by Jamie Fisher
In the never-ending quest to make
houses feel more spacious, the vaulted
or cathedral ceiling is a natural temptation.
After all, the space is already there,
so you might as well put it in a room
instead of in the attic, right?
There are certainly times when a
vaulted ceiling enhances a space. But
even when the considerable technical
difficulties can be overcome (see
"Venting Details for Cathedral
Ceilings," 12/96), the vaulted ceiling,
though a natural first impulse, is not
always the best solution. Sometimes the
floor plan is better served by a flat ceiling.
At other times, the space is best
enhanced by a sculpted ceiling plane
that is not a direct reflection of