A low ceiling can be a home decorator's nightmare. What can be done with those short little walls, angled sloped ceilings, or dreadfully low ceiling heights? Your decorating dilemma may seem like a lost cause, but don't let it get you down. We've got the help you need to turn this awkward space into something fabulous!
Whether your low ceiling is located in an attic room, basement, oddly shaped bedroom, or nook area, there are a few tricks you can use to give the illusion of a taller ceiling height, and make the room more visually appealing. What you may now consider to be a very awkward space, can become a cozy spot for a guest room, office, or reading area. Use these tips for dealing with your home decorating dilemma:
Open up the room - If your room currently has wallpaper border or molding, take it down at once. These materials chop up wall space and make the walls appear shorter than they even are. Additionally, if the room has wide baseboards, remove them and replace them with thin molding. This alone will help open up the room and give it new life.
Keep furniture to scale - When you decorate a room with a low ceiling, be careful with the furnishings you place in it. Big, bulky furniture will only serve to close the room in. Stay away from oversized chairs, heavily-cushioned sofas, or heavy wood furniture. Instead, bring in furniture of tall, slim design. If the furniture is so tall that it touches the low ceiling, don't worry. This will only help to elongate the walls and give them height.
Best color options - Light colors make a room look larger and help open up the space. Dark colors, on the other hand, will close a room in. Therefore, when you decorate a room with a low ceiling, light colors will be your best choice. Consider using a sunny yellow, cheerful blue or green, or a neutral ecru or taupe. These colors are versatile and bright, which is exactly what you need to deal with this decorating dilemma. Additionally, paint the ceiling, baseboards, and door jams with a bright white glossy paint. A bright white ceiling will draw the eye upwards, and give the illusion of longer wall space.
Elongate the windows - Don't forget the windows when you decorate a room with a low ceiling. Since these rooms typically have short windows, they can break up a wall and create an eyesore if they aren't dressed properly. Elongate the windows with our 'Ideas for Decorating Short Windows'.
Bring in vertical stripes - It's a known fact that clothing with vertical stripes will elongate the body and make a person look thinner. This same logic applies to walls, too. Bring in vertical stripes by way of wallpaper and curtains, in light color shades to lengthen the walls and make them look higher.
More from Jennifer Wagner
10 Ways to Make a Room Look Bigger
Storage Solutions for Small Spaces
Tips for Decorating an All White Room
SOURCE:
Personal knowledge and experience
