A Cologne ceiling (Dutch “keuls plafond”, German “Kölner Decke”) is an early type of stucco ceiling in which not only the panels betwéen the beams but also the beams themselves are clad and decorated with stuccowork. The beam ends are often linked with curved stucco connections, and the middle section of the beams may be widened and enriched with ornament. The oldest known example dates from 1592 in Cologne.
How it works
- A lime stucco layer is applied over the wooden joists and intermediate laths or split twigs
- The woodwork thus disappears under an even, unified stucco surface
- Decorative motifs are added to the stucco; originally often in colours other than white
Application
- Decorative ceilings in historic buildings, churches and formal rooms
- The type arose as a way to conceal thickness variations in the beams into one smooth ceiling
Points to note
- A Cologne ceiling works best with simple, single-beam layouts; with compound layers of main and secondary beams the stucco would look excessive
- Restoration calls for care: the historic stucco and colour layers are fragile and valuable
- Repair requires a plasterer experienced in lime stucco
Related terms
- Plaster layer
- Joist layer
- Coffered ceiling
- Ornament
- Frieze
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