Bringing a Ceiling Lower by Decorating

Bringing a Ceiling Lower by Decorating Wooden planks can make a ceiling feel lower. Wooden planks can make a ceiling feel lower. Soaring ceilings can provide visual drama in a room, but they can also feel like a cold, cavernous space. "Cozy up" a room with high ceilings by creating the illusion of a lower ceiling. Implement a few interior decorating tips and tricks to visually shorten a "mile-high" ceiling to create a warm and inviting space. Paint Create a lower ceiling effect in a room with light-colored walls by painting the ceiling a couple of shades darker than the wall color. Darker colors "advance," making the ceiling appear lower. Extend the ceiling paint about one foot down the wall to create a greater "ceiling drop." Add crown molding or a wallpaper border to emphasize the lower ceiling line. For dark-colored walls, try painting the ceiling in the same color to visually lower the ceiling with a cozy cohesiveness. Structural Add a decorative architectural element to create the illusion of a lower ceiling. Natural or faux wooden beams help to break up the expansive volume of a high ceiling. You can create the appearance and feeling of a lower ceiling by attaching wooden planks over the existing ceiling. Construct a horizontal shelf a few feet from the ceiling along one or more walls of the room. Fill the shelf with large woven baskets, vases or pottery. Walls and Windows Break up the wall expanse between the floor and ceiling with wall hangings and draperies to make the ceiling appear lower. Hang oversized pieces of artwork, canvas, metal sculpture or tapestry on walls to separate the space with softness, color and texture. Position wall decor at eye level to keep the room in balance. Install floor-length draperies or swags in a fabric color that contrasts with the wall color. These can also help to break up the voluminous space between the ceiling and floor. Furniture and Lighting Keep the size of your furniture pieces in scale with the higher ceilings. Large furniture with high backs and massive arms, legs and cushions provide the room with the proportions that can visually lower a high ceiling. Smaller furniture pieces may appear dwarfed, making the ceiling feel higher. Arranging the seating areas in two or three smaller groupings avoids an expansive auditorium feeling. Visually lower the ceiling by hanging chandeliers and pendant lights on long chains or cords to brighten the space below. References (4) About the Author Mary Cockrill's education and certifications in interior design and home staging have allowed her to author numerous home-related articles. Cockrill has been a top design consultant for a renowned home store and is the owner of Starwood Home & Gifts, LLC, an interior design, decorating and home staging business. She holds a Bachelor of Science in secondary education with a comprehensive major in office administration. Photo Credits Thomas Northcut/Digital Vision/Getty Images