What Is a Tray Ceiling?

Design

• A tray ceiling has features similar to a soffit design. Soffits are box-shaped bulkheads that are used to mask ductwork in the ceiling. The difference is that tray ceilings usually are not used for ductwork and instead of the soffit lowering the periphery ceiling, with a tray ceiling the periphery ceiling is the standard ceiling height for the rest of the house and the central area gives added height. The soffit and the tray are often built in similar ways.

Volume

• Builders are always trying to make a house feel larger and more opulent without adding extra square footage on the floor. Vaulted and tray ceilings are a fairly simple way to add volume to a room. A taller ceilings makes a room feel more expansive. People are often surprised when they furnish a tall room and discover that the actual size of the room is smaller than they initially thought.

Drama

• A tray ceiling can be trimmed with two-level crown moldings. Above one of the crown moldings a rope light can be installed that is placed on a dimmer switch. This allows the homeowner to further enhance the ceiling feature by producing a soft, glowing light that illuminates the tray. This type of feature draws the eye upward and reinforces the illusion that the room is larger.

Paint

• Interior decorators will often paint the recessed tray a different color than the rest of the ceiling and walls in the room. In some cases they will apply real gold leaf over the tray and angled side walls after painting those areas red. This gives the recessed ceiling a golden dome-like effect. By adding tray lights the recessed area will glow with a warm burnished gold effect. They will also place a chandelier to further transform the light into something spectacular. Any change of color in the tray will usually enhance the design and add value and depth to the decor.