Indian interior designers are directing the eye upwards more and more by turning the once-forgotten fifth wall into a canvas for bold design. From wallpapers and skylights to sculptural wooden installations, intricate carvings and textured surfaces, statement ceilings are moving beyond sprawling villas into urban apartments. “A low, detailed ceiling can make the space feel cocooned, while a dramatic sculptural installation can make it feel immersive,” says Sarah Sham, principal designer of Essajees Atelier in Mumbai. Sonakshi Gupta, founder and creative director of Delhi-based SIORAA, adds, “The ceiling has the power to make a low-heighted room feel massive, and a wide room feel cosy and inviting.”
Wallpaper is an accessible starting point in the pursuit of the trend. Three years ago, when statement ceilings were relatively uncommon, Gurugram-based wallpaper brand Life n Colors installed its first ceiling wallpaper in a residence. Demand has since grown enough for the brand to introduce a dedicated collection. “Ceiling wallpapers are different from the regular ones as they are viewed from all sides and need to be symmetrical,” says co-founder Ashutosh Pandey. Designers are pushing the idea beyond decorative finishes. For a young couple’s residence, Nishtha Duggal of Noida-based design studio The Concreate Story created a moody entrance alleyway with rugged walls and an arched wooden ceiling panel. “A white ceiling would have thrown the concept off, so we added an arched wooden panel for a cave-like feel,” she says. In another project, Duggal used an artificial skylight to mimic natural light in a dark area.
Lighting, of course, is integral to ceiling design. In a Kerala villa designed by Bengaluru-based Taliesyn, a lofty living room ceiling is accentuated by a massive plywood dome enveloping a black Murano glass chandelier. “Glass works well on ceilings, adding grandeur and making the space more sensory,” says Shalini Chandrashekar, principal architect and co-founder of Taliesyn. In one of the bedrooms of the villa, hand-painted natural motifs lend the ceiling an organic character. Ornamental ceilings have deep roots in Indian architecture, from the intricate carvings of havelis to the elaborate ceilings of palaces. At Temple Town in Kochi, Meera Pyarelal draws on this heritage. In a Bengaluru home, she designed a low-height wooden ceiling with carvings inspired by South Indian temple architecture. “The ceiling frames the seating arrangement and marks a transition from one space to the next,” she says. In the same home, a rust-coloured geometric grid with floral motifs gives the pooja room a distinct identity.
The growing appeal of neo-ceilings, however, calls for restraint. “Once a ceiling has made its statement, the rest of the space must stay composed around it so that the impact doesn’t erode,” Gupta says. As Indian interiors move beyond neutral walls and understated finishes, the ceiling is emerging as a canvas for colour, craftsmanship, texture and scale. The idea is not simply to look up, but also to give the room a reason to.