Stretch two-level ceilings - features of selection and interaction with the interior

Among modern methods of finishing the ceiling surface, stretch two-level ceilings occupy a key place. They look unusually fresh and presentable both in photos in advertising brochures of installation organizations and in person, representing an extremely successful design solution for interiors that are completely different in nature. Meanwhile, in order to skillfully use all the advantages of a two-tier structure, it will not be superfluous to know what impact they have on the visual appearance of the premises - and how this happens in specific examples. We present you with extensive material that will certainly come in handy if you are eager to install two-level stretch ceilings - 100 photos with the best ideas and useful tips for integrating a complex ceiling structure into the interior.

1. All the benefits of use;
2. All disadvantages of use;
3. Installation features. Video;
4. Table of color and texture compatibility;
5. Interaction with light sources;
6. Use in various types of premises;
7. Conclusion.

Materials

The classification by materials is simple: it includes only four points:

• polystyrene foam is the cheapest, but also the lightest;
• drywall is the heaviest, requiring a frame;
• fabric - refers to stretch ceilings, but costs much more than others;
• film is also a stretch film, but differs significantly from fabric.

To choose from this short list, you will have to delve into the nuances and features.

Two-level foam ceilings

Polystyrene foam is not the most common material, because only impeccable taste and great skill can make it aesthetically pleasing. In most cases it looks cheap and you will have to try hard to avoid this problem.

But it has its advantages:

• Easy to attach. To secure a plasterboard ceiling, a complex structure of hollow metal pipes is required. To secure the tensioner, you need a team of workers with a heat gun.

And for polystyrene foam, a light hand in combination with universal glue is enough - even a person far from repairing can handle it.

• Light weight. There are no problems with polystyrene foam during transportation, even if you need to take it to the tenth floor and the elevator breaks down. Also, no calculations are required - the ceiling beam will withstand even the most complex structure made from it.
• Ease of processing. To form a beautiful two-level ceiling from plasterboard, you need either a lot of experience or a lot of time, plus tools.

Polystyrene foam can be cut with a simple stationery knife and sanded with fine sandpaper to obtain a similar result.

• Chemical resistance. Polystyrene foam can be painted, you can varnish the result, you can apply products that will make it shine metallic or look like stone - this will not harm it at all.
• Water resistance. Even if the climate is humid, the air is always saturated with water, this will not harm the foam - it cannot bubble, rot or mold.

• Soundproofing. Of course, the effect of drywall cannot be compared with the effect of foam plastic, but it will help somewhat muffle the noise from the neighbors above.
• Price and size. Perhaps the main advantage is that you can buy a lot of material for pennies and work with it, gaining experience. It helps that the material is produced in sheets of different sizes - it is not difficult to choose the right one among them.
• Easy to care for. It is enough to wipe the foam with a damp cloth from time to time to preserve its original color and brightness.

Of course, there are some drawbacks:

• Water resistance. This is a plus, but at the same time a minus. Polystyrene foam does not allow moisture to pass through at all, causing the humidity in the room to increase significantly.
• Flammability. The material burns, producing black, choking smoke. At the time of fire, the smoke in the room will increase.
• Fragility. Polystyrene foam, even treated, easily cracks and crumbles if sufficient force is applied. One hit and the surface will lose its appearance.

But the main disadvantage of polystyrene foam is not its stability, fragility or flammability, but the fact that it can only be given a decent appearance after long, difficult work. It needs to be shaped, glued, plastered, sanded, painted, varnished - only if everything was done carefully, the result will be worth it.

Use polystyrene foam if the creative process is more important to you than the effort and time spent. Then, after a certain number of unsuccessful attempts, the two-level ceiling in the living room will look good.

