Stretch ceilings are an amazing ceiling style that lets you play with color, light and transparency in the most unexpected location. These innovative ceilings are constructed around a timber and aluminum framework that is installed in the ceiling cavity upfront. This must include any lighting or speakers that are going to be incorporated into the design so they too can be supported from above. The material that makes up the ceiling itself is a 0,2mm fabric that is PVC-based. What makes this material amazing is that it is fully recyclable, permeable, maintenance-free, and hygienic even when they are installed in moist settings like kitchens or bathrooms. The fabric also comes in any finish, color, or pattern you like to suit whatever room it’s found in. When it is being installed the fabric is clipped into place on the outer perimeter edges and then it is warmed gently to make it more flexible before it is stretched and anchored to the whole frame to cover the ceiling.
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53 Soaring Stretching Ceilings with Incredible Lighting
These ceilings can be installed in layers with frames around them or as recessed stretched panels, which provides the perfect setting for incorporating lighting into your ceiling design. Now I don’t just mean little spotlight or pendant lights that hang from the ceiling itself, I mean actual LED strip lights that are built into the ceiling itself to make your room that little more special. LED lights are perfect for this fabric-based ceiling because they produce very little heat and therefore aren’t a safety hazard. They also give you the freedom to choose any light color and configuration as well as lasting a really long time so you won’t need to battle with a ladder to replace your lights on a regular basis.
So if you want to dive into the wondrous world of stretched ceilings and their potential here are:
1. Space Inspired Stretch Ceiling
Lit from behind to highlight the design this stunning stretched ceiling panel is made from a translucent material with a stunning teal and blue outer space design printed across it. This strip of intergalactic art is flanked by lines of round spotlights that work with the lights in the recess behind the fabric and light the futuristic space in an ethereal glow. This ceiling is a stunning piece of functional décor that adds bright color into a neutral space.
2. Elegantly Lit Stretched Wall and Ceiling
In this elegant and glamorous bedroom, the same stretched application has been used on both the wall and the ceiling for a cohesive look. The recessed portion behind the bed is a stretched wallpaper pattern surrounded by a chunky white frame that houses a strip of LEDs that bathe the bed in soft light. The recessed stretch ceiling on the other hand is rendered in a high shine material to reflect the light. The ceiling is contained within matte surrounds that match the wall treatment and contrasts against the glossy finish.
3. Amorphous Galaxy Ceiling
In this weird and busy room, the ceiling is just the cherry on top, sealing together this bizarre design. The framework of the ceiling features a recessed amorphous stretched ceiling revealing a galaxy pattern beyond. Lighting runs all the way around the undulating perimeter to light it up and make the fabric glow. The white ceiling portion is dotted with circular LEDs that mimic stars to add to the beautiful galaxy pattern.
4. Moody Glowing Billiards Room
This darkroom with black billiards table and a series of hanging pendant lamps are all about that dark academia drama. To enhance this feeling a black stretched ceiling has been suspended between thick white cornering that appears to glow. Strips of LEDs around the perimeter make the edges of the room glow in an otherworldly green glow. Due to the dark color scheme, the light is swallowed up by the black so it glows rather than reflects it, which makes the room feel spooky and atmospheric.
5. Stretched Ceiling to Divide a Large Room
This immense living space has used two simple rectangles of stretched ceilings lit by strips of LED lights to divide the space up visually without interrupting the lighting and open plan design. The framework and the recessed stretched portions are both in a matte finish, which makes the LEDs emit a bright light that glows at its edges. The walkway spaces have solid ceilings with a row of small dotted lights that lead you down through the space.
6. Glossy Luxury Ceiling
In this glamorous room, LEDs run along the edge of the waving stretched ceiling that plays the expected shapes and finish of this everyday item. The stretched portion is in a glossy finish with a matte finish next to it dotted with round spotlights around the edge to amplify the stretched portion. The finish reflects the opulent black glass chandelier and distorts its beautiful shape to add a layer of stunning pattern to the scene above the head.
