# What is a Coffered Ceiling?
**A coffered ceiling is a ceiling made up of a grid of crossing beams with recessed square or rectangular panels — coffers — set between them.** This ceiling type originates from classical architecture and continues to be used in both traditional and modern interiors.
## Construction Methods
A coffered ceiling can be built in several ways:
– **Solid timber** — real wooden beams with timber panels between them, traditionally handcrafted
– **Plasterwork** — a plastered ceiling with moulded beams and recessed fields
– **MDF or plywood** — a modern interpretation mounted onto an existing ceiling
– **Suspended system** — prefabricated coffers of metal, plasterboard or mineral fibre in a suspended grid
## Advantages
– **Visual depth** — the recessed panels give the ceiling a rich, three-dimensional appearance
– **Acoustics** — the relief breaks up sound waves and can improve room acoustics
– **Concealment** — pipes, cables and imperfections are hidden behind the grid
– **Character** — a coffered ceiling lends a room a classic, prestigious atmosphere
## Application
Coffered ceilings are found in living rooms and libraries in classical homes, hotel lobbies and entrance halls, churches and council chambers, modern homes as a design feature, and offices as acoustic ceiling systems.
## Related Terms
– Coffer
– Ceiling
– Suspended ceiling
– Plasterwork
– Cove
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