From plasterboard

Drywall is the most used material for making two-level ceilings. Compared to polystyrene foam, it is expensive, but relative to tension foam it is cheap. It has specific advantages that explain its popularity:

• Accounting for relief. If your living room is characterized by unevenness, complex communications, cracks, depressions, drywall will help hide all this more reliably than a suspended ceiling. It can be adapted so that it does not just cover imperfections, but takes into account their relief and at the same time looks good.
• Flexibility. The stretch ceiling is a flat canvas. Drywall is much more flexible, it can be crushed, pulled in all directions, made from it into complex structures, and adjusted to any design ideas.
• Fire resistance. The foam burns and smokes, and so do the tension surfaces. Drywall is completely resistant to flame, and in the event of a fire it will only become smoked.
• Environmental friendliness. Drywall during recycling does not harm the external environment in any way.
• Resistance to mechanical stress. If tension surfaces tear from one careless touch, and foam plastic crumbles, then drywall can easily withstand impacts.
• Easy to install lamps. Drywall is easy to drill and easy to lay into any shape. It is not difficult to integrate lamps into the process.
• Soundproofing. The material provides the best sound insulation performance among all.

But drywall also has disadvantages :

• Lack of water resistance. In the living room this is not so important, since there are no constant sources of water, but if the climate itself is characterized by high humidity, this may affect the service life.

With high humidity, the drywall will warp, appear in waves, stains, and may even rot.

• Lack of resistance to biological threats. A two-level ceiling on a frame can become a haven for the ubiquitous cockroaches, become moldy or suffer from fungus. You can, however, treat it with appropriate compounds.
• Relative complexity of finishing. To make a plasterboard ceiling look good, you will either have to hire experienced workers or spend a lot of time.
• Difficulty of care. Drywall suffers from moisture, so it can only be cleaned using dry methods.

For drywall, you must first prepare a frame of thin metal pipes using a drill and screws. Then you need to cut out the elements of the levels so that they are mounted on the frame, like pieces of a mosaic. Then you need to secure them, process the seams so that they are not visible.

The process is labor-intensive and requires investment.

A plasterboard ceiling makes sense if you want to try your hand at construction, or if the final result requires this complex material.

Film tensioners

There are three types of suspended ceilings and each of them has its own specifics.

The most famous is film . It is distinguished from the rest by its emphasized smoothness. The bright, mirror-like surface reflects everything that happens below.

This option has advantages:

• Aesthetics. Few finishes can compare with a perfectly flat stretch ceiling.
• Moisture resistant. The stretch film simply will not deteriorate if there is high humidity in the room. If your upstairs neighbors suddenly start flooding you, the water will stop and will not go further - of course, the film itself will be damaged, but the walls will remain unaffected.
• Price. Compared to other types, film is the cheapest.
• Relatively easy to install. It takes a skilled team of workers to stretch the film in a couple of days, while fabric will require some tinkering.
• Variety of colors. Any plastic-based material is distinguished by its brightness and color variability. The surface can be one-color, two-color, with patterns, you can even print a large photograph on it - the design can be anything, it is limited only by the imagination of the master.
• Easy to care for. It doesn't require anything more than foam - just run a wet cloth over it and it will regain the same shine as on the first day.

Dirt and dust do not settle on the film, and little debris remains after installation.

But there are also disadvantages:

• Lack of resistance to mechanical damage. A not too strong blow is enough - even just a touch with a sharp object - and the surface tears, leaving a ragged hole with jagged edges. It is difficult to remove it; again you will need to call in specialists with a heat gun.
• Lack of resistance to low temperatures. Of course, in the living room of a residential building the temperature is unlikely to drop to zero, but if this happens, the surface will crack and lose all its elegant appearance.
• Difficult to install. It is impossible to stretch the film alone, especially without experience and special equipment. You will definitely have to contact the construction team.

The film must be stretched before the furniture is delivered to the room. During installation, the temperature will rise, which may damage things.

If you don't want to waste time and effort, ordering film is the easiest way.

Tensioners made of fabric and satin

Fabric appeared on the market as an alternative to film relatively recently and has not yet gained such overwhelming popularity. They offer it in two versions - it is either a simple fabric with a texture similar to the texture of perfectly laid plaster, or matte satin, which has a specific shine and a chic look.

Apart from external signs, they have practically no differences and the advantages are the same:

• Resistance to mechanical damage. Of course, if you hit the fabric on purpose, it will tear. But an accidental blow is not dangerous for her, nor are sharp objects.
• Cold resistance. Even if one day the temperature drops, the fabric will not lose its qualities and will not look worse.
• Breathable surface. Fabric is the only material that allows the space above the ceiling to exchange air with the rest of the room. It does not retain moisture.
• Aesthetics. The fabric looks like perfectly smooth plaster, while satin looks like the same plaster, only matte, with a pleasant pearlescent sheen. It is beautiful.