7. Ivory Blocks of Light
In this contemporary living room stretch ceilings have been used, yet again, to separate a large space into smaller gathering spaces. This is a really modern and smart way to leave your large spaces feeling open but not shambling and cavernous. The rectangular stretched ceiling is surrounded by glowing stripes in a translucent material lit with LEDs with the channels that separate the spaces above the head.
8. The Structure Beneath
Here we see the curved aluminum base for a stretched ceiling. The metal framework is what anchors the fabric in place with space for a recessed section and some stretched lower pieces to create a layered design. The frame incorporates spotlights into the design itself prestretching. The bonus of this style is that all the wiring is hidden by the fabric of the stretched ceiling, keeping that space looking nice and neat.
9. Waves and Checkerboard
This stunning modern office design has a basic layout but with a real statement ceiling. The central portion of the ceiling is a checkerboard of slightly curved squares in white and olive all hung in separate stretched panels. The panels that run beside these are suspended white waves that leave the black ceiling above exposed with hanging strips of LEDs hanging between them to make this office feel modern and cutting edge.
10. Abstract Swirling Stretched Ceiling
For out-of-this-world ceiling strips of cool LEDs run along the edge of the box that appears as if it has been sculpted into swirling shapes. The circular area that anchors the luxurious chandelier dripping in crystals is glossy and surrounded by a matte recessed area that makes the lighting glow around the strange shape in the most effective way.
11. Futuristic Bathroom Design
This glossy bathroom ceiling ties in with a strip of LEDs hidden in a recess beside the stone-faced walls that create this weird glowing futuristic look throughout the space. The ceiling surface itself is in a super polished finish that reflects the unusual bathroom fitting and the lights hidden on one side while also contrasting with the textured wall. A stretch ceiling is a great choice for a bathroom because it handles moisture with ease without worrying about hygiene or water damage. The strips of LEDs hidden in the ceiling cast a cool light into the room that makes the modern space glow in a futuristic way.
12. Gently Glowing Bedroom Ceiling
This glamorous bedroom has used a deeply recessed stretch to hover over the luxurious raised bed to light it in soft romantic light. Very warm strips of LED lights have been built into the recess to enhance that cozy feeling. The all-white matte interior helps this effect even further by reflecting the light and letting it glow gently. This whole space uses one soaring stretch ceiling to set the mood in a way that you’ve probably never considered before.
13. Future on the Ceiling, Past on the Floor
This incredible ceiling has been artfully used to create juxtapositions between the old and the new to create a lounge that is comfortable yet modern. The lounge below is quintessentially old school with a leather lounger, wood-paneled walls, and a deerskin rug on wooden flooring, very rustic and traditional. The ceiling above, however, is pure white with a layered futuristic design that uses white panels in different opacities to play with the effect of light on space. This combination is visually beautiful and a fun way to decorate while remaining sophisticated.
14. Vivid Blue Cinema Ceiling
This immensely luxurious home cinema clearly proves that you can create a really exciting cinema experience at home just using lighting. Above the tiered leather chairs, a square recessed ceiling has been stretched across and lit all the way around with bright blue lights that make the pale ceiling glow blue. This casts the whole room in an ethereal luminance that builds your anticipation and makes you forget that you’re just in somebody’s home. The LEDs used around the rim are ideal because they come in many colors and they are dimmable so you can adjust them when the show starts.
15. Contemporary Patterned Stretched Ceiling
This modern void of a room is completely white interrupted only by the grey curtains and the grey exposed ceiling hidden by the stretched ceiling that spans across it. The whole ceiling is stretched from corner to corner in a glossy white expanse so the lighting has been encompassed in a rectangular frame of frosted glass so it softly filters into the room. Inside the rectangle is the main feature in the form of a modern sculpture created by circular punctures of varied sizes that adorn the ceiling at its center, decorating the room in a unique way.
16. Night Sky Home Cinema Ceiling
Here we have another luxurious home cinema that has used a stretch ceiling to create a magical home cinema experience. This has artfully used a chunky beveled edge to the stretched ceiling with a rectangular expanse speckled with little lights that imitate stars. A series of blue-tinted LED strips have been run along the seams of the ceiling of varying brightness to make the ceiling look fantastical while lighting the room well when the movie starts. The whole effect is very whimsical and special to suit the unique room.
