Heads up!

While decorating a house, one often forgets about the fifth wall - the ceiling. Even though a simple white ceiling looks perfect, there are many ways to decorate it to enhance the look and feel of any living space.

Sumessh Menon, Director of a well-known interior designing firm, shares some tips on decorating ceilings using stencils and other relevant techniques to liven up a place.

 The simplest way to decorate a ceiling is by painting it. One can add a different colour or texture. If the colour of the walls is light, then darker paint with a contrasting colour or vice-versa should do the magic. In case the room is small in size, painting the ceilings in the same colour as the walls or one shade lighter would create an illusion to give the room a visually wider look. One can always add a touch of luxury with lightings such as traditional chandeliers or modern light fixtures.

Stencils work well on smooth ceilings. It acts as an ingredient, which adds an individual touch to every space. The stencil art helps a room get a bespoke look with a sense of luxury.

A painted stencil is a great way to renovate any space with a  decorative element. Appointing a professional is an option, but it's also a good ‘Do It Yourself’ (DIY) project for someone with a good eye and a steady hand.

The only limitation is the gravity working against you. A varied range of stencils has recently gained enormous popularity amongst millennials. For instance: Ethnic designs give a distinct appeal to your room because of the warmth. Whereas, geometric shapes can add a lot of fun to your room

Nature Inspired works can give a natural look to your room. An enchanted forest theme is popular for kids rooms.

However, one can mix different themes according to their taste to add more vibrancy to the place. Border stencils help you accentuate the edges and borders of your wall.

 Do you wish to create a design in your home which is rich as well as elegant? Do traditional and artistic designs appeal to you? Well, if yes then you should try to use fresco designs in your home. Fresco art is nothing but wet plaster boasting different designs in varied colour pigments fixed permanently on the walls or ceiling of a room. Any sort of design can be done on the plaster. However, the traditional designs are floral prints and landscapes.

Another way to add a chic touch is to use woven bamboo mats. Also known as chattai in India these are easy to procure and can be used in a variety of ways to decorate the ceiling and to create a traditional or fun island vibe.

If there's a chance to change the shape of the ceiling, one can go in for vaulted ceiling or a tunnel kind of look that adds an extra dimension to the height.