18 Awe-Inspiring Homes With Barrel-Vaulted Ceilings

The basic barrel vault exerts an outward thrust requiring thick exterior walls or buttressing. That isn’t the case in the groin vault, introduced by the Romans and expanded in a variety of forms throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Acclaimed Italian designers Ludovica+Roberto Palomba, a husband-and-wife team, fell for the "stellar vault" ceilings in a 17th century oil mill in a small Italian village. They kept the ancient stone floors, walls, and arches intact, making their mark by showcasing their own designs, like the one-off version of their Lama chaise lounge, originally designed for Zanotta, which graces the living room. To counter what had been a dark and soot-blackened space, the couple whitewashed the ceilings and walls and installed skylights and a wall of glass.