Are low ceilings bringing you down, and making you feel a bit claustrophobic in your own home? Fear not, my friend! With a few clever interior decorating tricks, you can give those ceilings a virtual lift and make them appear much taller than they are. Whether you’re living in a cozy bungalow or a city apartment, these tips will help you create the illusion of more vertical space, making your rooms feel airier and more open. So, read on for some practical and creative decorating tips on how to make ceilings look higher.
Most of us are not blessed with architectural features like vaulted ceilings and large windows in our homes that make a space feel grand. In fact, the vast majority of homes have 8-foot ceilings. The good news is that there are some simple decorating tricks and optical illusions that we can use to be used to give the illusion of a higher ceiling. In this post, I’ve compiled the best advice from designers, and a bunch of different ways to make low-ceiling spaces look taller. By using the right furnishings, tall mirrors, and different colors in your home, you can go a long way toward making your ceiling height appear higher than it is.
1. Use Light Colors on the Ceiling and Walls
The best way to make your room feel bigger, and give the illusion of height in your space is to use light colors on the walls and ceilings. Light colors naturally recede, which helps spaces feel bigger, and can make ceilings look higher. Painting your ceiling a light color, preferably white or off-white, can give the impression of height. Use the same or a slightly darker shade for your wall color to enhance this effect, drawing the eye upwards seamlessly. Check out this post for my favorite paint colors for a white ceiling.
Source: Jenna Kate at Home
2. Reflect Light with Mirrors
Mirrors are not only great for reflecting light and making spaces feel brighter and larger, but when positioned strategically, they can also make ceilings feel higher. Placing a tall mirror on a wall, or leaning it against a wall, will help to catch the light in your room and reflect vertical lines, leading the eye upward. In other words, when you use mirrors, you can make the entire room look larger.
3. Hang Curtains High
One of the simplest yet most effective tricks is to hang your curtains as high as possible. Fix curtain rods just below the ceiling line and let the curtains drop down to the floor. This elongates the walls by drawing the eye upward along the length of the curtains, making the ceiling feel higher. Choose curtains and other window treatments with a vertical pattern or stripes, rather than horizontal lines, to enhance this effect.
Source: Decor Pad
4. Light it Up
Another great way to give the illusion high ceilings in a room is to use recessed ceiling lights, and light fixtures that hang close to the ceiling. Recessed lighting is ideal for low ceilings because it doesn’t intrude into the space. If you prefer pendant lights or chandeliers, go for fixtures that draw the eye up without hanging too low (e.g., semi-flush mount light fixtures). Using tall floor lamps and uplighting, over table lamps and wall lights, can also create the illusion of higher ceilings by drawing the eye upwards and highlighting the ceiling.
5. Choose Low-Profile Furniture
Furniture that sits lower to the ground creates more visible space between the furniture and the ceiling, making the room seem taller. For the living room, choose sofas, chairs, and coffee tables with a lower profile to give the illusion of more space between your furniture and the ceiling. For bedrooms, a shorter headboard will create more space between a lower ceiling and your furniture, giving the illusion of a higher ceiling. Choose sofas, chairs, and beds/headboards with a lower profile to trick the eye into perceiving your ceilings as higher. Another trick interior designers use is to choose furniture pieces with exposed legs. Having a visual gap between the base of the furniture and the floor can give the impression of openness and height.
6. Use Vertical Space and Lines
Incorporate elements that have strong vertical lines and/or run from the floor to the ceiling. This can dramatically alter the perception of your room’s height and trick the eye into seeing a taller space. Tall, slim bookcases are a great example of this!
You can also install vertical shiplap, or wallpaper with vertical stripes to elongate walls, and make ceilings look higher. Also, be sure to install your kitchen cabinets all the way up to the ceiling. Not only does this provide extra storage, but it does a great job of emphasizing vertical space.
Source: Crisp Architects
7. Add Crown Moulding
You might think that adding crown molding to a room would make the ceiling look lower, but the opposite is true. Crown moulding brings visual attention to the ceiling, and creates the illusion of a taller and grander room. There are a lot of different sizes and styles for crown moulding, so be sure to choose an option that is appropriate for your ceiling height.
Source: Housely
Transforming a room with low ceilings into a space that feels open and airy is all about visual tricks and smart decorating choices. By implementing these tips on how to make ceilings look higher, you can create a home that feels more spacious and welcoming. Remember, the goal is to draw the eye upward and use as much vertical space as possible. With a little creativity and strategic planning, your home decorating projects can reach new heights—literally!
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