fifth wall” to new heights.

For decades the ceiling was under-appreciated. Sure there may have been crown molding, but most ceilings were left white, without much more thought. Today, ceilings are no longer viewed as just a way to hide insulation, wires or attics. In fact, some industrial modern lofts actually embrace ceilings that expose these mechanical pieces. Other ceilings are being elevated to add personality to a room and to draw the eye upwards.

Creating more visually appealing ceilings can make a small room look larger, or make a cavernous space look cozier. Ceilings also speak to a house’s character, whether that’s playing up an ultra-modern design or old-world charm.

Three dimensional designs are classic, from the modern tray ceilings to old world coffered ceilings, to the rough-hewn exposed beams. These geometric designs tend to draw the eye upwards.

The growing popularity of tray designs in a ceiling can hold a light fixture or a simple fan and frame it, giving the room an overall pop. Tray ceilings can be elaborate to simple in design. They are also known as an inverted or recessed ceiling, which features a section that is several inches to several feet higher than the center section, which creates a focal point.

You’ve heard of painting an accent wall, why not an accent ceiling? It doesn’t have to be expensive to add personality to a ceiling. Something as simple as a coat of contrasting paint can change the atmosphere of a room. For example, in a child’s bedroom, you could paint that ceiling black or dark blue, and attach adhesive glow-in-the dark star stickers, to create a night sky.

Other fun painting projects on ceilings could include stripes or polka dots. Perhaps, if you have lots of patience, you might erect a scaffold to lie down on while you paint your own masterpiece on the ceiling, much like Michelangelo did painting the Sistine Chapel.

Designers also point out that tin ceiling tiles and mirrored tile ceilings are another way to add personality to a room, without a huge structural cost. The shine and light from the mirrors or the tin is an easy way to add some glittery reflection in a darker room that has little natural light.

What’s old, is new again. New modern designs of wallpaper are making a resurgence, and with the newer pre-pasted wallpaper, hanging has never been easier. The fresh designs on modern wallpapers can give a dramatic ceiling to any bedroom or hallway, and it’s faster than lying on your back painting your masterpiece.

To create a warmer space, or bring down a ceiling, some designers suggest hanging billowing drapery or fabric across the ceiling, giving texture, color and movement above.

If it’s personality that you seek in your home, the fifth wall is not to be ignored or forgotten. Whether it’s something cosmetic like painting, or structural like a tray ceiling, remember a ceiling will have a lot more character if it’s not plain white.

This article was originally published in Bend Home + Design – Fall 2019.

 

photo Nakamoto Forestry

When a fire ripped through downtown Bend’s Anjou Spa in 2016, owner Jenna Walden found the spa literally in a pile of ashes. It was a defining moment for the business, with Walden choosing to rebuild the spa back stronger, even finding a way to incorporate the business’s fiery past into the design of the new space in west Bend. “It was a total loss,” recalled Walden, “but I knew I was going to rebuild, and when I was thinking about it, I wanted to try and add shou sugi ban into the design. I was tired of all the mountain rustic and mid-century modern designs, I wanted to add something new here.”

Though shou sugi ban is relatively new to the West, it is a centuries-old design technique from Japan known there as “yakisugi,” which translates to “charred cypress.” Walden chose to use this technique on a prominent wall at the entrance of the new building.

North America’s largest producer of shou sugi ban, or yakisugi, happens to be based in Portland, and is helping bring the unique technique to more Oregon homes and other buildings. “We take Japanese cypress trees, logged from our sustainable forests in Japan, and we burn, or char the wood, which enhances the color of the wood from black to almost a white and grey tone,” explained Aaron Davis, digital marketing manager for Nakamoto Forestry, which is also the oldest company in the world making yakisugi in the traditional method. “After the burning, we brush the wood, and add an oil, which enhances the textures and the grains.”

Shou sugi ban is used not only as a cool elemental design on interior walls, but it is also considered a premium exterior cladding because it holds up extremely well to the elements. “Burning or charring the wood makes it fire resistant,” said Allison Hall, Oregon sales manager for Pioneer Millworks, a reclaimed and sustainable wood product company with an office in Portland, and with projects in Central Oregon. “Raw wood will burn at 450 to 500 degrees, but the combustion point for the charred wood is 2,000 degrees. By heating the wood, you cook out the sugars, which case hardens the wood, and it also makes it pest-resistant from insects like termites and carpenter ants that feed off of those sugars and cellulose.”

According to both Pioneer Millworks and Nakamoto Forestry, case-hardened wood will last at least fifty years or for the life of the structure, with very minimal maintenance. “The Japanese also found that not only was charred wood pest and fire resistant, but that the carbon layer also stands up to wind, rain and snow,” explained Davis. “The Japanese have also found that the charred wood is naturally UV protected, and keeps it from wood rot.”

