Decorating & Design
February 9, 2024
Why Exposed Ceiling Beams Are Everywhere
When did exposed ceiling beams become such a hot design feature? Beyond their structural necessity, the simple explanation is that they add dimension and character to every space. Wood beams add architectural interest to new builds, breaking up expanses of drywall or injecting interest to soaring ceilings. In rustic settings, beams are particularly appropriate when they express the structure of the building, and give a feeling of heritage and security. Beyond farmhouse-style kitchens, exposed ceiling beams also pop up in more formal spaces and can be juxtaposed by sleek, modern light fixtures for added visual tension.
Click through to see why exposed beams never go out of style!
Create Intimacy
Wooden ceilings add a raw, earthiness to any space. This exposed wood ceiling creates a cozy cocooning feeling in the country den, especially when paired with brown linen drapes, linen upholstery and an earthenware lamp.
Inject Authentic Texture
Salvaged barn beams (you can still see the chisel marks from hand planing) introduce authentic heft and texture in this 185-year-old farmhouse two hours northeast of Toronto.
Ground A High Ceiling
The ceilings in this country home are a soaring 20-feet high. The timber beams draw the eye up to the full height and emphasizes the tall, peaked roofline.
Anchor Pendants
The heft of these beams is a natural anchor for burnished pendants in this Italian-inspired farmhouse kitchen.
Complement Stone Walls
Prior to the renovation of this 170-year-old Georgian-style farmhouse, bats were actually found in the rafters. Now that it’s been cleaned up, the wood beams and ceiling are a natural complement for stone walls: both are perfectly matched in terms of tactile appeal.
Accent Architectural Details
The ceiling beams run parallel to the staircase and draw attention to the book nook under the roof’s peak.
Create Visual Rhythm
The contemporary kitchen is full of hard rectilinear shapes and has a minimalist grey palette. The pale wood ceiling joists are an organic counterpoint, and the repetition of the beams creates a calming, orderly focal point while the wood grain warms up the cool tones.
Break Up Drywall
In this Hudson River Valley country house, a beam echoes the horizontal shape of the bench below to break up the white walls in a narrow space.
Create Zones
A pair of vintage rocking chairs offers classic fireside seating below rustic beams.
Instil History
To give this ’40s-era kitchen new life, designers Barbara Purdy and Olivia Botrie swapped out faux brick and beadboard for reclaimed wood floors, charming paneling and commanding beams. “The idea was to make the kitchen look like it had evolved naturally and gracefully over time,” says Barbara.
Soften Formal Spaces
This living room has some polished decorating touches, like a velvet sofa and grasscloth wall, but the exposed beams inject a homespun materiality: a reminder that this is still a a country home at heart.
Layering Wood
Designers are increasingly layering different types of wood for richness, and a ceiling beam is another opportunity to mix in a different tone and species. The yellow hue of the beams is layered in with the grey tone of the table and mid-tone floor.
Cocooning Effect
In this cozy ski chalet‘s kitchen, alderwood beams are stained a smoky brown to match the custom cabinets exactly for a coordinated look.
Add Warmth To White Rooms
In the kitchen of this Magog, Quebec lakehouse, criss-crossing beams add to the simple rusticity and inject essential warmth.