• Home
  • About White Webb
  • Portfolio
    • Private Residences
    • Public Spaces
    • Current Projects
  • Books
    • Italy of My Dreams
    • Books by Others
  • Shop
  • Press
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

White Webb

Ceilings – Interior Design’s No-Man’s Land

Design Log

13 Apr

In today’s interiors, attention seems to be lavished on every possible detail, often without giving the ceiling a second thought. “Paint it white” seems to be the relentless mantra. But in looking at ceilings throughout history, astonishing attention was clearly paid to the space above our heads.

The ceiling above is currently being restored by Save Venice Inc., and is in the Sala Dell’Albergo, the “board room” of a prestigious brotherhood, the Scuola della Carità, a building now part of the famous Accademia Galleries on the Grand Canal in Venice. It is considered by many to be the most beautiful carved wooden ceiling in all of Venice, dating from the late 15th century.

Ceiling - Stanford White

The example above, on the other hand, was built 400 hundred years after the Venetian ceiling above, and is in Matthew’s apartment in New York. It crowns a room that is housed within a building by the great American architect Stanford White. Deep, elaborately carved coffers frame classical plaster panels for an effect that is elegantly sedate.

Ceiling_Hacienda
But lovely ceilings were not only created in the distant past. This example is in a client’s home in California. A superb example of 1930’s Spanish revival architecture, this coffered and painted ceiling is in the butler’s pantry of a sprawling California hacienda.


 

In the effort to fight against twenty-first century somnolent ceilings, we injected visual energy into the canopies of these two rooms. This garden room ceiling employs shallow but substantial mouldings for an over-scale fretwork effect. This treatment is set above a deep plaster coving painted in pale green. In the other room, we opted to paint the standard ceiling in our first Kips Bay Showhouse, a spring-like blush, adding a peachy glow to the space and all who enter.

Ceilings needn’t be the “No Man’s Land” of interior design. Instead they should crown a room, making the eye seek a higher plane, and the heart happy to be in such elevated surroundings.

Previous Post: « Saving Venice One Masterpiece at a Time
Next Post: Garden-Inspired Green Rooms »
Deliciously inviting, the Dunmore Pineapple House Deliciously inviting, the Dunmore Pineapple House in Scotland bloomed in 1761 and continues to be a treat to the eye.  Via: @cindygreenenyc  #whitewebbinteriors #entrywaydesign #welcomehome #entrance #modernentrance
#hudsonvalley #dutchesscounty #capitaldistrict #westernnewyork #hudsonvalleydesign  #hudsonvalleydesigner #newyorkinteriors #newyorkdesign #newyorkliving #moderninteriors #designerlife #moderndesign #homedecor #classicdesign #traditionaldecor #luxuryliving #luxuryinteriors #homedecoration #traditionaldesign
A whimsical journey for Meringue, the lamp with pe A whimsical journey for Meringue, the lamp with personality. Courtesy of @bureaubenjamin  #whitewebbinteriors #bedroomdesign #bedroomdecoration #bedroomdecor #modernbedroom #bedroominspiration #masterbedroom #cozybedroom #hudsonvalley #dutchesscounty #capitaldistrict #westernnewyork #hudsonvalleydesign #hudsonvalleydesigner #newyorkinteriors #newyorkdesign #newyorkliving #moderninteriors #designerlife #moderndesign #homedecor #classicdesign #traditionaldecor #luxuryliving #luxuryinteriors #homedecoration #traditionaldesign
Soft curves and soft color contribute to a serene Soft curves and soft color contribute to a serene setting in this house we designed in upstate New York.  Photo by @artgrayphoto  #whitewebbinteriors #livingroomdesign #livingroomdecoration #livingroominspiration #luxurylivingroom #livingroomgoals #hudsonvalley #dutchesscounty #capitaldistrict #westernnewyork #hudsonvalleydesign #hudsonvalleydesigner #newyorkinteriors #newyorkdesign #newyorkliving #moderninteriors #designerlife #moderndesign #homedecor #classicdesign #traditionaldecor #luxuryliving #luxuryinteriors #homedecoration #traditionaldesign
For a project in Woodstock, NY, we added to the li For a project in Woodstock, NY, we added to the living room’s artsy vibe with this unique, vintage coffee table. With its mix of textured metals and its mysterious, incised pattern, it is a true conversation starter.  Photo by @readmckendree.  #whitewebbinteriors #livingroomdesign #livingroomdecoration #livingroominspiration #luxurylivingroom #livingroomgoals #hudsonvalley #dutchesscounty #capitaldistrict #westernnewyork #hudsonvalleydesign #hudsonvalleydesigner #newyorkinteriors #newyorkdesign #newyorkliving #moderninteriors #designerlife #moderndesign #homedecor #classicdesign #traditionaldecor #luxuryliving #luxuryinteriors #homedecoration #traditionaldesign
Superb use of warming monochromes for this Tribeca Superb use of warming monochromes for this Tribeca apartment.  Design: @workshopapd for @archdigest
Photography: @readmckendree  #whitewebbinteriors #livingroomdesign #livingroomdecoration #livingroominspiration #luxurylivingroom #livingroomgoals #hudsonvalley #dutchesscounty #capitaldistrict #westernnewyork #hudsonvalleydesign #hudsonvalleydesigner #newyorkinteriors #newyorkdesign #newyorkliving #moderninteriors #designerlife #moderndesign #homedecor #classicdesign #traditionaldecor #luxuryliving #luxuryinteriors #homedecoration #traditionaldesign
Time has stopped - we are hypnotized by this piece Time has stopped - we are hypnotized by this piece from László Lukácsi, 'Twisted Time'.  'Twisted Time': @lukacsiglass  #whitewebbinteriors #hudsonvalley #dutchesscounty #capitaldistrict #westernnewyork #hudsonvalleydesign #hudsonvalleydesigner #newyorkinteriors #newyorkdesign #newyorkliving #moderninteriors #designerlife #moderndesign #homedecor #classicdesign #traditionaldecor #luxuryliving #luxuryinteriors #homedecoration #traditionaldesign
A quiet listening room with a resounding palette f A quiet listening room with a resounding palette for our clients in the Catskills.  Photo by @readmckendree  #whitewebbinteriors #livingroomdesign #livingroomdecoration #livingroominspiration #luxurylivingroom #livingroomgoals #hudsonvalley #dutchesscounty #capitaldistrict #westernnewyork #hudsonvalleydesign #hudsonvalleydesigner #newyorkinteriors #newyorkdesign #newyorkliving #moderninteriors #designerlife #moderndesign #homedecor #classicdesign #traditionaldecor #luxuryliving #luxuryinteriors #homedecoration #traditionaldesign
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2023 White Webb · About · Contact