The Fifth Wall

Don't forget to look up... 

In interiors schemes, the ceiling is often forgotten in favour of a 'statement wall.' Ceilings generally remain neutral and uncovered and provide a counterbalance for the rest of the space. Having said this, the continuing tendency towards maximalism has encouraged designers to re-evaluate the use of the fifth wall and view it as a canvas in and of itself.

Orange Feathered Wallpaper in a perfectly pretty design scheme

I suppose my eyes have been trained to look upwards over my years in Italy, where every church and palazzo ceiling boasted stunning architectural details or sprawling frescoes filled with symbolism. But for most, approaching the ceiling as an area to 'decorate' specifically still feels quite risqué.

As you know, I see conventional design practices as there to be challenged, and so, during my recent redecoration I decided to use my Khaki Fantasy wallpaper and cover an entire room in it.

This included continuing the wallpaper past where it would ordinarily stop. The result is that the space becomes an almost immersive interiors experience, with the subtle sheen of the mica non-woven wallpaper adding some dimensionality to an average-sized room. 

If this approach seems a little extreme for you, you may want to consider using wallpaper on the ceiling only - leaving the surrounding walls as block colours to allow for the print to breathe. Doing this adds character to any lower ceiling without being too overbearing or compromising the versatility of the rest of the scheme.

Character features such as arched doorways can also provide an unusual canvas for experimenting with colour. The combination of acidic brights with traditional details can be at once eclectic and utterly contemporary.

Pietra Verde wallpaper with dark grey doorframe details.

So, have we convinced you that the fifth wall is an often missed opportunity for an interior design statement? 

If so, you can browse our range of wallpapers here.