17. Inviting in the Summer Sky
With this outstanding stretch ceiling no matter what the weather is outside, for you, the sun will always be shining. One huge stretched panel spans flush with the kitchen ceiling across the entirety of the dining room and living space lit gently by LEDs underneath the sheet of the ceiling. This is a dramatic colorful feature that accents the minimal space with a limited color palette.
18. Elegant Lounge Ceiling with Lighting
This huge open-plan living space has hemmed the lounge area in using a recessed, rectangular stretched ceiling. Strips of LEDs in a warm shade around the whole edge light the white ceiling with two rows of spotlights built into the stretched surface to bathe the space in a comforting warm light. The layered ceiling echoes the layered design of the lounge beneath it that features a patchwork of colors, shapes, and patterns based around a gently curving leather couch.
19. Complex Geometric Shapes
Using three-dimensional panels and light, this ceiling has become both sculpture and lighting at the same time. This stretched ceiling has taken two forms, recessed and extruded in white and grey respectively. Bright white strips of LED lights have been fitted under the extruded grey shapes to reflect onto the white ceiling while the deep grey panels contrast dramatically against the white light. This would fit perfectly in a modern home for an owner that really wants to push the boundaries.
20. Simple Rectangular Stretched Ceiling
In an open-plan living space, this dining room has been designated using a simple rectangular stretched ceiling. The space is minimal with a grey and white color palette punctuated by three purple pendant lights hanging from the stretched ceiling. The pure white ceiling has strips of warm LED lights built into the rectangular recess that reflects across the ceiling to make the minimalistic style feel more comforting and well-lit while you gather around the table to eat with the family.
21. Science Fiction Inspired Living Room
This interstellar modern space uses stretched ceilings and lighting together to create this science fiction-inspired living room. They are used in two different levels; one that stretches across the whole space with a hole in its center and one that hangs off that over the couch. The textured freestanding feature wall runs into the first ceiling, which is lit by warm LED lights. The same light treatment has been used around the perimeter of the room. Over the couch, the living space is separated from the rest of the room by a stretched panel lit by a strip of blue LED lights. The combination of the two tones of light combines to birth a room that looks futuristic and magnificent.
22. Glamorous Stepped Ceilings
In this narrow home, the designer has solved the problem of dividing one long living space without obstructing the light by using the stretched ceilings to divide the space. Stepped stretched ceilings at two different heights have been used over the dining room and the lounge, each surrounded by soft LED strip lighting around the perimeter and a different statement chandelier at the center of each. The lower stepped portion is ringed by circular spotlights around the recess to add even more illumination.
23. Matching Rectangular Stretched Ceilings
In a similar manner to the above example, this home also divides a large space up using recessed stretched ceilings without the need for physical barriers that interrupt the light. Each area is beneath a recess and ringed by circular spotlights to define each space. Strips of LED lights that reflect off the ceilings are fitted in each recess to add ambient light to each space. The pure white ceiling and walls combined with more rustic furniture achieve a more contemporary rustic look helped along by large graphic art pieces.
24. Dramatic Ceiling Sculpture
In this startling entranceway, a stretched ceiling that winds in a sculpted twist across space has been used to create a dramatic moment as you walk into the house. Light recessed portions have been accented with spotlights that highlight the curve of the darker panels. Warm LED strips light the dark panels themselves that wind around their contours and along the perimeter of the walls to create a path painted by light. This kind of style is a testament to how stretched ceilings and lighting can be used to create sculptural art pieces in an unexpected place.
25. Stylish Glossy Stretched Ceiling
The entirety of this ceiling is one sheet of high shine white glossy material stretched across the whole space, reflecting the room beneath. The ceiling has been lit at the edges by strips of pale blue LED strip lights around the perimeter of the whole room, which makes it look unique and new. This lighting method also leaves the ceiling free of light fixtures so the perfect surface can remain uninterrupted. The stretched ceiling sits in stark contrast against the busy white and purple wallpaper that makes this small room really pack a punch.
