When you’re looking for drama, few architectural features pack more punch than a vaulted ceiling. But one variation on the centuries-old concept in particular ushers in the types of soft arches and curves we often crave in contemporary homes: the barrel vault.
In historic spaces, barrel vaults were often used for their ability to distribute weight across expansive rooms (without excess columns or supporting walls). But today, when an interior architect installs a barrel-vaulted ceiling in a residential space (or restores an existing one), the vaults are mostly there for decorative and dramatic ceiling decorating ideas.
