The ceiling in the interior plays a special role - it crowns the decor, unites the entire room and allows you to place the final accents. Modern technologies have expanded the capabilities of designers. Long gone are the days when things ended with whitewashing or painting. The era of stretch ceilings has come.
The possibilities of new finishing materials have turned the design of stretch ceilings into real creativity. Such ceilings transform the room, change its purpose, shape the space. For each room it has now become possible to choose its own unique design. Several types of stretch ceilings allow you to change even a small room beyond recognition.
Canvas material
For stretch ceilings, rolled canvases of various textures, widths and densities are produced. The material is distinguished:
Each of these materials has its own field of application. Cloth is preferable in the nursery, in the bedrooms. They are environmentally friendly even when printed. These are "breathing" ceilings. In texture, the canvases are similar to real fabric, so their surface does not glare. Their main advantage is their width, rolls are produced up to five meters, so a connecting seam is not needed. Fabric ceilings tolerate temperature drops perfectly. But it is more difficult to clean a fabric stretch ceiling, so it is not suitable for a kitchen.
The canvas made of polyvinyl chloride is durable and very convenient to use. Any background can be applied to it, the most complex drawing can be performed. Therefore, the scope of its application is so extensive.
Surface texture is very important.
The glossy surface will surely reflect not only interior items, but also lighting fixtures. Therefore, you should not use them in the bedroom, it is better to choose an option for the living room or kitchen from the photo. At the same time, it is taken into account that dark glossy ceilings reflect light better than light ones.
Matte canvases look great in the kitchen too. And they are also the best solution for an office or nursery - where additional glare-reflections will distract.
French subtleties
Designers love French canvas for stretch ceilings. Their distinctive feature is large width and small thickness. Therefore, such canvases do not "steal" the height of the room, and most rooms can be covered without a single seam. At the same time, the flood from the neighbors is not terrible for French canvases, they can withstand enormous pressure. In addition, they perfectly dampen sounds. And only the high price does not allow them to become leaders in this market.
Although the French canvas has a drawback. It is more sensitive to temperature extremes. Therefore, in a country house without regular heating, it is better not to use such ceilings. And the summer heat is above +35 ˚C, French sissies do not like it.
Attention when choosing
It remains only to remind you that you need to choose the canvas carefully so as not to acquire a low-grade fake, which is often dangerous to health. Before buying, they check the certificates; sellers or installation firms are obliged to provide these documents upon request. The canvas should not emit the smell of phenol after installation, the background should be even, the photo image is clear. To the touch, the PVC fabric should not have irregularities or creases, and the fabric one should resemble a soft silky fabric. Packages with fasteners must be with holograms, protective stickers and fully correspond to the selected canvas.
What kind of stretch ceilings will appear in the room - the choice is up to the owner and designer. Here are just a few examples of their use, ranging from installation in a studio apartment, photos with colorful solutions in the nursery, interesting applications in the living room and ending with futuristic proposals for halls.
Soaring stretch ceilings
This option is very popular. The effect of lightness, even takeoff, is achieved due to the correct lighting around the perimeter. LED strip highlights the edge of the canvas, visually raising it above the wall.
Most often these are two-level ceilings, framed by a light frame. The LED strip is placed between the film and the ceiling. It is placed in a special aluminum profile that enhances the light halo.
It has become a fashionable trend to install canvases with photo printing. This expands the finishing options almost limitlessly. Geometric shapes or abstraction perfectly "close" the interior on themselves, pushing the space apart.
There are very special stretch ceilings in the hall - this design is called "sail" - a photo of such a solution will decorate any catalog. Especially for the "sail", a PVC film with the inclusion of fiberglass was created. Since the film is left translucent, it becomes possible to create incredibly beautiful color and light solutions. Great solution for the living room.
Starry sky
Perhaps this option is the most famous and has been used for a long time. More often it can be found in cafes, in the halls of entertainment establishments, casinos. This effect is created through various techniques:
In the apartment, such ceilings allow you to do without chandeliers completely, therefore they are especially appropriate in the bedroom.
They create an amazing pacifying effect. And in large halls with the help of modern technologies, it is possible to set various scenarios for such a ceiling - from the movement of stars to falling meteorites. Fiberglass strands create the impression of a vibrant, shimmering sky.
Often the starry sky is combined with multi-tiered structures on the ceiling. Then the box with spotlights illuminates the active zone, and the space canvas is pulled over the recreation area.
Playing with texture
The design of stretch ceilings is carried out taking into account the texture. Canvases can be matched with marble, with relief, with imitation of leather or suede. The latter technique is relevant in a respectable office or study.
The ceiling with a metallic film looks unusual. There is a complete feeling that the surface is covered with chrome - this is an accent for a high-tech interior. Gold plating is used less often, it is too "heavy", but for zoning this is an excellent solution.
"Marble" ceilings are also not often seen in living quarters, they are more suitable for exhibition halls or art galleries. There, the texture of the stone looks very organic.
Print and mirror
In residential premises, a simple stretch ceiling with photo printing is preferable. Huge room for imagination, especially in children's rooms. You can imitate a forest edge, a flowering meadow, a jungle, a fairy kingdom, a stormy sea with sailboats flying along the waves, a mountain landscape, city lights ... Birds and butterflies look very gentle, especially with a 3D effect. The transition of wall decor to a stretch ceiling is considered a good technique - for example, an imitation of a dormer window with white clouds across the blue sky. An especially tricky trick is to use a fan between the ceiling and the canvas, which creates the illusion of movement.
Even a small kitchen can visually expand under a properly selected canvas. The design of the stretch ceiling in the kitchen is limited by its size, but judging by the photos from thematic sites, this is a surmountable obstacle. A minimalist kitchen will benefit under a stretch ceiling with a graphic print. Those who prefer the Provence style will most likely choose a photo printing of a blooming garden. Lovers of the East can decide on the image of sakura or bamboo grove. Landscapes, still lifes, scattered coffee beans are appropriate. The main thing is to choose a canvas that can be easily cleaned. Therefore, textured canvases or fabric stretch ceiling will not work.
If the stretch ceiling is planned in the corridor, they try not to use photos on the canvas.
A glossy, even mirrored ceiling is much more appropriate here, which will make the lighting more intense. The canvas of the mirrored ceiling feels very similar to a tightly inflated balloon with a perfectly smooth surface.
Special room - special ceiling
Most often in the bathroom they are limited to a stretch ceiling made of a monochromatic glossy canvas. In this case, it is considered correct to match the shades of the ceiling and floor tiles. But you can also play on contrasts, when snow-white tiles are reflected in a black mirrored stretch ceiling.
Particularly bold can be considered a technique with animalistic pictures. Fans of underwater flora and fauna will be happy to contemplate on the ceiling in the bathroom photos of swimming stingrays or sharks, images of frolicking dolphins or the colorful world of tropical reefs. The main thing here is not to overdo it with the size of the image.
Disadvantages of a stretch ceiling
Even for such modern materials, there are some limitations:
Despite the limitations, stretch fabrics are rapidly gaining popularity. The thing is that they make it possible to express your individuality through the design of stretch ceilings. Minimal effort - and the room becomes truly unique, the pride of the owner.