Decorating Rooms with High Ceilings

The beauty of a high, vaulted or two-story ceiling can be quite mesmerizing, and having such a large house is nothing but a dream come true! With large houses, one doesn’t need to worry about cluttering the space available, because there’s plenty, however, creating a comfortable and welcoming feeling to the space beneath it, can be quite daunting.



Lack of proper interior design can make the house feel like an empty cave or auditorium. However, the elegance, drama and opulence of houses with high ceilings can be retained by skillful arrangement of furniture and clever selection of wall color and decor. Let’s find out how we can prevent large houses with large rooms from looking intimidating, cavernous and boring.

Factors to be Considered…
Wall Color and Molding



Installing molding in rooms with high ceilings is a good idea, because the molding can be used to create an illusion of a lower, false ceiling. Moreover, the wall below the molding can be painted a different, preferably darker shade. This will again impart the feeling that the ceiling is lower. Avoid painting the high ceiling white. This is because, white paint will cause the room to feel like an auditorium, thereby lacking the cohesiveness and warmth a house should have. Preferably use colors that are same as the walls to paint the ceilings. This will give the room an inviting look. You could even use a neutral shade to give the room a bright look, however, add a wash of color to the high ceilings. Using warm, rose-based gray, rustic terracotta, mellow yellow and other such colors will be a good idea. Wall papers with bold, large and rich prints can also be used.

Flooring



We often underestimate the role of flooring, in making rooms look cozy and inviting. Placing a large rug or carpet in high-ceilinged rooms, helps reduce its cavernous feel. Choose a rug that complements the color scheme and style and place it in such a way that it creates a sense of coziness. If you find large rugs difficult to maintain, you can also place different colored tiles or wooden panels in the center of the room, to mimic a carpet. This will not only give your house the cozy, carpet-feel, but also does away with cumbersome carpet maintenance. Raising the flooring in certain areas can create special corners for bookshelves (reading zone), large screen TV, LCD projector or sound system (movie zone), dining table (dining zone) etc. This divides the large room into separate zones, thereby making the room look cozier. However, if raised flooring is not feasible, consider different complimenting tiles or flooring to divide the floor into different zones.

Lighting



Lighting is what gives the high-ceilinged room its glorious look, which is why it requires special attention. Large chandeliers are perfect for such cavernous rooms. There are all kinds of chandeliers available, however, the one you choose should fit the scale of your room. If the room is huge, get a nice large chandelier, because a smaller chandelier will only make the room look even bigger. Tall lamps that occupy more vertical space are also great for such rooms. Adding 24-26 inch wall scones can also give the room a dramatic effect.



Golden light is preferred, as it imparts a warm, cozy look to the room. It’s always best to consider the illumination plan while the house is being built. Homeowners should actually visualize their furniture settings, etc. during the construction phase so along with the electrician, they can work out the best wiring setup for the most appropriate lighting system of the room. Ensure that the electrician puts in general lighting, accent, task lighting and dimmers as well.

Draperies



In high-ceilinged rooms, sometimes windows go all the way up to the ceiling. However, even if they don’t, it’s better to hang draperies high. This is because the room will look more grand, balanced and comfortable. To keep the high-ceilinged room from drawing the heat in, choose draperies with high insulation value. This makes it easier to manage the cooling for the entire house.

Furniture



Furnishings play a major role in creating a sense of cohesiveness when it comes to decorating rooms with high ceilings. Purchasing furniture pieces with taller backs, massive legs and arms, adequate cushioning, etc. helps the room look cozier and comfortable. Small pieces of furniture will just get swallowed in such high-ceilinged rooms. Moreover, the height of the walls will cause low-slung chairs to look dwarfed. Besides choosing the furniture, arranging them appropriately is also important. In such rooms, it is best to group furniture pieces together in different areas of the room, thereby, creating smaller seating areas which help alleviate the cavernous feel.

Wall Hangings and Wall Art



High-ceilinged rooms have large walls, which if left empty will only add to the cavernous feel of the room. One should put up wall hangings or wall art according to the style of the room. Cottage-like, vintage houses should have wall hangings that go with the style, and same goes for the modern ones. Fabric wall hangings, large wall carpets, large artwork, decorative frames, etc. can be placed on the walls. However, these pieces should be placed at eye level, to bring down the ceiling level.



If you are having a hard time deciding on large art pieces, you can also work with smaller pieces. However, for this you will have to remember one golden word ‘grouping’. This will solve your wall decoration dilemma. Single frames will only get lost on the huge walls. Instead, place a group of paintings, mirrors or other decorative frames in a lovely design on the walls. This will reduce the emptiness of your walls without letting the frames from dissolving into them. If you decide to place potted plants, make sure the size of your plants matches the scale of the room.



Decorating rooms with high ceilings can prove to be quite a challenge. However, focusing on the color, texture, furniture, wall coverings, etc. one can overcome the challenge. Creating a stylish ambiance in high-ceilinged rooms will make the house more appealing and inviting.

Decorating Rooms with High Ceilings