Ceiling design is sadly neglected in
most houses. The reason for this, I
suspect, is that most people design
houses as two-dimensional jigsaw
puzzles, which they simply extrude
into the third dimension. Thinking
of houses in 3-D from the outset will
always get you involved in ceilings.
Separating The Ceiling
In ordinary houses, the joint
between wall and ceiling is simply a
paint break, and one of the greatest
occasions for drama in architecture is
thrown away. The simplest way to
differentiate a ceiling from the walls
is with moldings. In fancy architecture
derived from Roman and Greek
precedents, the wall is subdivided
with pilasters, paneled, and topped
with crown molding. The ceiling
then becomes a separate element
resting atop the