# Room Too Small for Coffered Ceiling??



## vettefan77 (Sep 24, 2012)

Wife and I dug into our kitchen remodel recently, and cant decide on ceiling design. 

Kitchen is a 12' x 12', 8' walls, with an 8"W x 12"H soffit running the length of each side. We're keeping the soffit for task lighting, and to avoid some serious re-plumbing issues. So the ceiling already has some depth contrast, but now we're thinking of doing a coffered ceiling grid as well...tic-tac-toe style. 

Usually when we install a ceiling like this, our clients have huge rooms and 9'+ ceilings...but never a room this small. Curious to know if this will add space visually or take it away.

House has a small floor plan, so creating visual space is key...we just cant decide if this will increase the feel of space, or make it feel too busy. 

Any one have experience with this?? Thoughts appreciated.


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

I just did three small rooms for a beach shack down here that were about those dimensions. The customer wanted beadboard panels to cover the really atrocious drywall texture so I didn't use a full box coffer. Just a battens with a cove moulding along the edges. 

I used a four-square in one room and then three fields in the other two rooms, again this was to cover the panel seams. I think a nine-square pattern would have been too crowded.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

The smaller the pattern, the better, and paint scheme can make a big difference. Think about a shallow, not deep coffer.


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## Jdub2083 (Dec 18, 2011)

EthanB said:


> I just did three small rooms for a beach shack down here that were about those dimensions. *The customer wanted beadboard panels to cover the really atrocious drywall texture so I didn't use a full box coffer.* Just a battens with a cove moulding along the edges.
> 
> I used a four-square in one room and then three fields in the other two rooms, again this was to cover the panel seams. I think a nine-square pattern would have been too crowded.


This exactly what my wife and I have decided to do on a ceiling in a room I'm redoing in our house. I just tore into it yesterday, but we have been throwing ceiling ideas around for a while. I thought about just doing new drywall, but I think the beadboard ceiling will be a nice unique look.


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## iDAHOchris (Feb 11, 2012)

Can you just keep soffit on all the walls once around?, and then a crown at the top ceiling. I think a 12" soffit in the middle would be too low. Maybe 6" or 8"


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## TBFGhost (Oct 9, 2008)

Not a coffer...but...


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## TBFGhost (Oct 9, 2008)




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## ryanshull (Nov 1, 2012)

Any coffers at all will crowd a room with low ceilings, and cast shadows if not lighted correctly. A coffered ceiling needs to be planned before the lighting, etc. but, Crown moulding can give the illusion of the ceiling being higher.

How are the soffits only 8" wide? Are there not any upper cabinets? When you say the soffits run down each side, does that mean all four walls, 2 opposing walls? 2 perpindicular walls? 

IMO, if the soffits dont run on all four walls, build them on all four, and put crown moulding at the top, and do a texture that looks coherent with the rest of the house.


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## vettefan77 (Sep 24, 2012)

ryanshull said:


> Any coffers at all will crowd a room with low ceilings, and cast shadows if not lighted correctly. A coffered ceiling needs to be planned before the lighting, etc. but, Crown moulding can give the illusion of the ceiling being higher.
> 
> How are the soffits only 8" wide? Are there not any upper cabinets? When you say the soffits run down each side, does that mean all four walls, 2 opposing walls? 2 perpindicular walls?
> 
> IMO, if the soffits dont run on all four walls, build them on all four, and put crown moulding at the top, and do a texture that looks coherent with the rest of the house.


yes, the soffits are on each wall. cabinets attach to the underside. Our original plan was to do what you said - ignore the coffer, just do crown mold around the cabinet tops and the upper ceiling corners. 

that beadboard ceiling looks pretty sweet, anyone ever tried using the joist spaces to create the same illusion of a higher ceiling? There is a guest bedroom directly above though... :blink:


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## ryanshull (Nov 1, 2012)

As long as there isn't any wiring, plumbing etc., That sounds cool. Shadows may be even worse. Any idea what the joist spacing or depth is?


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

vettefan77 said:


> anyone ever tried using the joist spaces to create the same illusion of a higher ceiling? There is a guest bedroom directly above though... :blink:


Yes, you just tear out the sheetrock, sound deaden the floor above, put nailers on the joists for hanging new sheet rock and blocking with nailers as the cross pieces. Lots of little bits both for creating the structure and for sheetrocking. Getting a sheet rock ripping cutter to cut all those strips is worth while.

Personally, most ceiling joist layouts don't seem to adapt well to a good design. To avoid shadow issues, use shallow coffers.


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## ryanshull (Nov 1, 2012)

These are 20 x 20 and made of Styrofoam, about $4 a piece online. When painted they look pretty solid.


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