Decorating tips for low ceilings

The internet is full of design and decorating tips but what if your property isn’t standard? Most properties in stylish photographs online show beautifully high ceilings and tons of space. What if you have low ceilings? Of course, everything looks better when positioned in a light airy glamourous space! Despite what we see online, not every home is blessed with cathedral-height ceilings and huge south-facing windows so, for all those with low ceilings and odd-shaped rooms, here are some decorating tips:

Keep It Simple

For low ceilings in the kitchen, the best option is to keep things simple. Think white walls, white ceilings, light furniture and pops of colour or pattern in the blinds or curtains to draw the eye upwards. A small contemporary light fixture as opposed to a hanging pendant is a good idea and can be made to look more attractive with the addition of a stylish Ceiling rose. For a range of modern ceiling roses, visit a site like Creative Cables.

Take storage to full height

When you are working with less vertical space, you need all the storage space you can get. Consider having open shelves all the way up the wall. The same goes for the kitchen cabinets – that gap over the top of the cupboards looks especially ridiculous in a shorter space, so take everything to the ceiling and maximise the available space.

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Consider making it a feature

Older houses do not shy away from a wooden panelled ceiling or bead board, even when they are low ceilings. This type of décor does do a good job of drawing attention to the area, but not in a bad way! This traditional look can work perfectly in an older or period property where a low ceiling is part of the history of the building and should be celebrated. Rustic wood is highly fashionable and by decking out the ceiling, doors and cabinets of the same material, it helps to produce feelings of flow and peace.

Keep furniture low

If you are looking to visually increase the height of a room, it’s important to keep heavier or larger pieces of furniture as low to the ground as possible. Low slung furniture will make the rest of the space feel bigger.

Make use of colour

Most people immediately opt for white as it is traditionally thought to be the best shade for making a space feel and look larger. However, unless the space is bathed in natural, bright sunlight most of the time, white won’t make that much difference. Soft colours work best in small rooms, and this applies to the challenges of height restrictions too. The smart use of colour can change a cramped space into one of that feels cosy and cocoon-like.

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Focus the eye somewhere else

By choosing bold wallpaper or creating interest with clever shelving, choice of materials or storage, no one is going to be looking at the ceiling! For example, one wall decorated with a bold wallpaper will draw the eye towards and make the room feel longer too.