Overview of a niche for curtains in a stretch ceiling

A curtain niche in the ceiling is a practical design solution if you have installed stretch ceilings. Thus, people get the opportunity to install any cornice and some other equipment, but hide it all from view.

What is a niche in a stretch ceiling for?

A niche in a stretch ceiling is a design solution, as a result of which the effect of a "floating curtain" is created in the room, which is not fixed to the cornice. The presence of such a space allows you to hide from the eyes not only the cornice, but also wires, lamps, equipment for remote control of curtains.

Visually, the absence of horizontally placed objects makes the room appear taller. This is especially true for rooms with stretch glossy ceilings, because styles and curtains are reflected on such surfaces, as a result, the vertical lines become even longer.

It should be borne in mind that a hidden cornice has many advantages, which we will talk about below.

What is a hidden cornice

A curtain niche can also hide an ordinary cornice, which is fixed to the wall. But usually a rail with a ceiling mount is installed here and curtain guides are installed on it.

Usually, one to four curtains can be placed in parallel on this element. The size of the recess, in particular its width, may vary, so the hidden cornice can be placed far enough from the window.

Design advantages and disadvantages

A niche in the ceiling for curtains is a very effective way to install tulles, curtains and curtains.

The main advantage of this interior element is the ability to hide visually unattractive details:

• Cornices;
• Mounts for curtains;
• Wires;
• Light bulbs and so on.

This means that the interior designer can focus on the functionality of these items, their strength and durability, rather than the appearance. By hiding all the little things, an interior designer can create a minimalist or modern interior - both are very relevant.

There is only one drawback of this solution - the complexity of the work. If even the most inexperienced craftsman fixes an ordinary cornice on the wall without problems after a couple of tips, then it is much more difficult to mount a recess of this type. But we will tell you how you can do it.

Features of making a niche

There are no ready-made kits for assembling such objects. The fact is that each niche of this purpose is unique.

Its dimensions depend on such factors:

• The size of the window (if the curtains will cover only the window) or walls (if the interior textiles will decorate the entire wall);
• The width of the window sill (this is especially important if the window sill is wide and significantly extends beyond the window opening);
• The relief of the radiators;
• The amount of textiles that will need to be fixed on the hidden cornice at the same time;
• Availability of additional equipment.

Therefore, each time, before making a niche for curtains in a stretch ceiling with your own hands, you need to make calculations. The width of this object is usually several centimeters longer than the extension of the battery or window sill.

This is necessary so that the textiles sag freely, and not lie on the windowsill or radiator. If you correctly calculate the width of the recess, tulle, curtains or curtains will "float".

Tools and materials

In order to carry out all the work, you will need:

• Pencil or other object with which you will mark;
• Metal elements for the formation of the frame;
• Metal saw;
• Screws - ordinary and for working with drywall;
• Screwdriver;
• Drill;
• Dowel;
• Plasterboard for stitching;
• Putty.

If the suspended ceiling will be formed from plasterboard, this kit will suffice. But if you need to stretch the fabric or film version, constant tension will deform the base of the niche. To avoid this, you need to take care of the presence of a foundation bar, which will become a reliable support for the frame, as well as special inserts and harpoon fasteners.

We also advise you to purchase a curtain rod in advance, since sometimes it turns out that it is difficult to install it, because there is not enough space in the box. If you have all the equipment purchased in advance, such incidents can be avoided.

Installation of a frame for a niche

The first stage is preparing the ceiling, leveling it.

Then comes the stage of marking and cutting the metal parts of the structure. Using a drill, screwdriver, screws, you need to install the guide profiles. The entire niche will be attached to them.

The bottom is attached to these profiles with drywall screws. We do not recommend assembling the entire object on the ceiling, it is very inconvenient. Therefore, you need to assemble individual walls on the floor, sew them up with drywall, and then install them.

The last stage is the processing of the product with putty.

If you intend to stretch French ceilings, the niche structure must have a mortgage attached to one of the guides under the curtains under the stretch ceiling.

This is the block on which the entire set of mounts will rest. In this case, it is this block that can replace the entire structure of the niche.

Ceiling installation

There are no deviations in the usual method of installing plasterboard or stretch ceilings due to the presence of a special recess in the room. If the frame is properly installed, it will withstand the entire load.

If you are installing a plasterboard ceiling, the section near the recess can be decorated with baguettes.

How to hang curtains correctly

First you need to choose the right cornice and the textiles themselves.

It is optimal to install the ceiling cornice in the recess, with 3-4 guides. This will make it possible to hang any kind of curtains. You should not chase the appearance of this part, no one will see it, but functionality is a must.

It is important to choose curtains that are long enough - when measuring, the distance from the attachment to the floor is taken into account, and not from the false ceiling.

Creating a floating curtain effect

An airy effect will be ensured if there are small gaps between different types of fabric textiles.

It is also important to use thin and light fabrics for curtains, including translucent ones. And the illumination in the niche will enhance the effect in the evening, which will give the fabric products a light glow.

Anyone can, if desired, make a recess in a suspended or stretch ceiling with their own hands. We wish you good luck in improving your interior!

Video: hidden niche under the cornice on a stretch ceiling