A coffered ceiling is a stylish architectural feature. It consists of sets of three-dimensional sunken or recessed panels arranged in a pattern in the ceiling. The panels can have rectangle, square, or octagon grids. Craftsmanship plays a key role in creating the elegant appearance of this ceiling design, which can add period detail to a room. Although coffered ceilings can create the illusion of a higher ceiling, they can also make a standard eight-foot ceiling seem lower. They are sometimes confused with tray ceilings. A tray ceiling is one large sunken area or an inverted tray.
I sold a gorgeous English Tudor designed by Ray Keiffer with this feature. In the photo, you can see that the ceiling has a vaulted design. However, it’s important to note that many ceilings are flat, and not constructed with a vaulted design. If you have a coffered ceiling, remember that rebuilding in the event of a fire will be very costly. It would be best to verify with your insurance carrier that the cost to duplicate would be covered.
