How to Make a Low Ceiling Look Higher: Interior Tricks That Visually Increase the Height of a Room
The height of the ceiling affects not only visual perception, but also the psychological state of residents and guests.
For example, a low ceiling creates a feeling of oppression, a person feels locked in a small space, as if he was put in a cage.
In most cases, it is impossible to physically increase the height of the ceiling, but there are tricks that will help you do it visually.
9 Tricks for a High Ceiling
1. Use long curtains that hang from the ceiling to the floor. This technique "stretches" the wall. Short curtains, on the contrary, hide the height.
2. Avoid hanging chandeliers on long chains or cords. This accessory is suitable for rooms with high ceilings, but in ordinary ones it steals space.
3. Use lighting techniques correctly. Try to place lighting fixtures in the middle of the space. Sconces, floor lamps and a table lamp will not only make the room cozier, but also create the feeling that the ceiling is higher than it actually is.
4. Remember the golden rule of designers: light directed upward increases the height of the ceiling, and light directed downward decreases it. Therefore, in many designer interiors, instead of a classic chandelier, wall lamps are used, the light of which is directed toward the ceiling.
5. Choose the lightest and lowest furniture possible. Bulky sofas, high-backed chairs, wide wardrobes make the room even lower and oppressive. A person perceives things by relating them to others. It is not without reason that in photographs a matchbox is placed next to the object so that it can be seen how big it is in relation to the box. The same scheme works in the interior. In relation to a small chair and sofa, the walls seem higher.
6. Choose furniture with thin legs, it will look smaller.
7. Like curtains, doors and floor-to-ceiling cabinets create the impression that the ceiling is higher than it actually is. This rule applies to any tall object, whether it's a shelving unit, a bookcase, a window, or a houseplant.
8. If you paint the ceiling lighter than the walls, it will create a feeling of lightness and spaciousness. A dark ceiling will be “oppressive”.
9. If you are painting a wall, divide it diagonally into two colors. Start the diagonal from the middle of the wall. This is a kind of optical illusion for the brain, because of which it will not be able to calculate the real height of the walls.
In some situations, you can try to make the walls higher on a physical level. For example, choose the thinnest floor covering, thin soundproofing and heat-insulating materials.
