First floor plan.

I will start... don't do it. It looks like it is trying to be one of those faux coffered ceiling treatments but looks like a window pane to me. I do not think it looks nice in the pic.
Again, my opinion.

I say don't do it.

agree -- my vote is no

I agree, it doesn't look "real", it looks tacked on.

I would not want it in my house.

I would NOT want that ceiling!

I wouldn't do it. However, I might divide the Breakfast & FR in the same way you did the LR & Foyer, and center a hutch opposite the Breakfast Rm windows with the Pantry split on each side of the hutch in some way (if it's not too late to change that).

Anne

No, looks tacked on and fake. (Ps I thought your title must send a shiver down the spine of any contractor/builder/architect here! I think I've asked my contractor the same thing!!)

Don't do it.

I vote no on the faux offered ceiling.

Tacked on tacky bits can't create architectural interest where there is none.

No architect or experienced designer would ever recommend such an applied, pasted-on treatment just using lumber flat against the gyp board ceiling.

If you want a ceiling treatment there's much better ways to make it look logical and well designed.

I would never do what's pictured.

Good luck with your project.

Looks like 2x4s nailed up to make a faux coffered ceiling. Not at all attractive.

If you want to define space in a long, open room, do it with rugs and furniture arrangement.

I don't like it and agree with the others that it looks fake.

nope

Ill agree with other posters that it does look 'tacked on', so I wouldn't do it. (Sorry!!!)

I feel like former music impresario Hesh Rabkin in the Sopranos when the volatile mobster Christopher asks him about the demo of the singer his moll is promoting.

Christopher Moltisanti: "So?"

Hesh Rabkin: "I think itâÂÂs, uh, not good."

Christopher Moltisanti: "Want to be a little more specific?"

Hesh Rabkin: "ThereâÂÂs good and thereâÂÂs not good. This is not good."

I don't like it either.

I would not be able to relax in a room with a ceiling like that. It is attention grabbing and anxiety producing, IMO. One would fear the boards falling on one's head.

B, love it! JK I agree its a bad move.

Agree with all the "dont's". I don't mind a good "faux" look, but this one fails. Also agree with eibren in that it gives the impression that it is about to fall at any moment.

It's awful.

No, don't do it....but I like your idea of trying something different to break up the space.

Since you have the dining room treatment, what about a more subtle, rustic version in the kitchen? Maybe just a few beams, two across and one to divide the space... like this? I did move the range up a foot or so to 'center' it on the wall, but no other changes :)

This post was edited by lavender_lass on Sat, Nov 8, 14 at 14:46

I like coiffered ceilings . . . but I don't like this one. As others have said, it looks like a cheap knock-off of the coiffered look, not the real thing. It's not deep enough, and it's off-centered.

I don't think you need anything special or fancy for this ceiling.
A ceiling treatment is something you could add later -- after you've lived in the house a bit to see how it "feels".
You already have a lot of "interest" in the fireplace and shelving. If you want to go with a detail on the ceiling, I'd say stay simple -- perhaps just simple beams, which could be white or wood tone.

Another "no."

luckyme,
No. Don't do that.
If you really want to do something different, unique to that room, PAINT the ceiling, you would be amazed at how good that would look, but I wouldn't do the wood pieces on the ceiling at all.
You can't go wrong with paint, if you hate it, you can always just paint back over it again, unlike hammering wooden pieces on your drywall on the ceiling, or worse yet, some kind of glue that you will never get off.

I don't care for it either.

I agree with what lazygarden said: "If you want to define space in a long, open room, do it with rugs and furniture arrangement."

Another resounding NO

I would have to go with another no, but only because the picture looks "awkward".. My wife and I went to look at model houses to get ideas for what we wanted in our house.. We found this in one of the models.. It is above the living room space.. Its a similar concept to your picture except the execution was better...

Another for no.

If you want the ceiling to feel/seem higher, put up a bit more crown moulding, paint the walls a bit of a darker color, the crown moulding white, and the ceiling a shade in between the wall color and moulding, tone-wise.

Beams should look like they are supporting the ceiling instead of hanging from it.

There's nothing wrong with 5" beams but they should relate to the rest of the space perhaps with larger perimeter ceiling beams supporting the smaller ones or a dropped ceiling around the perimeter.

As for square coffers, I would only use them in a very formal space and this space is not very formal.

This space might be OK with parallel 5" deep beams 4 ft or more apart terminating at larger beams, a dropped ceiling or walls.

If it's like the picture- no. Either do a full coffered ceiling from edge to edge, or not at all. The back of our house is one long room, and we put small walls (or large openings) to break up the space. The walls are about 20" wide, and there is a header at 8' tall. They will be cased with plain trim. They would be easy to tear out if we feel we don't want/like them.

Do not do it.

Renovator posted pic of much better option.

No. No, no and definitely do not to that to your house.

Nope

nope. Don't do it.

Nope

I agree with all here...Nope, don't do it!

My first reaction was a lip-curl. Not good.

Caben your design is beautiful. But I agree with all the others. Don't do anything like the pic you posted.

I don't think it looks good. If you're looking for other ideas about defining the space, consider the post above about a strategically placed beam (wood look?) with perhaps corresponding columns against the two walls. Perhaps a change in paint color?

To the OP, I think you have gotten your answer and I concurâ¦don't do it.

IF on the other hand, you want to do something like what Caben did, I'd do that in a minute.

Caben that is an excellent result. I love it. We're actually needing to do work on our ceiling that would require us covering it over with new wallboard and starting over which would lower it and we already have less than 8ft ceiling, so this idea might be something that will work for me. Thanks for posting, great job!

You could also do a ship lap....that's what we're planning on for our nine ft ceilings.

Caben's example looks good. The original example looks not good.

btw (and I just posted this in the Nov thread as well) we also have a false "beam" to separate living room from kitchen and provide a natural termination for the different ceiling treatment. It has no structural purpose (is not even actually a beam, fabricated from 2x4s and hung from the real ceiling framing which is flush).

In our case with 10' ceilings the "beam" is 12" tall, tall enough to receive our massive crown molding and show a little sheetrock. Softening the edge we use a custom tight radius bullnose on the sheetrock (actually use this on all outside corners in the house).

Caben that is beautiful. In our new build we are having a break between the two spaces like cab is doing. Our ceilings will have with beams and wood (flat) and painted, the other will be vaulted and stained wood. Here is a photo of how will define the two spaces. It is funny the ceiling is flat in the photo but appears angled.

This will be the layout for our kitchen. Also might do a wood beam for the header.

[Contemporary Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2103) by Austin Architects & Building Designers Cornerstone Architects

I am so curious who wanted it - you or your husband.... can you let us know LOL? What have you all decided to do? I do not even like the thinner coffered ceiling - it just looks busy to me. I do like a regular coffered ceiling though. What about some area rugs? Or a piece of furniture defining the space (I think some one suggested that).

Beams should look like they are supporting the ceiling instead of hanging from it.

Renovtor8 wins the Internet!

I don't like any of the shots with more than support beams being used because it makes the ceiling look like it is lower than it is. And distracts from the main part of the room.