18 Awe-Inspiring Homes With Barrel-Vaulted Ceilings

There’s architectural treasure hidden under the plaster ceilings of some apartments and buildings in Barcelona in the form of Catalan (or timbrel) vaults. These thin-tiled vaults became popular in postmedieval Spain as a resource-efficient way of creating a wide, strong roof. The bricks were often plastered over, so many of these striking roofs have only recently been rediscovered during renovations. In Gracia, an old Barcelona neighborhood, Allaround Lab chose to emphasize the rosy brick of this apartment’s original barrel-vaulted ceilings. The architect and design firm completely revamped the 800-square-foot space, not only uncovering the original ceilings but installing an unbroken line of custom cabinetry from front to back. The extensive storage allows the owners to minimize clutter and maximize the impact of the soft waves of the textured brick roof.