18 Awe-Inspiring Homes With Barrel-Vaulted Ceilings

The gaze-lifting curve of a barrel vault has long been an element of church buildings. In a historic neighborhood in Barcelona, Estudio VilaBlanche renovated an apartment that included a 19th-century cloister with beautiful "cloister vaults" (dome-shaped vaults similar to groin vaults). The team restored and rehabilitated the original columns and vaults, leaving hand-carved stone details exposed, such as the horizontal belt courses, the columns, and the imposts for the vaults. The minimalist, Nordic design of the interior—with light wood floors and simple, contemporary furnishings—offers a neutral backdrop as well as a stylish contrast to the heavy stone vaulting.