But the fabric also has enough disadvantages:

• Price. The most expensive material for a two-level ceiling.
• Difficulties in installation. You won't need a heat gun, but you will need to line the entire perimeter of the room with baguette, and if something goes wrong, you will need to redo it.
• Difficulty of care. The fabric cannot be washed; it requires dry care. It is usually suggested to use a vacuum cleaner to remove dust.
• Lack of resistance to fire and biological problems. The fabric can become moldy, become covered with fungus, and can even burn in a fire.

But for some interiors, fabric is just what you need. It fits perfectly with classic design and looks good in a Japanese minimalist interior. Although it has a slightly smaller variety of colors than film, it can be a great solution for your living room.

It is advisable to use fabric if no other material is suitable for your design idea.

Pros and cons of suspended ceilings

To convince you of the advisability of choosing this particular type of finish, we will list all the advantages of this modern material:

• Relevance. As said, this is a modern finish and will appeal to people for whom it is important to be on trend. And this is precisely the newfangled trend, which today is on the rise in its popularity;
• Masking of irregularities and communications. The finished stretched PVC film has a perfectly flat surface, which looks very cool. But, it is located at a distance of approximately 5-10 cm from the load-bearing upper wall, and in this way it allows you to mask construction irregularities without making a lot of effort and, accordingly, costs. It also hides other communications such as pipes and electrical wiring;
• Zoning. Stretch ceilings, like plasterboard solutions, provide almost unlimited possibilities for creating different decorative zones. In this way, completely different shapes and transitions can be realized, creating a truly unique design;
• Visual increase in space. This is one of the key properties of two-level stretch ceilings, which visually expand the area of ​​the room, especially if you use glossy PVC film. It has a mirror effect, and reflection, as you know, is characterized by a visual expansion of space;
• Combination of shades and textures. Polyvinyl chloride film is sold in rolls of a wide variety of colors and textures, as well as with patterns, which makes it possible to determine the colors by touch when selecting different options. Agree, in this case it is better than imagining what the design of the room will look like when regular ceiling painting is used;
• Lighting design. Using suspended ceilings also opens up more opportunities for creating unique lighting. You can illuminate the ceiling from the inside, thus creating a stunning effect. A striking example is the very popular design in the form of a starry sky, but in fact there are a great many variations;
• Unique design. And this is the most important thing about stretch ceilings, because they differ from any other finishing methods, allowing you to create individuality and uniqueness in the interior design of an apartment or house.

To summarize the above, we can definitely say that finishing the ceiling with PVC canvas can be implemented in any room, be it a standard apartment or a country house. And now about the downsides: no matter how much we list the positive aspects of suspended ceilings, there is always a downside to the coin.

There are few shortcomings, but they exist and must be voiced:

• Reducing the ceiling height. You need to understand that when installing a suspension system, a gap is formed between the supporting part and the ceiling itself, plus take into account the height of the second level. If the room is very small, then even a few insignificant centimeters can significantly reduce the space. But you can use a glossy texture - this will make the room visually higher. In any case, this factor must be taken into account;
• Use caution. The film itself, if touched carelessly, can easily tear, so you need to remember this. Nothing can be done about this, only a complete replacement of the entire canvas. True, modern polyvinyl chloride can only be damaged by a sharp object; an accidental blow with a blunt end should not cause harm. The material stretches and can withstand even a decent amount of water if your neighbors on the top floor flood you and all the water begins to accumulate in a kind of bubble. This is even a plus, since it will prevent a flood; such cases actually happened;
• Price. The use of PVC film and additional peripherals for repairs is expensive if drywall is used together with it. But recently, an excellent solution to reduce costs is to choose exclusively one material - polyvinyl chloride fabric. After all, you can still create full-fledged two-level stretch ceilings;
• Installation. You can’t do it without the help of specialists. There is an opinion that an inexperienced person can make high-quality repairs - this is fundamentally wrong. Therefore, this disadvantage applies more to those who do not want to pay specialists for installation.

As we can see, almost any disadvantage is self-excluding under certain conditions. By showing a significant amount of ingenuity, you can solve any issue, but it is best to turn to good specialists to implement any whim at the highest professional level, for example, at https://potolkilider.ru. This is a guarantee that your idea will be quickly and efficiently brought to life.

