Our Guide to Raked Ceilings

Introducing a new height of luxury

With so many exciting home features on offer today – from stunning alfresco spaces to breathtaking master suites – ceilings don’t often get the recognition they deserve. Don’t be fooled by their practical nature – when done right; ceilings can make or break a home design.

Raked ceilings are only increasing in popularity as home builders opt to change up this home detail that’s long just been flat. With their pitched shape, raked ceilings master the country and classic home look – perfect for today’s leading home styles.

What is a raked ceiling?

This building style lets a staple part of a home’s structure enhance your modern lifestyle. Just like the conventional pitched roof, a raked ceiling (or vaulted ceiling) involves two ceiling sides extending to meet at a point. The pitch is the highest point of your ceiling and offers a unique focal point as it inclines up.

This subtle structural choice can transform the space. The varying ceiling height creates that open, airy and bright home feeling most home styles strive to achieve. High ceilings have long been a symbol of luxury, as the price to heat and cool this generous space was once astronomical. Today’s technology has eliminated this price hurdle, but the legacy has stayed. Raked ceilings still effortlessly add a touch of grandiose to any home.

What rooms best suit raked ceilings

Whilst raked ceilings can work in a diverse range of rooms, certain spaces will let them sing. And from a building perspective, using a raked ceiling in each room just isn’t quite realistic. We recommend opting for a raked ceiling in the spaces you spend the most time so you can make the most of their relaxing effect.

Raked ceilings for the kitchen and living space

The kitchen is a favourite destination for ceilings like these. With most home designs opting for the kitchen to be embedded within an open-plan living room, raked ceilings can help provide openness and airiness to this central space.

The generous ceiling heights also help to make this area feel bigger and more spacious, despite living, dining and cooking sharing one room.

Raked ceilings across multiple rooms – a modern take

The pitch style of a raked ceiling provides a more classic and country-inspired look, but you could instead give this structure a modern edge by having the raked ceiling cover multiple rooms. This means certain rooms will have the detail of a sloped ceiling and varying roof heights.

By having the pitch cover multiple rooms, you avoid the risk of that hall-like look and can enjoy the depth a sloped roof can have.

Raked ceiling for the bedroom

By incorporating this unique building style into the bedroom, you add a bold structural feature to the space. Raked ceilings in bedrooms transform this typical space into a resort suite, making this personal space even more ideal for unwinding.

Raked ceilings are perfect for opening up smaller bedrooms or elevating open-plan suites even more, to give a grand feeling to the bedroom.

Benefits of a raked ceiling

This unique ceiling shape boasts many benefits, ready to improve your home both now and in the future. Just a few advantages of a raked ceiling include:

Light and Space

As raked ceilings are most commonly paired with oversized windows, the extra ceiling surface can reflect more natural or artificial light to let your home stay bright and flooded with brightness.

Airflow

By heightening the ceilings, the raked style helps to increase airflow throughout the space. In Australian summers, this extra space gives the hot air somewhere to rise to help keep the living area cool.

Improves Home Value

Finally, opting for a raked ceiling not only impacts your home now, but it should also have an impact on your home’s future. Raked ceilings are an architectural feature that requires great craftsmanship to perfect – so they tend to increase home value when it’s time to resell.

Looking to build a raked ceiling home in Australia?

If you’re inspired by the wonders of raked ceilings, get in touch with our friendly team. G.J. Gardner Homes’ expert designers can incorporate a raked ceiling that’ll work for your home style.