Often neglected and simply painted white, ceilings are the fifth wall of a room, and they deserve your consideration. Sure, molding and a few pendant lights can dress one up, but why not venture further and opt for a type of ceiling that adds architectural detail and height? Enter the tray ceiling. Named for the recessed area in the center that looks like an upside-down tray, this design feature became popular in suburban homes in the late 1990s and is beloved for its ability to make a room look taller without literally raising the roof.
Tray ceilings aren't going anywhere—in fact, the dining nook of our 2022 Whole Home in Atlanta had one. It's not easy to add one during a renovation (you need an attic or crawl space overhead or ceilings that are already very high), but it can totally transform a room. To help you understand what a tray ceiling is and decide if one is right for your space, we're breaking down everything you need to know about this design feature below.
What Is a Tray Ceiling?
Also known as a recessed or inverted ceiling, a tray ceiling has an inset area at the center that's higher than the rest of the ceiling. It's essentially a simpler and less expensive version of a coffered ceiling. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, a typical tray ceiling had one or several levels of insets that followed the shape of the room and used lighting, molding, and/or different paint colors or finishes to create a multidimensional effect. All in, it's more impactful than a simple painted ceiling.
A modern tray ceiling typically has a single-level inset that highlights a special feature of a room, such as a dining nook or a kitchen island. You can use patterned wallpaper, wood paneling, or paint to make the niche stand out.
Designer Eddie Ross added a tray ceiling to the primary bedroom of his 1920s house outside Philadelphia in 2019 to give it more character. He recommends using a wider, more steeply pitched tray with angled sides, like the ones you'd see in older homes. "It's important to think about the scale of the room and keep the tray in proportion," he says. Choosing a chandelier or pendant instead of recessed lighting ensures the effect isn't McMansion-y.
Pros and Cons of Tray Ceilings
Pros
- Makes a space feel larger and more open
- Adds depth and visual interest
- Can be incorporated into almost any design style, from industrial to farmhouse
- Can be used to conceal unsightly wiring, plumbing, or vents
Cons
- Can be expensive to install, depending on the logistics of the space
- Ceiling must be a minimum of eight feet high (including any added tiers)
- The ledges and layers collect dust and require extra cleaning
- The process is labor intensive and may be impossible in an existing space
How Much Does a Tray Ceiling Cost?
If your contractor says it's possible to add a tray ceiling to a room in your house, the cost can vary widely depending on the size, area, and design. They'll need to adjust the ceiling joints and trusses, which requires a lot of labor and engineering preparation. And as with any construction project, you'll need to pay for a permit. Altogether, you can expect the cost of adding a recessed tray ceiling to fall between $2,000 and $10,000, depending on the scope of the project. We know that's a big range, but it's difficult to generalize.
However, there's another, cheaper way: If you already have high ceilings (10 to 12 feet), you can reverse engineer the tray and build downward rather than up. This requires building a drop-down frame out of wood and covering it in drywall. You just need to ensure the lowest part of the tray is still at least eight feet high, per building code. This type of project requires much less cost, labor, and engineering, and may not even require a permit. If you're an experienced DIYer, you could do it yourself.
Building a Tray Ceiling From Scratch
If you're building a brand-new home from the ground up and want to incorporate tray ceilings into the design, the process is much easier. Because it's not the default, adding tray ceilings as opposed to flat ceilings can cost you anywhere from $500 to $1,500—or $2 to $4 per square foot.
Kate McGregor is House Beautiful's Digital Editor, writing in-depth , design inspiration stories, and . With over five years of experience writing commerce and search-optimized content for brands like Domino, Real Simple, and Architectural Digest’s Clever, Kate has developed a passion for uncovering the personal stories that often lie behind the inspiration for people’s spaces. She previously worked as the assistant market editor at ELLE Decor where she identified top products and brands in the industry and interviewed emerging designers about their thoughts on the latest . Kate holds a bachelor’s degree from Belmont University. When not researching the specificities of begonia plant care, you can find Kate scouring vintage markets for the ideal wrought-iron chair, knitting yet another cardigan, or reading historical nonfiction.