26. A Starry Night
This breathtaking stretched ceiling is a beautiful feature for over the bed to dazzle you at night. The rectangular stretched ceiling panel spans across the whole bedroom decorated with clouds, stars, and the milky way. It has been evenly lit from behind by LEDs to create a ceiling that glows in its entirety. This can also be turned down and used as a nightlight for an amazing children’s ceiling.
27. Lightness Above the Dark
In a trendy contrasting design, this large living space has a very traditional interior design sitting below a modern stretched ceiling. The room underneath is very dark and traditional with wooden floors and wood-paneled walls while the ceiling is large and white so the room doesn’t feel dark. The traditional recessed stretch ceiling is lit by warm LEDs and encircled by little spotlights to cast a cozy glow over a space intended for relaxation.
28. Brightly Lit Lounge Ceiling
The little niche created by the step down that the L-shaped couch has nestled into creates this cozy little lounge. The small stretched ceiling has a box built around it that sits deep into the stretched ceiling rimmed in a thick outline that is lit by really bright strips of LED lights with four big downlighters at the center. This makes the little lounge bright and useable but dimmable when you want a more cozy atmosphere.
29. Double Volume Circular Ceiling
The entranceway to this luxurious home is a dramatic double volume circular space with a unique stretched ceiling. The stretched ceiling soars across the whole expanse dotted with tiny little lights that imitate stars. The rim is lit by yellow LED strip lights with purple up lighters that combine to create an ombre light effect down the wall. This is an incredible way to create a dramatic effect using just height and light.
30. Futuristic Stretched Ceiling Art
This space-age stretched ceiling has been used as a piece of art that belongs in a gallery or a really trendy club. The ceiling is one bow-shaped stretched ceiling with round light fixtures set within it and white LEDs running throughout around the edges. It is decorated by little spotlights that run along the whole shape to outline its crossing shape. The piece really comes to life when the other lights are off and it is the only illumination in the room.
31. Wacky Orange Bar with Flowing Stretch Ceiling
This undulating upscale club is the same shade of orange as the room that sits beneath it. The whole room is a 70s color scheme of orange and brown and makes this place a real statement. The design is a two-tiered design that has a deep recessed stretched ceiling that waves across the room. Tiny little dots of light have been used around the perimeter of the recessed ceiling with LEDs hidden in the frame to make the orange glow even more luminous.
32. Simple Bedroom Stretch Ceiling
In this small but sumptuous bedroom, outfitted in grey and deep, they’ve used a tall ceiling with a simple rectangular stretched ceiling to make it look larger than it really is. This effect is helped along by the white cabinetry and cornicing. The stretched portion is rather shallow with just enough space around it to place the warm-toned strips of LED lights that bathe the room in soft ambient light. The look is finished off by a little bedroom chandelier at the center.
33. Glowing Ceiling Orchid
The polished grey concrete bathroom is a long thin bathroom with the same uneven finish on the walls and floor. The ceiling itself offsets this neutral base dramatically, with a large stretched ceiling spanning across the whole space decorating it with large orchids. It is evenly lit from behind by LEDs that illuminate the bathroom in a soft pink shade. This incredible ceiling brings all the color into this neutral space in a completely unexpected way, bringing your design from floor to ceiling.
34. Fun Kid’s Bedroom Ceiling
This fun child’s ‘Cars’ inspired bedroom has really gone all out from the busy walls, road-shaped rug, and the car bed so the soaring stretch ceiling anchors the design in place with its stark blank expanse. The stretched surface is reflective with blue strip lights running along the perimeter of the whole room casting a cool blue light. The ceiling scape is finished off with a weird pendant lamp hanging from it the center of a room any child would be lucky to have.
35. Hanging Frame Ceiling
Rendered in a really modern style, this living room has a stretched ceiling in the form of a rectangular frame, suspended from the regular ceiling above. The ceiling, and in turn the room itself, is lit brightly with large LED lights in a cool tone that run as up-lighters all the way around it. The regular ceiling and stretched ceiling are white on white ceilings so during the day they blend together. A pendant lamp hangs through the center to finish off the cool feature in a very modern living space.
