Ceilings You Can Look Up To

As with high ceilings, the easiest and cheapest way to create an illusion of space often begins with paint choices. "To add height to a room with low ceilings, paint a lighter color to create the illusion of height," Mary Rice, vice president of marketing for BEHR Paints says. Rice adds that it isn't just about the color choices, but also the sheen of your paint that matters when dealing with low-slung ceilings. "Painting low ceilings with semi-gloss paint will make them seem higher, as well."

But painting a room isn't the only way to visually raise the roofline. Interior designer Beth Haley says just as in taller, more open rooms, lighting is an important player in the design scheme when trying to give a greater sense of vertical space. She says getting creative with light can really expand the sense of space in a cramped room.

"You can create the illusion of natural light and higher ceilings by designing your own sky lights," Haley says. "Install lighting hidden by a cove trim or soffit. The will give the appearance that the rooms lifts, or has natural light."

Hal Swanson, co-founder of Los Angeles-based Swanson-Ollis Design, says choice use of fabrics can also visually lengthen a room. "Remember what your mother said about vertical stripes making you look taller? Or was that thinner? Well, that trick works with wall coverings, too!" he says. "Striped wall coverings will help visually push up the ceiling. Build out cove molding around all of the windows, creating drapery pockets, and install full-length drapery that just touches the floor."

"It may be that the strangely shaped room can be used to your advantage to create a mood or feeling for the space and/or to add drama," she says. "The ceiling needs to be considered in the overall scheme for the space. Keep in mind that completing a room — window treatments, art, furnishings and accessories — makes any room feel comfortable. It is not necessarily the ceiling height that is distracting or awkward."

Make It All Work Together
While an architectural ceiling can be a fantastic focal point for any room, it's important to remember that all the elements in a room work together to create the overall effect you want.

"Great ceilings will add style and dimension to any space, no matter how low and small or tall and grand," says Swanson. "The challenge is to have a connection or balance in the room from top to bottom and side to side."

Alyson McNutt English writes on a variety of topics, including parenting, decorating and home renovation, for several regional and national publications like Self, Kiwi and Parenting. Based in Baton Rouge, La., she is a regular contributor to HGTV.com.