Decorative Painting Ideas for a Trey/Tray Ceiling

by Stephanie Mesner

Beautiful, hand painted decorative motifs applied to tray ceilings are the icing on the (up-side down) cake!

Drawing the eye up, these visual treats are prime design opportunities. A sky mural appearing behind a trompe l'oeil conservatory framework was one approach taken a few years back by a client in the Boston metro-west area. The result was fabulous. She recently added a master bedroom suite to her home and in the bath was another opportunity; a tray ceiling.

This master bath is unique in several ways with images of hummingbirds flitting among masterfully rendered flowers in the hand painted porcelain sinks and in the tile mosaic behind the Jacuzzi. A subtly applied amber paint finish by Arteriors softens and mellows the entire room. When asked what should be done to the tray ceiling, I knew that more than a faux finish was needed. I suggested a stylized bronze design with vine motifs as well as borders along the edges of the ceiling, accenting the symmetrical architecture of the inverted tray.

Decorative artwork of this caliber on a ceiling is not an easy project to say the least. This project is a four-part process involving a glaze paint finish as a background, measuring, designing and rendering of the templates, cutting the stencils and finally painting the antique bronze finish through the stencils. All of these techniques are traditional painting methods that have been used for centuries in the decorative arts. Although labor intensive, design work such as this is a pleasure because of the challenges it presents and the excuse it gives me to study decorative art history.

There are a multitude of design motifs that can be applied to tray ceilings. I think of baroque and Victorian detailing, as well as 20th century art nouveau, art deco, and craftsman styles. One could even install a Mayan or Aztec geometric design in a southwest inspired interior. References are easy to be found in clip art books of textile design and iron ornamental work. If a room has been graced with a tray ceiling, give this 5th wall the consideration it deserves. It can be the icing on the (up-side down) cake!