Ceiling shape

Two-level structures can have a variety of shapes. This point mainly concerns the steps. From the point of view of the relative position of boundaries, there are two main groups: rectilinear and curvilinear.

Let's look at each type in more detail:

Straightforward.

The easiest way to organize a ceiling surface. Characterized by straight lines and clear contours. The method is used to organize a strict interior, where it is necessary to emphasize the seriousness, severity, thoroughness of the owner of the house, and his taste preferences.

Curvilinear.

A more complex option. When designing, use smooth, rounded, curved lines. This method allows you to realize different design ideas and create interesting shapes. With their help, they perform zoning of rooms in which it is impossible to install partitions.

Combined.

From a technical point of view, the most difficult type. By combining straight and curved lines, designers create any ideas. The use of lighting allows you to emphasize existing patterns, shapes, and textures.

Varieties

Each two-level fabric stretch ceiling (or film version of the model) can be included in one of three groups according to texture:

• glossy;
• matte;
• satin.

The gloss looks like this:

The glossy surface makes up about 85% of the entire ceiling

The matte ceiling looks like this:

Both levels are finished in matte beige fabric

Satin looks like this:

The peculiarity of the satin texture is the muted highlights created by the light falling on their surface

According to visualization, suspended ceilings of 2 levels are divided into the following interesting specimens:

• floating;
• protrusions – curved, straight, disks, other shapes;
• photo printing;
• starry or cloudy sky;
• thematic, etc.

Floating looks like this:

Floating ceilings create the illusion of distance from the walls due to lighting

Photo printing on stretch ceilings looks like this:

In 2-level stretch ceilings, photo printing is always some beautiful images

Stylistic direction

All existing interior design styles can be combined into three main groups: modern, classic, ethnic.

In any of them you can create a two-level system. The use of matte, glossy, mirror finishing materials, a combination of smooth and strict lines, and play with light will allow you to design the room in any direction.

For clarity, let’s look at several popular design options:

Classic.

Regular geometric shapes and symmetry are welcome. Several light sources are used on the ceiling; along with the central chandelier, spotlights are placed around the perimeter. Tension structures made of light-colored textiles will fit perfectly.

White, yellow, gold, beige colors are suitable, in some cases it is appropriate to use black.

Greek.

A good option for a home with high ceilings. You can use shades of the same color on different tiers. White, lemon, walnut, and cornflower blue backgrounds are welcome. There should be moderation in everything; a stucco ribbon will look great on the transition lines.

Rustic.

A mix of American country with Russian izba. Natural, natural materials are used here. A surface covered with clapboard made of natural wood will look great in this style.

Minimalism.

The lines on the ceiling are straight. The forms are strict. White color. You can use one chandelier in the center; often there are no lamps at all; they are placed on the walls. Painted plasterboard structures are suitable.

Lighting options

Thanks to the ability to create the most unusual ceiling shapes, you can create multi-level lighting that will highlight all the advantages of the room.

Most often you can find the following lighting sources:

• Chandelier. It acts as the main source of lighting and is located in the center of the ceiling. The glossy surface of the stretch ceiling will reflect the chandelier, causing it to visually double in size. This should be taken into account when purchasing massive lamps. Often the central source of lighting is additionally highlighted by the refined shape of the ceiling.

Stretch ceiling with an elegant chandelier Source blog.brigada174.ru

• LED Strip Light. Flexible material serves to illuminate the ceiling of an unusual shape. Geometric and wavy plasterboard figures glow mysteriously around the perimeter. Controllers are connected to the strip to help regulate the lighting intensity.

Ceiling in the bedroom, illuminated with LEDs Source topdom.ru/

• Spotlight. As a rule, such lighting sources are located around the perimeter of the room at an equal distance from each other. They are designed to create directional light in certain areas that lack light from a central chandelier.

Various lighting sources in the kitchen Source design-homes.ru

Application examples in different rooms

Thanks to the mounting features, two-level ceilings can be installed in small rooms. The soft, hard fabric will be attached just a few centimeters from the ceiling, which will allow installation with virtually no loss of room height.

The freedom to choose the type of canvas can only be limited by the sizes and models of lamps.

