Creating dazzling ceiling details is a piece of cake with post and beam homes! Gone are the days of popcorn ceilings, textured paint or worse, suspended metal frame ceilings. Here are five simple post and beam home ideas to add extraordinary and eye-catching characteristics to any ceiling.
Vaulted Post and Beam
High ceilings allow natural light to brighten a room while adding a sense of grandeur to the space. The vaulted post and beam frame is a dramatic architectural feature sure to impress.

The Cabot Barn home vaulted ceiling.
Beams
Non-vaulted ceilings with exposed post and beam portray an immediate and powerful architectural element. Stain the wood for a beautiful finish or apply a color to complement the room’s overall styling.

Cove Hollow breakfast room with beamed ceiling.
Coffered Post and Beam
For a larger, formal room (especially one with high ceilings), a coffered ceiling can elevate the elegance. With a simple grid, the stained post and beam frame automatically draws the eye upward. The exposed beams create added dimension and the illusion of spaciousness within a room.

East Hampton lower level coffered ceiling.
Recessed
Recessed ceilings, also known as tray ceilings, are an effective way to visually break up interiors to emphasize the impressive height of a room or create the illusion of height. They are a way to add dimension and height to a lower level space. Strategically chosen lighting within a recessed post and beam space can strongly accentuate and enrich a room.

Tate Barn home master bath tray ceiling.
Paint w/ Post and Beam
Paired with any of these dramatic design ideas, paint is a powerful way to add contrast. A bold shade adds visual punch while softer tones subtly highlight areas and add depth.

Barn house addition with dramatic use of paint.