5 Ways to Get This Look: High Ceiling Living Room

Friends who have two story rooms in their homes tell me that those high ceilings can make decorating tricky.  It’s a bit of a balancing act to keep the room from seeming cavernous when you are arranging furniture, draperies, and accessories.  I spotted this lovely living room at Better Homes & Gardens, and it actually took me a minute to realize that this cozy room had a very high ceiling.  This is the way to decorate a tall space.

Things that–in my opinion–really bring this room together include the placement of wall art, lovely curtains on those show-stopping windows, and layers of pretty accessories and furnishings.  In a room with a lower ceiling, the amount of furniture and accessories might make this room look too busy, but with all the white space the tall walls of this room provide, you can get away with lots of layers.

I looked around until I found some DIY projects that are similar to some of the elements of this room that I loved.  Take a look at them if you are interested in getting a similar look without breaking the bank.  Here are 5 Ways to Get This Look.

1.  Long Curtains

Fussy, voluminous draperies would be a little much in these proportions, that’s why curtains with a simple design and a light weight are perfect for tall rooms.  Grace Lee Cottage offers a tutorial for adding length to inexpensive curtain panels.

2.  Typography Art

The large scale of the typography art in my inspiration photo is the perfect for covering up some of that empty wall space up there.  Typography works well in such a place, because it’s simple and doesn’t take a lot of effort to view from down below.  I found some personalized type art at Inspire Co., and thought it would be fun to do something with special family dates like this, in a group of three or more.

3.  Glass Bottle Lamp

I love the size and color of the green glass bottle lamp in my inspiration photo.  Did you know that if you find a bottle that you like, you can make one of these for yourself?  Find out how at The Inspired Room.

4.  Simple Coffee Table

It’s not hard to find coffee tables at thrift shops and garage sales that just need a little TLC to look amazing.  But if you can’t find one you like in the shape or size that you need, there are some great tutorials out there for building your own.  I happen to like this one that Shanty 2 Chic made using plans by Ana White.

5.  Rustic Sign

The mantel in my inspiration photo makes use of a large mirror to add to it’s vertical presence.  That big mirror would be a little overwhelming if it weren’t for the way accessories, like that rustic garden sign, are layered around it.  Lil Blue Boo offers a tutorial for making rustic signs of your own out of pallet wood.

Do you have any rooms that pose big decorating challenges because of size or other things you can’t change, like window placement or traffic flow?  What are some of the things you’ve done to overcome those challenges?