Vaulted ceilings add drama and a sense of spaciousness to a room.
A vaulted ceiling is a decorating boon, particularly in a room with limited square footage. High ceilings give the impression of greater overall space and offer the opportunity to introduce big, dramatic furnishings. Design options open up as you decorate a room with vaulted ceilings, because the colors you choose will depend more on the mood you want to set than any concerns over ceiling height.
Instructions
1. Use color to highlight or play down your ceiling height. Lighter colors reflect light, maximizing the sense of space in a room. Dark colors absorb light, making a space feel smaller than it actually is. One luxury of having vaulted ceilings is that you're the one who gets to choose whether to accentuate the height of your ceilings with light paint, or to visually pull them down by applying a dark shade. If you're aiming for an open, airy room, stick with light colored ceilings. If you have a large room that you'd like to feel cozier, paint the ceilings a darker shade than the room's walls.
2. Install large furnishings. Whether you've decided to paint the ceilings a light color or to make them feel lower by painting them a dark shade, take advantage of their height by introducing large pieces of furniture. A tall armoire, oversized fireplace mantel, large area rug and big, comfortable pieces of furniture can all be accommodated in a room with vaulted ceilings because of the sense of balance high ceilings add to a space.
3. Hang window treatments that fit the room's decor. If the abundance of natural light is a design element you want to play up, install simple window treatments with clean lines. Sheer Roman shades, plantation shutters and crisp accordion blinds will all offer privacy while allowing light into the space. This light will further accentuate the ceiling height. If you'd prefer a more dramatic look, hang extra-long draperies from rods installed about a foot over the window sill. The length of the drapes will pull the eye upward, bringing attention to the room's height. Make sure the drapes can open fully to allow daylight into the space.
4. Introduce artwork that's to scale. Opt for a few large, tall pieces rather than numerous smaller pieces, as small collections look like clutter in a big room. One large painting will make a greater visual impact than 10 small statues scattered around the room.
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