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auroraborelis

Advice on ceiling heights and ceiling design?

auroraborelis
11 years ago

We are about two months from breaking ground on our new home, and I��m suddenly feeling very anxious about every decision we have made thus far! This is probably completely normal, however I would love some feedback from all of you, and maybe a couple inspiration photos if you have any laying around that will help me see that it will all be okay.

The main issue is the ceiling height changes between the great room and our kitchen. Originally the plan was to have 10, ceiling in the kitchen and 12' in the great room, with either a tray ceiling or coffered ceiling in the great room going up to the kitchen so the kitchen would only be another 1, down from the lower part of the tray or coffered ceiling.

At some point along the way a room was added above the kitchen, and we asked the designer if this would change the ceiling height, and he assured us that it would not, it would still be 10'. Well, the plans were finished, finalized and sent off to the county for plan check, and somehow we never noticed that in the cross section he ceiling had been lowered to 9' to accommodate the room above. Our mistake for not noticing it earlier, his mistake for making the change without discussing it with us. However at this point it is what it is. I could insist that they change it to 10', but that may feel like too much in the kitchen as well.

So here are my questions:

- Does anyone have any images saved in your pinterest, houzz or other folders that can demonstrate to me how it will look to have the kitchen ceiling 'step down'. I just can't picture it.
- What would you do with the ceiling in the main room? Our style is contemporary to transitional. Crate and Barrel is probably the closest well known example I can come up with!
- Would you frame the end of the cabinets with a wall (as shown on the floor plan) or have the cabinet ends be open to the main room?
- Most of all, did anyone else start to panic about your floor plan choices during your build? :) Someone other than DH reassuring me that we made a good choice may help! :) ha

Inspiration:

This picture comes closest to what we are picturing, but it has the same ceiling height in both rooms.

Contemporary Family Room design by Atlanta Interior Designer Brian Watford ID

This post was edited by Laura12 on Sun, Nov 10, 13 at 11:57

Comments (16)

  • niteshadepromises
    11 years ago

    My kitchen ceiling steps down pretty noteably from an angled vault in my dining. Not exactly the same type of situation but I wouldn't panic. It will set the room apart some but on an open floor plan thats not necessarily a bad thing. If I can dig up my digital camera sometime today I could snap a quick shot, have to go shovel snow atm tho! :(

  • wishiwasinoz
    11 years ago

    I think you will be fine, too. I know the anxiety you are feeling. We signed off on everything about 30 minutes ago (gulp).

    We are doing 9'6" in our kitchen & the coffered ceiling in the family room will come down to 9'6" with a transition between the spaces.

    I don't think you will want to go higher than 9' in your kitchen.

    Sorry I am not more help!

    Your plan looks great & I'm excited for you! Deep breaths!

    Here is a link that might be useful: [Modern but gives you a sense of the difference in heigh[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-dining-room-contemporary-dining-room-new-york-phvw-vp~130535)

  • autumn.4
    11 years ago

    Laura - I think Downsy has that and recently posted a pic for someone. I'll see if I can find it!

    Edit: found it! It's about 1/2 way down.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Downsy Ceiling Height Transition

    This post was edited by Autumn.4 on Mon, Jan 28, 13 at 17:00

  • auroraborelis
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks everyone! I don't know why I am suddenly feeling sheer panic! :)

    I'm also stressing about the elevation, will it look loopsided that the height isn't over the front door?

    And I was pregnant when we designed the house and decided on split bedrooms, but now that I have a three month old I can't imagine him being all the way over there! ha. He will grow though, I have to remind myself of that.

    wishiwasinoz - that is a great photo! Thanks!

    Autumn.4 - I was following that thread thinking about my own concners (I got the above inspiration photo I posted from that thread) but I missed the final post by downsy, that really does help! Thanks so much.

    It also shows me that it may work best to frame the kitchen in a similar manner to the inspiration photo I had posted above. I had wanted to leave it open, but I think that will provide a better transition between the spaces.

    Hollysprings and Renovator8, if you stumble upon this I'd love your advice!

  • autumn.4
    11 years ago

    Laura-I have to laugh. When I was pg with #2 and we moved #1 out of the nursery to the bedroom directly next to it - literally 10 feet away from our bedroom door instead of directly across the hall I felt like he moved across the street, lol! I was feeling a bit anxious about it. Fast forward 7 years and all is well...they grow awfully fast.

