How to Decorate a Room With an Octagon Ceiling

Decorating a room with an octagon (sometimes called coffered) ceiling can seem challenging, but it doesn't have to be. Octagon ceilings are unusual, which means that the focus of the room should actually be the ceiling, not the walls. With such a dramatic ceiling, the things below it should be kept rather simple.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Paint
• Paint brush
• Paint roller
• Painter's tape
• Goggles
• Ladder
• Tarp or old sheets
• Octagon-shaped rug
• Crown molding
• Round table

1. Paint the ceiling. Highlight its unusual shape by choosing a shade darker than the walls for around the edges, plus an accent color in the center such as gray or white, as shown in the image above.

2. Place an octagon-shaped rug directly under the ceiling. If you can, get a rug that is the same size as the shape above. Add a round table directly in the center of the rug, if the room allows for it.

3. Hang a chandelier from the center of the ceiling. Make sure it is eye-catching, whether your style is modern or traditional. A simple ceiling fan will not complement the ceiling.

4. Add crown molding to the walls, where they meet the ceiling. This will draw the eye upward and also serve to bring the elegance of the ceiling further into the room.

5. Keep the walls under the ceiling clear of clutter. Try not to crowd them with shelves or too many pictures, which will fight with the ceiling for attention. Instead, focus on one interesting or beautiful work of art on each wall.

Tips & Warnings

• Painting vertical stripes on your walls will also draw the eye upward and provide an interesting contrast to the horizontal feel of the octagon ceiling.

Resources

• More about painting coffered ceilings