36. Hexagonal Office Ceiling
Office spaces are easy to make beige and boring but this futuristic modern office space is everything but! The black and white color scheme of the room is interrupted by pops of bright vivid green, which carries onto the ceiling where strips of light interrupt it instead. The ceiling panels are made up of white fabric stretched across individual hexagonal black frames and long LED lights that spread across the unique workspaces to create a workspace no one would mind working in.
37. Perforated Stretched Ceiling
A small stretched ceiling panel has formed this piece of ceiling décor with rounded edges, perforated by swirls of little circles in varying sizes. The panel has a thin strip of LEDs in vivid neon purple that really makes itself known within the futuristic space. The lightweight material that is stretched into this framework makes it easy to perforate without affecting the structure allowing you to play with negative space.
38. Geometric Illuminated Moulded Ceiling
This large lounge is a pretty plain beige space that becomes so much more interesting through the stunning glowing ceiling feature that it sits beneath. Large deep ceiling moldings have been used to stretch the ceiling panels between with lights built in all the way along the edges to make the white expanse glow in an ethereal way. The whole room is illuminated brightly from that light along because of the clever use of bright LEDs and reflective white surfaces.
39. Luxurious Hallway Ceiling
Although sometimes they are dead space, this modern monochromatic hallway with its stark white walls punctuated by black doors has been updated using a soaring stretched ceiling. A shining white material has been used in layers to create this glowing three-dimensional box with warm LED lights running around the inner rectangle with a dramatic crystal chandelier at its center to make this hallway unforgettable.
40. Wacky Futuristic Stretched Ceiling
This incredible amorphous flowing shape that appears to be hovering above the head is, in fact, a stretched ceiling that has been recessed into the original. The spooky style has a minimal interior design style with neutral curtains and glossy white surfaces with pops of red littered throughout. A white strip of light has been run along the underside of the ceiling to make it glow in a spooky manner over the lounge it defines. Two contemporary pendant lamps have been hung within the strange mass to finish off the look.
41. Spooky Bedroom Stretched Ceiling
If you want to create a bedroom that creates a true sense of escape, maybe to another world, this interesting stretched bedroom ceiling is a great way to do just that. The ceiling consists of two layers, one white and lowered and one black and recessed. The white portion waves around the perimeter spotted with downlighters while the black ceiling has been sprayed with little spotlights like stylized stars. The gap between the two layers has been lit by a glowing green light that reflects off the white and black surfaces in an ethereal way and makes your bedroom look out of this world.
42. Old Fashion Glamour
The luxurious lounge in this vintage glam house is rendered in neutral tones with plush furniture and thick carpets. In a slightly less traditional style, the stretched ceiling over it is a large up expanse with a lit ceiling frame and a corniced beige surrounding and spotted with downlighters the whole way around so the room is always well lit. The ostentatious room is finished off with a dramatic chandelier hanging at the center.
43. Slate Grey Bathroom Ceiling
Stretched ceilings, as we have seen before, are perfect for bathrooms because they can handle moisture without damage. This modern bathroom is filled with beautiful natural light and textures that the seemingly rough, uneven grey finish recessed into the white ceiling fits with perfectly. Warm lights have been hidden in the slim gap that lights the recess in a fire-like warm glow to make the bathroom more than just the place you brush your teeth.
44. Modern Sculpted Stretch Ceiling
In this contemporary, stylish apartment they have used a really interesting sculpture-like stretched ceiling on two levels to make the open-plan space even more interesting. The recessed portion is rough and textured in a muted grey while, in contrast, the lower white portion is a pristine white that moves across the ceiling in an unpredictable, almost liquid way. Like most of our examples, strips of LED up lighters have been run under the white panels to light the textured ceiling from beneath to emphasize it.
45. Expensive Bar Design
This cool, exclusive-looking bar has enhanced their customer’s experience just using lighting. A large part of the lighting design has been recessed into the deep stretched ceiling that lights the whole large white expanse with neon blue LED lights that are really eye-catching and trendy. An interesting, intertwining pendant lamp hangs from the center of the statement ceiling to hang in the room that is sculpted with light from floor to ceiling.
