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Ceiling Designs for Restaurants

Puja Lalwani
Because there are so many wonderful ceiling design ideas, it is a little difficult to choose the one for your restaurant. Here are some of the popular ideas which you can select from.
Restaurants are the kind of places where you can easily go overboard with decorations, without looking silly or overbearing. This of course depends on the kind of restaurant, the age group it caters to, and how much scope there is in terms of budget. A theme can then be decided, based on which you can consider various ceiling designs for your restaurant.
Ceilings can be designed in a very versatile manner, and you can even have it as the focal point while keeping everything else simple. Put in all your effort in highlighting the ceiling by decorating it and placing appropriate lighting to create a wonderful mood in the restaurant.

How to Choose

You may either work on the basic ceiling that the restaurant has, or you may go about making use of false ceiling designs (made from plaster of Paris, gypsum, and/or wood) to create abstract shapes and patterns. You may find certain limitations if you are designing the basic ceiling, but there is a lot you can do to enhance it.
On the other hand, options with false ceiling are more, though if you are looking for simplicity, stick to the basic ceiling. If your space does not have too much height, you may want to stick to a simple textured ceiling design that can still be highlighted beautifully with different materials.
If you already have highlighting design elements in the rest of the decor of your restaurant, it is a good idea to keep the ceiling as simple as possible, as it might look gaudy otherwise. It might steal the focus and confuse diners about what actually should be appreciated.

Restaurant Ceiling Design Ideas

The 'No-Ceiling':

Some restaurants adopt the idea of having no ceiling at all. This simply means that while a false ceiling is out of the question, they also choose to expose the wiring for the lighting that is running along the length of the ceiling, along with the AC ducts.
For the purpose of lighting, they use hanging lamps that fall below all these wires and pipes. You may think that this kind of design has no purpose, but it actually looks quite aesthetic in a restaurant meant for youngsters or in a fast food joint. It is also a good option for karaoke bars.

From Up to Down:

A great idea is to have a decorating pattern on the ceiling that continues on to a wall below. This kind of design combines the space beautifully and provides a feeling of oneness. Choose from different designs, such as suspended panels or wooden beams that have been fixed across the ceiling in a crisscross fashion.
You can continue down in the same manner on a wall, which can then be highlighted with different pieces of art work. These ceiling beams can also be enhanced by using some hanging lamps at different levels to create a wonderful look.

Slopes and Curves:

You can try out different shapes, such as waves, by using false ceiling. Have them suspended at different levels, but in an ascending manner, and use indirect light to highlight the design. Use this as the only source of lighting in the restaurant. It will create a beautiful mood and people will definitely not want to leave too soon.
Similarly, if you have the height, you could also try a sloping ceiling. This does not have to be like a regular vaulted ceiling, but could be curved slopes at different levels. You can choose to paint it in pure white, with small lights embedded in it to create ambiance.

Cut it Out:

Another great idea includes having a ceiling that has cut-outs in different shapes. For instance, these could be random ellipses, stars, circles, or any other fathomable shape.
If not cut-out, they could be set in the false ceiling, and then highlighted with a different color or indirect lighting. A great choice for any kind of restaurant, this design can be as simple or as jazzy as you want it to be.
Improvise on these ideas to create some unique designs that will have your restaurant stand out among all others. Though the food matters a great deal, the popularity of a restaurant also depends on the kind of ambiance it can create for its diners.
Everyone should look forward to coming and spending time at your restaurant, just for the coziness or the liveliness it offers. Decide what mood you want to create and design accordingly.