A wide variety of modern ceiling materials allows you to assemble a structure even in rooms whose area previously did not allow this.

In the living room

Typically, in a spacious room, two-level ceilings are used to zone the space. A low part of the ceiling is placed above the seating area with a sofa and TV. This could be near a wall or in the center of the living room. Working or dining areas indicate high areas.

This method of separation is suitable for large rooms; in other cases it is better to use furniture and partitions.

In living room interiors, curved plasterboard ceilings are often found. Smooth, illuminated lines create the impression of space dynamism and fluidity. This effect should be supported by the layout and color dynamics.

With the help of a two-level ceiling, you can change the geometry of the living room and create a certain mood in the common room.

In the kitchen

The tradition of decorating the ceiling in several levels was still in the royal dining chambers. The main advantage of such structures is the reliable masking of communications, irregularities, surface roughness, beams and wires running along the ceiling.

Using a two-level ceiling, the kitchen space is divided into a work area and a place for relaxation and eating.

The lowest part of the structure is located above the dining table. This makes it possible to use maximum lighting and decorate the surface with lighting fixtures of any type. The countertop, sink, stove and refrigerator are placed in an area without ceiling lighting. The lighting built into the set and hood will be sufficient for the work surfaces.

Ceiling structures in several tiers can be made straight or curly. Smooth lines, circles, ovals allow you to decorate a small kitchen with laconic lamps. Intermediate voids and bulges can be highlighted with color.

A combination of red and beige, sand and pistachio will look harmonious.

In the bedroom

In the recreation room, the two-tier ceiling plays a decorative role. It is the first thing that catches your eye when you wake up and the last one that leads you to sleep. Thanks to the design, you can use lighting of varying intensity, create beautiful relief and unimaginable lines. A beautiful chandelier is placed in the center on a large platform; LEDs can be placed around the perimeter.

Illumination with smooth, soft transitions creates a romantic mood.

Multi-level ceilings suppress noise well and allow you to avoid focusing on uneven surfaces. A mirror surface in several tiers, mounted on a metal frame, will look great in the bedroom. This technique visually expands the boundaries of the room, fills the bedroom with light, makes it voluminous and spacious.

Combined level ceilings look good in the bedroom. When choosing a design, the flight of imagination is unlimited. You can combine wood and drywall, textiles and PVC. Tiers of high ceilings can be decorated with stucco and a “starry sky” projection can be made.

In the hallway and corridor

In a room with a small area, finishing technology is much easier to master. The ceilings in the hallway can be literally transformed by making them into two tiers. You can combine drywall and PVC film. Such designs visually raise the ceilings and make it possible to install tall wardrobes without the risk of damaging the fabric.

The most common way to arrange a ceiling in two tiers is to construct a frame around the perimeter of the hallway, which descends a few centimeters below the main covering.

The original edging can be smooth, embossed, of any width and size. Side boxes are usually used for mounting lamps. Thus, the main fabric remains intact, without dents or punctures.

An interesting texture or pattern can be obtained by covering plasterboard structures with PVC film. All kinds of designs are applied to the elastic vinyl coating. It could be a copy of a famous painting, a mosaic, an imitation of a fresco.

A bold design move for the hallway is perforation. The top layer of multi-level material is visible through the holes of the bottom one.

In the children's room

The easiest way to decorate a ceiling in a nursery is to combine two colors. These can be shades of the same tone or a contrasting bright combination. The play area is highlighted with a brighter color, the relaxation area and the area above the work desk are decorated with a calm color.

One of the ceiling tiers in the children's room can be decorated with drawings.

When choosing a full-fledged picture, it is necessary to take into account the child’s age, interests, and preferences. For babies under one year old, an image of nature in muted pastel colors is suitable. Younger schoolchildren and preschoolers will look at the characters of their favorite cartoons with interest.

Multi-level ceilings in a nursery with an age-appropriate print should not be durable, as the child will grow up and lose interest in the picture. In a teenage room, the ceiling should match the overall style of the room.

All the benefits of using

If the stars light up, it means someone needs it. Likewise, tensioned two-level structures are successfully implemented in modern city apartments and private houses for the simple reason that they allow the owners to realize some design ideas due to their obvious advantages. Which ones?

