With a Simple Design, Barrel Vaults Deliver a Dramatic Effect

Have you ever been to Vatican City? It’s a trip that finds its way to most people’s “bucket lists,” and it’s not just for the landmark’s religious significance (although that is an obvious draw). Many people make the pilgrimage just so they can stand in the presence of its awe-inspiring architecture. At the center of Vatican City, you’re surrounded by pillars, statues and domes that are so artfully crafted that you can’t help but snap a full memory-card’s load of pictures. Surrounded by art and architecture, even the most debonair globe trotter is reduced to a mere tourist. Beneath the grand barrel vault ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, you feel that you’re in the presence of greatness, which is proof that sometimes, the simplest things have the most pronounced impact.

“The barrel vault is the simplest form of a vaulted ceiling, but it carries an enormous impact.”

When you walk through a room with a barrel vault ceiling, it’s kind of like walking through a tunnel – except only the ceiling is curved.

In the old days, it was a serious undertaking for contractors to include a barrel vault in a home design. Just imagine how much time was spent measuring and cutting to get the right arch every time. Walls even needed to be reinforced, which presented many challenges.

But with the advent of barrel vault kits, it all can be done in a fraction of the time – and in a fraction of the budget. This way, it’s easy to produce a jaw-dropping effect in your client’s media room, hallway, dining room or entryway without breaking the bank. The result? Well, there’s no way around it: You’re a hero.

With a barrel vault kit, you can even choose the style that works best with the rest of the home’s design. Soft, half circle or elliptical: It’s completely your choice. They can either be framed up into your attic space or underneath your joints and trusses.

Barrel vault ceilings have been used throughout history to produce a dramatic effect in some of the historically significant structures ever erected. And it’s certainly not justVatican City. Barrel vaults are found in the City Hall Banquet Room of Belfast, Myers Castle of Scotland the Cathedral of Cortona in Tuscany, just to name a few. But back when these barrel vaults were built, they had to be reserved for the most exclusive clients. With advances in technology and efficiency, barrel vaults are now more accessible to everyone, but they remain every bit as awe-inspiring.