What is a raking (or cathedral) ceiling?

Including a raking or cathedral ceiling in your home can transform a somewhat bland and boring area into a spacious and enticing space.

Including a raking or 'cathedral' ceiling in your home can transform a somewhat small, bland, and boring area into a spacious, airy, and enticing space. Raking ceilings are included in most Tasbuilt Homes standard package designs.

A raking ceiling means a sloping ceiling, usually following the same slope as your roof, which creates additional space in a room. A raking ceiling may also be called a 'vaulted' ceiling or a 'pitched' ceiling.

A raking ceiling may vary in design depending on the roofline of your home and the room that the ceiling is in. If you have a gable roof, and your living room stretches across the width of your home, you can create a traditional 'cathedral' ceiling with the high point of the pitch in the centre of the room. This is a popular style for traditional or country-style homes. Alternatively, if you have a skillion roof, your raked ceiling may stretch across the entire room, with the low point on one side of the room and the high point on the other side.

Having raking ceilings allows you to include highlight glazing in the design of your new home, to let additional natural light in. If your floor plan caters for southern-facing views, highlight windows in a raking ceiling let you still achieve northern light in your living/kitchen areas.

Raking or cathedral ceilings provide a sense of space and add character to any home design. They also allow for additional décor options such as large decorative pendant lights, extra high 'picture' windows, and expansive feature walls.

Raking ceilings can however increase the volume of airspace you need to heat in your new home, which is important to consider, especially if you have a high roof pitch. We recommend you ensure you have good insulation and double glazed windows in your home to compensate if you are considering a raking ceiling in your design.

Contact us today to find out more about the design possibilities for your new home!