1. modern style
   - for those who are accustomed to following trends, it is the factor of relevance of a particular decision that plays a key role;
2. effective camouflage of pipes and communications
   - nothing will spoil the appearance of the room, and if necessary, you can easily gain direct access to them;
3. unlimited zoning possibilities
   - this can be a division within a room into several both decorative and functional zones;
4. variety of lighting scenarios
   - additional levels of the ceiling structure can be used to place various lighting sources on them and create unusual lighting effects;
5. increasing the scale of the room
   - it is noted in the photo that suspended two-tier ceilings work great to visually increase the height of the room - but not in the case of very modest-sized rooms;
6. the potential uniqueness of each project
   - there are no limits when it comes to creating ceiling structures with several levels, which means that there is a real opportunity to uniquely customize your interior while costing a minimum of money spent;
7. a combination of different textures and shades
   - due to such stylistic synthesis, new forms of decorative design of the ceiling are realized.

Summarizing all of the above, we can say with confidence that two-level ceilings can be perfectly implemented both in the format of an ordinary city apartment with a small area, and in a spacious country house, where, as you know, square meters are not really counted - why? , when there are already plenty of them?

Texture

Polystyrene foam and drywall are simply matte and that’s all - at most, they can be painted in different colors or made similar to a wooden or stone surface using the appropriate color scheme. With stretch ceilings everything is much more interesting.

They can be:

• Smooth. A bright mirror surface of any color is the classic film ceiling that everyone is used to. It reflects everything that happens below, makes the room visually larger, expands the space and looks impressive.
• Regular matte fabric. The texture is similar to plaster and looks about the same. You can paint it, you can leave it as is. If left, it will make the room both larger and cozier - the matte texture is more pleasing to the eye.
• Matte satin. Satin is also white, but it is distinguished by a specific shine that looks especially impressive if you add some paint on top. A beautiful solution with a pearlescent tint will also visually enlarge the room.

• Artistic painting. It can only be done on fabric, and if you find a good professional artist, it will look like in a real art gallery. It could be a geometric pattern, it could be a floral pattern, or it could be a real painting - it is best to place it surrounded by a bright glossy surface.
• Photo printing. A variant of the artistic approach, but simpler than painting. It is usually made to order, it can be done either on a glossy surface - then it will be bright, colorful - or on a matte surface, then it will be muted. There are ready-made paintings that can be purchased without prior ordering.

The main thing is to choose well, since it will not suit every interior.

• Starry sky. Made using satin, small lamps are placed behind the ceiling to imitate the glow of stars. A very beautiful, cosmic solution that is suitable for a living room made in dark colors.
• Metallic shine. Suitable for high-tech style, done on film. It can be silver, steel, gold, bronze - the main thing is that it matches the main interior. Variety - mirror shine. It does not allow you to completely imitate a mirror, but it turns out somewhat similar.

You can always combine several textures instead of making a two-level ceiling monochromatic.

You can, for example, make a drawing using painting on a fabric insert in the middle, and cover the rest of the ceiling with a glossy film. Or imitate the surface of the sky using photo printing and make cloud inserts from plasterboard.

The main thing is in the process of coming up with a design to correlate your ideas with the technical capabilities, as well as with the rest of the interior of the room.

All the disadvantages of using

As much as we would like, everything has a downside - and often the facts discovered on it have much greater weight and significance. But not in the case of stretch ceilings in several levels - for this it is enough to look at even a few photos from catalogs. By and large, only the following points can be attributed to a small number of their disadvantages:

1. reducing the actual height of the ceiling
   - acquires any significance only if the room itself cannot boast of extra centimeters upward;
2. higher cost
   - an increase in the amount of consumables inevitably entails an increase in the price tag for the overall project, you have to put up with this or choose simpler and more affordable design options, there is no third option;
3. complicated installation
   is a fairly logical disadvantage, which actually matters only if you decide to install such ceilings yourself, but most often this work is entrusted to the shoulders of professionals, so this disadvantage can be considered quite dubious.

The significance of color

Color is a variable whose importance cannot be overestimated. Wrong, it can devalue perfectly selected materials with texture. There are three significant nuances when it comes to color.