46. Setting Up a Stretch Ceiling
This is a practical depiction of how stretched ceilings are installed using the flexible fabric specially made for this purpose. First, a timber and aluminum frame has been set up first that the fabric will stretch between. The fabric is then attached at the corners and stretched and anchored the whole way around the edges. Lighting, such as these downlighters, are installed at this stage too so they don’t interrupt the stretch. A stretch ceiling needs to be installed by professionals because they require a lot of skill and know-how to achieve success.
47. Simple Yet Effective
This basic pastel blue hallway with its white door and window frames has used a stretch ceiling to make this transitional space that bit more special. A stretched ceiling runs all the way down the hallway with bright white blue strip lights leading you down the hallway. This technique is really simple but also incredibly effective and elevates a dull space simply.
48. Neutral Sophistication
This old money style, luxurious home has decorated its entire space with deep layers of different shades of brown with a huge velvet couch forming the main feature of the lounge. The stretched ceiling above reflects this color scheme and envelopes you completely in a cozy atmosphere. A dark, wood-paneled rim surrounds a cream stretched ceiling that spans between it, which is dotted with little spotlights that combine with the perimeter LEDs to cast a moody light over the lounge.
49. Chic Minimal Lounge
Yet again, a stretched ceiling has been used in this modern living room that has been decorated in neutral tones and some bright pops of color throughout. The space is lit by side lamps and the pure white ceiling, which has warm LEDs running around the edge of the recessed stretched panel, surrounded by small spotlights. The white ceiling reflects the light in a glowing manner and makes the space feel even larger than it is.
50. Deep Moulded Oval Ceiling
This dining room is a really dramatic space covered in wall and ceiling moldings, archways, and columns. Most of the room is executed in all white with the bright floral wallpaper and velvet dining set contrasting against it. Over the oval table sits a deep molded oval portion that frames a stretched white ceiling that is up-lit by warm LED lights. This entire amalgamation is finished with the dramatic chandelier hanging at the center of the stretched ceiling.
51. Wacky Blue Lighting
This amazing stretched ceiling stands out through both shape and color. A bright strip of blue LEDs run in the small recess between the two layers of ceiling that bathes the room in an eerie azure hue. At either end of the room, the straight lines of the design deviate into an interesting curved shape with rounded corners and a concaved curve at the center. The glowing blue form is surrounded by large spotlights with bright white bulbs that do the heavy lifting when it comes to illuminating the room while simultaneously coordinating with the coolness of the stretched ceiling.
52. Soaring Ivory Stretched Kitchen Ceiling
This quintessentially modern living space is monochromatic with a spacious open plan kitchen and lounge with a stretched ceiling over the kitchen. The ceiling has been painted the same pure white as the walls and ceiling, which contrasts against the wood grain floor. The lights that are built into the recess of the kitchen ceiling cast a soft light that reflects off the white surfaces of the walls and ceiling to cast the kitchen in soft light. Stretch ceilings are also great to use in kitchens because they can take on any moisture from cooking without becoming stained or damaged.
53. Soft Light Over Patterned Lounge
This large modern living space has been divided up using a series of rectangular stretched ceilings to divide up the long space without breaking up the light quality from the floor to ceiling windows. Each deep white expanse has warm LEDs running around the edge, lighting up the white cornicing inside with round pendant lights hanging from the center of each one. These glowing rectangles contrast strongly with the richly patterned blue furniture below it and the uneven texture of the flooring to create a space that feels effortlessly chic and contemporary.
Conclusion
And there you have it; the most incredible ceiling designs are all achieved using stretch ceilings and the magic of LED lighting. This ceiling style is not only hygienic, adaptable, and eco-friendly but they are also beautiful and breathtaking. How could you go wrong? Their effects range from modern and chic to wacky and avant-garde so you can utilize this stunning design no matter what style you like. They allow you to play with depth, using layers of different heights, colors, through the lighting or the fabric itself, and light by changing up the strength or tone of the LEDs that you use.
So the next time you want a little revamp of the wide expanse above your head why not consider experimenting with stretched ceilings and see what you can come up with.
