Ceiling Ideas With a Header

One of a home's most important features is its structural support. The framing and the beams maintain the integrity of the house and allow a home to continue to be occupied well after its original residents have gone.

Headers are beams that are either multiple pieces of wood or solid beams that support a portion of a home's ceiling or floor structure. These headers often end up in odd areas of a home and can look fairly awkward. There are several ways to turn a header into an architectural detail that will be admired.

Combining Headers for Archways
- Archways
  
  Headers between spaces can become beautiful archways with some simple framing and drywall installation. This addition to a header not only clearly defines the spaces separated by each archway, it creates the arched effect between the spaces it defines. Even in a large room, a header down this middle creates definition and a transition point for function and style differences.
Adding Columns
- Columns
  
  Installing decorative columns on both sides of the header will make the opening smaller, but allow light to come through around the columns, adding interest to the appearance of the original opening. This installation is strictly decorative, so there is no need to spend a lot of money on load-bearing columns.
Decorative Trim
- Header decorative trim
  
  Accentuating the header with decorative moldings will bring out the header itself as a decorative element. Using different sizes of the same style molding will make the header actually appear smaller. If decorative moldings are installed on one side of the header, they should be installed on the other to create a flow between spaces.

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Ceilings

Ceiling Ideas With a Header

Combining Headers for Archways

Adding Columns

Decorative Trim