The first is how harmonious the two different levels are:

• Monochromatic. One and the same color - it’s impossible to go wrong with this combination, but it’s the most boring. You can dilute it with a pattern, design or carefully selected lamps, but in itself it is unpretentious, perfect for those living rooms where the ceiling should not attract attention as much as possible.
• Shades. One level is a bright, saturated color, the other is either lighter or darker, but a shade of the same color. It’s also difficult to make a mistake here, and the combination looks more interesting than monotony. In addition, it can fit perfectly into the interior, supporting the basic color scheme.
• Contrast. The brightest, most attractive combination is one in which the colors are opposite to each other. Black and white, orange and purple, yellow and blue—you can see what contrasts there are by looking at any color chart. This combination gives tension, attracts attention, and adds zest to the interior. But it is only appropriate where there are no other highlights.

Contrast will not take root in those interiors where there is something to look at even without it.

From the combination of colors, you can separately take out ceilings with patterns and designs. As far as they are concerned, the main task of the rest of the surface is not to attract too much attention, to fall into the main tone. Light pastel colors or dark, lacking brightness are best suited.

It is important that they are combined with the picture as a whole.

The second important nuance is how harmonious the ceiling is with the rest of the interior. to decorate the same room in different ways

• Light top and light bottom. They make the room visually narrower, elongated in height. This is true for low ceilings in a small living room - at the same time it seems taller and more spacious.
• Light top with dark everything else. It only makes the room taller. The feeling of spaciousness does not increase, it only seems that the ceiling is not so low.
• Dark top and dark bottom. They make the room lower and visually expand it. Good for small rooms with too high ceilings, which in their original form resemble a pencil case.
• Dark top and light everything else. Makes the ceilings lower, but does not expand the space. Well suited for a high spacious room, which because of this seems too big and noisy.

These are the most common combinations. An idea is often used in which the top, bottom, and walls remain the same shade - as a rule, the most unpretentious, white, pastel, light cold - and the only bright spot becomes a painting, photo print or plasterboard element of a different color.

In such an interior, all attention is focused on a bright spot.

This allows you to hide the imperfections of the room without hiding them, which remains an elegant way out.

The third important nuance is the color scheme of the levels itself:

• Light pastel colors. They are neutral, allow you to emphasize any part of the room, and are considered beneficial for the psyche and calming.
• Light cool tones. Blue, light green, light yellow of a certain shade. They visually expand the room and even make it look brighter. Fits well with classic style.
• Light warm colors. They make the rooms more comfortable, but a little smaller. Peach, warm shades of pink, yellow - they combine nicely with small elements of dark colors in the interior.
• Dark cool tones. They visually enlarge the room, but make it somewhat uncomfortable. Such a ceiling will put pressure on the shoulders, unless its height is too high in itself.
• Dark warm tones. Variations of brown, shades of red, and orange make the room smaller and more comfortable. Pairs well with small accents of bright colors and lighter tones.

It is not recommended to make a purely black ceiling - the color negatively affects your well-being if you do not include it in the interior, thoughtfully diluting it with bright accents.

make it pure white . It will get dirty quickly, but at the same time it will expand the room.

Selecting photo printing for the ceiling

If you want to radically change the interior of the room, then ceilings with photo printing are suitable for you.

You can select a picture for a photograph of the ceiling in a photo gallery on the Internet or from a designer. And your room will appear in an unusual, memorable style.

Ceilings with photo printing are not just a drawing on the canvas, but it is applied so deep into the canvas that it does not fade or wear off.

What style will the two-level ceiling be made in?

The choice of the scheme and design of the ceiling surface cladding is directly tied to the functions or purpose of a particular room. To avoid confusion and make mistakes, you can use several standard solutions:

1. The simplest box style, the upper tier of a two-level ceiling occupies almost all the free space of the ceiling. The lower tier is made in the form of an edging or niche located around the perimeter. This arrangement is sometimes called standard or breech and is used in auxiliary rooms and premises;
2. The second option involves arranging an arbitrary set of geometric shapes and curved surfaces in the central part of the ceiling. This style is used for large spaces, living rooms and halls.
3. The main emphasis of the design of two-tier ceilings is to achieve maximum comfort. Some masters call it “light breathing”; the arrangement of levels and tiers is arbitrary, but light colors, soft lighting are always used, and there are no massive details overhead. The style is mainly for bedrooms and children's rooms.