  • auroraborelis
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Autum4, :) I'm laughing at myself as well. We have been planning this house for a year, and now that we are getting close to actually starting it I'm second guessing everything. 7 years from now I know I'll be happy they are on the other side of the house! :) (I say "they" but we only have the one 3 month old at the moment ;) I also love the little study alcove by the kids bedroom as well, and there willbe a skylight to light up that space as well.

    Our new house will also 3x the size of our current house so when I look at the plans the kids rooms seem so far away! :) ha

  • wishiwasinoz
    11 years ago

    I agree with Autumn! Both kids were way across the house when they were born. I nursed both exclusively (sometimes 2 times in a night). Many a night were spent half sleep-walking across the house. It does go by very fast, & though it may feel as if you will never get a good night's sleep ever again, I promise it will! You will be so glad the kids are on the same level as you. That is my biggest beef with the home we are building.

  • auroraborelis
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Up a flight of stairs in your house may be closer than across the width of mine! :)

    I know it will be okay, I think I just needed some reassurances.

    What do you think of the elevation? I never thought about it before, but now I'm wondering if the height which isn't centered over the doorway is making everything look off balance...

  • PRO
    Window Accents by Vanessa Downs
    11 years ago

    Thank you for finding that old post Autumn! I was going to look for it myself when I read the title of this current posting.

    My biggest concern with the transition between our family room & kitchen was having the ability to paint the 2 rooms different colors (if I ever decided I wanted to do that.) That's why we had the column added.

    All your feelings are normal Laura! You will 2nd guess almost every decision, but for the most part it will all come together nicely and you'll be happy with your home!

    In looking at your floor plan - I think it would be nice to do molding above your opening as in the Houzz photo you posted. (Not sure what type of molding you're doing around your windows and door frames, but that room opening would follow in the same style as the rest of your doors/windows. I wanted to do that on mine, but we had a corner smack dab next to the right of our opening and a light switch to work around so we decided against trimming it out.

    This post was edited by downsy on Mon, Jan 28, 13 at 19:10

  • wishiwasinoz
    11 years ago

    Downsy, your home is beautiful & the transition with the ceilings look great! That was really nice to see that visual!

    Laura, looking at the house on paper versus in real person is so different. We scrutinize our house all the time, but both GC & the architect tell us paper is nothing like it will be in person. Once the house is framed, it will look one way. Add the roof, then another way. Finally, add in the landscaping, & it will look another way.

    The only thing I really see that sticks out is the sizing of the windows on the left side of the house versus the right (those smaller windows for the closet, WC, & shower). I understand why you need smaller windows there, but the balance is thrown off with those three perfect larger windows on the garage. Again, that is something you can probably balance out with landscaping.

    What is going on the covered porch area? Rocking chairs or outdoor seating?

  • auroraborelis
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks! Should the part above the opening be at 9' or come down to 8' to match the height of the doorway next to it?

  • dinger5119
    10 years ago

    Hi I have been in the dry lining ceiling business for 40 years and I can tell you it will look great when finished.

    dinger

    Here is a link that might be useful: 1st4ceilings

  • Spottythecat
    10 years ago

    Ours drops down...I think maybe 2-3 feet...the white indented trim separates the rooms....my kitchen ceiling drops but then bumps up to accommodate the design in the photo...

    It looks fantastic...don't be worried!

  • nicolesmithweb
    10 years ago

    Our standard ceiling height throughout our house-to-be is 9', but my parents' new house has an 8' ceiling in the kitchen with cabinets all the way to to the top, which I like, but I thought a whole extra foot of cabinets would be a bit ridiculous, so I found this image on Pinterest, and this is what we're doing for our kitchen. Our standard ceiling will be 9', but in the kitchen we'll drop down to 8', and in the living room right next to it it'll go up to a 10' boxed ceiling because hubby didn't want a cathedral ceiling or whatever.

    I hope this helps!

  • illinigirl
    10 years ago

    In our open floor plan we'll have 9 foot ceilings in the kitchen and dining then a vaulted ceiling in the great room. On the plan it shows a raised plate before the vaulting starts.

  • jennybc
    10 years ago

    I too, have second guessed every decision. I was trying to figure out ceiling heights quite some time ago and read somewhere that anything over 8' (meaning 9+) feels open and spacious. 10' no more spacious feeling than 9' but it does carry a higher price tag. So I think the spacious feel will still be acheived at 9' vs10' plus you got extra space above. I think it will be great!
    Jen

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