How to Decorate a Living Room with High Ceilings
If you desire extra space in your living room, but all available is vertical, you will encounter unique decorating challenges.
When your living room has a high ceiling, it means that there is a significant amount of unutilised space above the 8-foot-high point. Extra vertical space creates a feeling of luxury and magnificence, but it can also bring a sense of emptiness and coldness. If not correctly decorated, a living room with a high ceiling can appear unappealing. It would help if you blended the lower and upper areas to avoid the unattractive look by directing the eyes upwards.
The following are ways to decorate a living room with high ceilings and make the most of your ceilings.
1. Hang Curtains High
This is an idea that some people cannot comprehend, but no matter the height of your windows, hang your curtains at ceiling height. If they hang lower than the ceiling, you will have a space between the ceiling and the curtain, making the upper area appear cold and isolated. Although hanging your curtains at ceiling height will require extra curtain fabric, it will make your living room look fantastic and create a dramatic effect. Use fabric in a solid colour as a pattern may overwhelm the space when used this way.
2. Create an Accent Wall
An accent wall from the floor to the ceiling will help unit two parts of a room. You can achieve this inexpensively using a can of paint, or you can go the extra mile and do something more involving. A fireplace can be extended upwards with more stone, brick, or tile. Another option that will enhance the space without overwhelming it is a wood pallet. Such an accent wall can work well with wallpaper, but a professional should undertake the work. Working on cathedral-ceiling heights requires skills as it can be dangerous to an unskilled and inexperienced person.
3. Use a Grand Lighting Fixture
Use an imposing lighting fixture to act as a visual connection between the floor and the ceiling. For this to work, the lighting fixture should have a personality of its own and enhance the lighting appearance of the room.
The lighting fixture should hang in a vital spot, but the place you hang it will be determined by the room. However, the centre of the living room or above the coffee table always works. Go for a prominent lighting fixture but not essentially heavy. For example, a crystal chandelier can be an elegant and striking option.
4. Be Creative with Shelves and Bookcases
Tall shelves and bookcases are excellent solutions to fill a space in a living room. You can introduce shelves to the walls and customise them in height, position, and number, depending on your preference. For a more sophisticated look, you can use glass display cabinets, which are lighter in appearance. When filled with glassware and silver, they provide an elegant and more decadent appearance to space, looking like a treasure chest filled with jewels.
5. Apply Architectural Details
Most homes with high ceilings have architectural details such as exposed beadboard or beam. If your home does not have these details, you can add some, but it will cost you. Architectural elements add character and depth to plain-looking spaces.
6. Use an Antique Mirror
Introduce an iconic mirror or a cluster of small ones to an empty and lifeless wall. Antique mirrors easily blend into any décor style in addition to having a classic touch and looking ornamental. You have endless options for purchasing antique mirrors, as you can choose minimalist and simple styles or more decorative and ornate designs. There is a mirror that will perfectly complement your décor.
7. Hang Artwork and Decorative Items High
You can make good use of empty spaces by hanging decorative items and artwork there. The wall can be made to be gallery-style to run the entire height or hang another large item high up the wall. Any item you hang should match the rest of the items in the room. However, no matter the size of the items, a decorated high wall draws the eye upwards.
8. Balance with Bulky Furniture
Large furniture can offer a solid foundation in a room with high ceilings. The furniture can ground the space to fill it up visually and eradicate the soaring feeling. Consider using furniture proportional to the area; wide and tall pieces, such as a chesterfield sofa, fill out the room horizontally and vertically.