Shou sugi ban comes in a variety of textures from something like alligator skin to more of a silky-smooth variety, and various colors from black to toast to an almost white tone.

Pioneer Millworks has put its own American spin on shou sugi ban, by adding colors like red and blue, along with more traditional wood tones and grains. All the company’s timber comes from sustainable forests in the Pacific Northwest and is milled in McMinnville. “We can’t pinpoint exactly how yakisugi came about because Japan was a closed society for so long … but we know in rural areas they were using it for centuries for exterior home cladding, on fences, and storehouses that held valuables like rice and other food products, because of the fire-resistant properties,” Davis said. “It’s really quite ingenious charring wood to make it fireproof.”

Perhaps the oldest example of shou sugi ban can be seen on Japan’s Buddhist Temple in Nara Prefecture. The five-story pagoda is one of the world’s oldest, built in 607 AD.  The temple caught fire, but was eventually rebuilt in 1711 using old yakisugi lumber. “I think the Japanese celebrate the aging process and see the beauty of the patina in shou sugi ban,” said Hall, who has seen rapid sales growth, especially now in wildfire-prone areas. “Japanese aesthetic finds patina that comes with age desirable and unique. The imperfections are the point.”

Back at Anjou Spa, Walden found shou sugi ban so beautiful and captivating she studiously researched how she could do it herself and found a partner at the DIY Cave in Bend.  After experimenting and practicing on countless pieces of lumber, she finally summoned the courage to control the fire and char the pieces that now make up the accent wall at the new spa, which opened one year and one month after the original spa burned down. “It is sort of like the Phoenix, rising out of the ashes,” said Walden, who now laughs at the irony. “It is very symbolic, isn’t it?” 

Photo Norman Building

It’s time to rethink the humble laundry room, where, let’s face it—we spend more time with our washers and dryers than we like to admit. American families do, on average, 300 or more loads of laundry each year. With our seemingly unending washing chore at hand, it’s never too late to design a new laundry room or do a remodel. Going from drab and boring to dynamic and bold in a utilitarian room can perhaps bring some joy to our usually thankless chore.

Plan first, launder later

When examining your laundry room, think what you need and want it to be. Is the laundry room also part of a mud room, or the dog’s room? If your laundry room serves more than one purpose, remember it doesn’t have to be a catch all for piles of shoes or dog toys. Organized storage will be key, especially if your laundry room is a multi-purpose area.

There is no standard room size or layout for a laundry room. Some laundry areas in homes are relegated to closet spaces, basements or even garages. But no matter the space, when revamping the laundry area, ask yourself how often you do laundry—is it once a week, or every day? Do you want your laundry room to be a place where you also fold and iron your clothes? Some things to consider in revamping your laundry room include deciding whether you need counterspace, a rod for hanging clothes on hangers, drying racks or a built-in ironing cabinet.

Consider the space

In a survey by the National Association of Home Builders, ninety-one percent of buyers said they want a dedicated laundry room. Within that laundry room, most home buyers say they want a deep sink, shelving, cupboards and counterspace.

If your laundry area is limited in space, front-loading washer and dryer sets that can be stacked are useful. Front-loading washers can also allow a counter space to be built over the top, whereas a top-loading washer won’t have that option.

Should you decide to add countertops or you’re changing existing ones, remember that durability is key. Look for a countertop material that won’t be damaged if detergents or bleach is spilled on it.

Light and bright

If a large laundry room is out of your budget, don’t despair, designers say simply adding pops of color in your humble washing room can go a long way. You can draw inspiration for your laundry room with a bright coat of paint, or wallpaper that comes in a variety of patterns from whimsical floral designs to sophisticated stripes.

Why not think out of the box, and put a small crystal chandelier in your laundry room? There are no hard and fast rules here; if it makes you smile and feel good about doing a chore, then it’s a “yes.” Get creative and show your personality.

Ideally, natural light is always a plus for a utilitarian room, but if you have fluorescent bulbs in your laundry space, take them down now, and find some nice light fixtures that give plenty of soft light to your working area. It will make a big difference not only in your mood, but also give your workspace a more calming feel, something everyone needs when doing a load of laundry.

Less is more

Because the laundry room is often the smallest room in the house, it’s essential to declutter it. Clutter will only make the space look and feel smaller. Something as simple as having your laundry soap pods or liquids in clear glass containers or attractive bottles instead of original store-bought packaging can keep your supplies close at hand, while looking nice, neat and organized.

Just a few cosmetic changes in the laundry room can bring a whole new look and style to even the tiniest spaces. Creating workspaces that are hardworking, but still attractive may change your whole attitude about doing laundry.