The height of a standard ceiling is the parameter that affects comfort and contributes to the realization of the most daring design ideas. Different types of premises have their own rules. These values are specified in special documents, such as SNiPe.
Ergonomics of the living space
The science of designing optimal ceiling heights for the most comfortable room experience.
To create a comfortable environment, builders need to meet certain ergonomic conditions:
- ensure sufficient natural light;
- create an environment with optimal humidity and oxygen levels.
Indicators will vary, depending on the area and purpose of the rooms, but it is the height of the standard ceiling in the room that will help to achieve all this.
Ceiling heights in current practice
In individual construction, any ceilings that you wish can be made for you, but in multi-apartment construction, the standard ceiling height will not be lower than 2.5 meters, since it is believed thatlower ceilings will put pressure on occupants.
At the same time, the standard ceiling height in an apartment is unlikely to be more than 3.2 meters, because it is economically unprofitable for builders.
Norms
Current regulations do not establish a standard ceiling height that must be respected. The current SNiPs indicate only the minimum ceiling height, below which construction is prohibited.
So, for example, the standard ceiling height in residential premises cannot be lower than 2.5 meters, and for offices this value increases to 3 meters. The standard ceiling height in the bath will already be 3.2 meters.
Custom construction
As mentioned above, in a private house they will make you any distance from floor to ceiling that you want, but still you should not make them too high. The standard ceiling height in the house is the same as in the apartment. In addition, planning too high ceilings will increase the cost of electricity and heating in such rooms, so carefully weigh all the pros and cons, deciding on the numbers.
Stalin apartments
The so-called stalinkas had very high ceilings, from 3 to 4 meters. In addition to high ceilings, there were wide corridors, large rooms and windows that fully met the requirements of ergonomics.
Such apartments are still in great demand and are quite expensive, despitethat they have outdated communication. Most of them do not have an elevator or a garbage chute.
Brezhnev apartments
The standard ceiling height in such an apartment is usually no more than 2.7 meters, but despite this, they are considered apartments with an improved layout. Unfortunately, they can be called such only in comparison with the “Khrushchevs”.
Khrushchev
The height of the ceilings in such apartments usually does not exceed 2.5 meters. It seems to meet the standards, but in combination with small rooms and cramped corridors, it gives the impression of a closed space.
Panel houses
Depending on the year of construction, the standard ceiling height in a panel house can vary from 2.5 to 2.7 meters. In older houses, ceilings sometimes do not even reach 2.5 meters, their height is only 2.48 meters.
New buildings
More and more people are inclined to purchase apartments in new houses. One of the reasons for this is that the standard ceiling height in new buildings is at least 2.7 meters, which means it gives a wide flight for the implementation of design ideas. In luxury apartments, the ceiling can be more than 3 meters from the floor, but the cost of such apartments is quite high.
We are planning a renovation in an apartment with a low ceiling
When starting a global renovation, you will need to know what is the standard ceiling height in your apartment. You will need this indicator in order toto properly plan your future interior. After all, even laying laminate and making stretch ceilings, you will significantly reduce the distance from the floor. At first glance, a few centimeters does not matter, but if your ceilings are already low, you should fight for every extra millimeter.
Unfortunately, if the ceiling in your apartment does not exceed 2.5 meters, most likely, you will have to abandon suspended ceilings made of drywall, because such a ceiling can "steal" more than 10 cm in height. For the same reason, multi-level ceilings will not work either.
Stretch ceiling
Although such a ceiling is fixed at a certain distance, this value usually does not exceed a few centimeters, which is the width of the profile. And if we take into account that with the help of modern stretch ceilings it is possible to make multi-level structures that are in no way inferior to suspended ones, it becomes clear that this solution is more preferable for apartments with low ceilings.
Visually increase the height of the ceiling
If you are not satisfied with the height of a standard ceiling, you can go for a trick and try to visually increase this figure. This can be done in several ways, listed below.
Illusion:
- Gloss. Such a surface reflects light well, which means it visually enlarges the room and gives some depth.
- Levels. This method must be used carefully, because in reality your ceilings will become even lower by a couple of cm,but the visual effect will be amazing.
- Color. When using this technique, paint the walls and ceiling in one tone, preferably light.
- Furniture. This method involves choosing furniture to match the entire room or, conversely, with dark lower and light upper cabinets that match the color of the walls and ceiling.
- Vertical stripes. Probably everyone knows about this. It should only be added that frequent bright stripes can backfire, so use this pattern with caution.
Play of light:
- Cornice pendant. By making a cornice with built-in LED lights around the entire perimeter, you can significantly raise the ceiling (sorry, only visually).
- False window. This method, although quite original, does not become less effective. It can be made both with a backlight that imitates sunlight, and a mirror.
- Spot lighting. If you are unable to refuse standard chandeliers, then choose a flat chandelier that is attached directly to the ceiling, or the so-called plate. And try to keep the light from the chandelier directed upwards.
Windows and doors
By making high doors almost to the ceiling and "stretching" the windows vertically, you will achieve an amazing effect, and besides, improve the ventilation of the room.
Distracting attention:
- Color game. Using this technique, the floor and ceiling are made light with relatively dark walls. You can focus on one ofwalls, decorating it with a beautiful panel or photo wallpaper.
- Combination finish. This technique can only be used in small rooms, such as kitchens or bathrooms. With this method, the lower and upper parts of the walls are trimmed with different materials, as an option - with tiles and wallpaper. Keep in mind that in large rooms they will have the opposite effect.
Repair in an apartment with a high ceiling
High ceiling gives a chance to realize everything, even the most daring fantasies. Previously, the happy owners of such apartments equipped mezzanines under the ceiling, and in those apartments where the ceilings exceeded 4 meters, they even made an additional mezzanine floor, where a children's or study was successfully located. However, such techniques are still used today.
You can raise a baby bed right up to the ceiling by making a comfortable beautiful staircase to it. Few children will refuse such a cozy "own world" that Alice had from the movie "Guest from the Future".
And besides, high ceilings allow you to zone the room, raising the floor, use large hanging lamps in the interior.
Why is the high ceiling uncomfortable?
Is a high ceiling always a good thing? Let's see what flaws lie behind it:
- these apartments are much more difficult to heat as the air is constantly circulating in the room;
- the upper part of the room looks uncomfortable, as it is quite difficult to "fill" it with something, at least without significant material costs;
- insuch rooms, as a rule, have poor soundproofing, and if there is also little furniture in it, then an “echo” will be heard during a conversation;
- high ceiling in the toilet and bathroom makes you feel like you are in a well, which is quite difficult to get out of - for many it is depressing;
- maintaining such an apartment in a "nice" condition requires a lot of finances.
As you can see, the ceiling height plays an important role, so when choosing your future home, be sure to pay attention to this indicator. Of course, in a private house you can raise the ceiling yourself, but it will be quite expensive and require a lot of time and effort. In the apartment, you will have to live "with what is." As practice shows, when examining an apartment, we practically do not pay attention to the ceiling, the maximum that we pay attention to is its appearance. But it turns out that this is fundamentally wrong. Not only the possibilities of decorating the apartment depend on the height of the ceilings in the apartment, but also our well-being, how comfortable we will be in our home.
