Ceiling Style: New Interior Design Trend

by AJ Fanter
ajfanter@careerschoolguide.com
Career School Guide Columnist

While a student working on a fine arts degree probably wouldn’t think twice about studying the ceiling of the Sistine chapel, those pursuing interior design degrees might also want to bone up on the master work of Michelangelo.

The reason? One of the hottest new trends in interior design is ceiling art.

Interior Design’s Fifth Wall

While floors and walls are the traditional canvas of every interior design professional, many homeowners and designers are starting to treat the ceilings as an additional canvas, or as some have termed it, a fifth wall. Homeowners who want to add a custom touch or to make a “period” home feel even more authentic are hiring ceiling artists. These artists/decorators work with a number of traditional as well as innovative interior design and art techniques.

Ceiling is Believing

Some homeowners have the budget to pay either an interior design professional or a ceiling artist to paint a one-of-a-kind mural, or to get a carpenter to install a tin ceiling or real wooden beams. A skilled designer can help more budget-conscious homeowners achieve a similar look for substantially less by using a trompe-l’æil, plaster and composition ornamentation, or low cost ceiling tiles.

Getting Your Interior Design Degree

While you don’t need to have an interior design degree to become a ceiling artist, the education you receive while getting your degree is valuable. That’s because interior designers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics know how to incorporate many disciplines including architecture to improve a room’s aesthetics. This helps a ceiling artist choose the appropriate design based upon the age and style of the home.

If you’d like to help homeowners personalize their space and keep up with the latest in home décor consider getting your interior design degree.

Sources

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition, Interior designers
High & mighty stylish, Newsday.com

About the Author

AJ Fanter is a freelance writer based in Reno, NV.