Of course, the shape and size of two-level ceilings are selected based on the capabilities of the room itself and its interior. At the same time, half of the design is devoted to the successful placement of the lighting of the upper tier and auxiliary lamps installed on the second level.

But these moments depend entirely on the nature and purpose of the room.

Interaction with light sources

With the advent of a large number of additional lighting

Designers have an excellent opportunity to directly influence the atmosphere in the room, and suspended two-tier ceilings came in handy here.
As a rule, one of the levels is located along the perimeter or along one of the walls and takes an active part in the zoning of the room
through the placement of spotlights or LED lights. These light sources belong to the category of additional ones and, in addition to performing a direct practical function, help to achieve an artistic division of a single living space into several functional zones.

Let's see how all this happens in reality.

What light sources are actively used?

• spots
  - spotlights, which are often called recessed, have the ability to illuminate a space within a radius of a maximum of 2 meters and therefore are most often used in a bunch of 4-6 pieces, placed sequentially or in random order;
• LED strips
  - LED strips that stretch along the perimeter or along one of the walls and perfectly illuminate the space, are the basic element of the so-called hidden lighting;
• chandeliers
  - a classic version of the main lighting, most often its central element; in the case of two-level ceilings, it is placed mainly on the PVC sheet itself;
• lampshades
  - there are a large number of variations - and each of them can play its role in a simulated lighting scenario; they can be placed both on the plasterboard part and directly on the tension fabric.

It should be noted that quite often LEDs

are located on the upper level in such a way as to highlight certain areas, thereby helping to achieve a voluminous and beautiful display of the pattern printed on the canvas. The most common options:

• starry sky;
• specific constellations;
• solar dawn;
• space theme;
• geographic Maps.

Combination of textures of two-level ceilings

Using materials with different levels of gloss or texture is a great way to improve or complement a standard solution, or come up with your own combination.

Typically, the central part of a two-tier ceiling is filled with glossy or satin fabric.

This will ensure proper distribution of lighting and at the same time visually increase the height of the ceilings in the room. A similar combination of gloss and matte texture can be very successful for a two-level ceiling in the kitchen, photo.

For the lower level, glossy films are practically not used; this part, at best, has a satin or matte sheen.

How to choose colors. Combination table

When choosing the color of the ceiling, it is necessary to take into account the light perception of residents and the type of room.

The ceiling in the overall design of the room should be harmonious and then the room will be cozy.

To make the ceiling harmonize with the overall design of the room, you can use the color combination table:

Illumination elements for a two-level ceiling

The lighting and illumination scheme for two-tier structures is divided into two large groups:

1. The first group is ceiling lights placed in a niche to illuminate the upper tier, usually LED strips or built-in tubular lamps;
2. The second group, as a rule, directly performs the functions of indoor lighting devices. Usually these are built-in spotlights or directional lights, mounted in the plane of the lower level.

Of course, chandeliers, pendant lamps, and wall sconces can be added to the lighting systems. Of the entire list, the last ones are considered the most difficult to choose. With the help of an incorrectly installed wall lantern, you can not only “break” the design of the room, but also completely neutralize all ideas in the interior of the room.

Therefore, they are always selected with special care and installed on the walls as a last resort, only in cases of extreme necessity.

Installation features. Video

Above we noticed that the installation

two-level tension fabrics are slightly more complicated - due to the need to construct
a metal frame
, which will serve as a supporting structure for the second level. If you analyze the entire installation algorithm point by point, then there is nothing complicated about it:

1. first, a general plan is drawn up - you must decide how the lower level will be designed;
   then it is necessary to take the required measurements and prepare profiles for constructing a metal frame;
2. after the frame is ready, all that remains is to cover it with plasterboard;
3. at your request, you subject the drywall to finishing - so that it fits into the interior as successfully as possible;
4. stretch the polyvinyl chloride film using a heat gun according to the standard method, which has already been described more than once both online and on our website.

Here is a detailed video instruction that allows you to visualize all this

Beautiful examples of two-level ceilings

It is clear that coming up with a professionally competent and balanced design for ceiling decoration from scratch is incredibly difficult; this requires experience, the ability to work with graphics, colors and lighting.

Therefore, it is easier to use as an initial level those solutions that have already been implemented in practice.

Two-level ceilings in the hall: photo ideas