Some homes and apartments have 7'-8' ceilings that can make a room feel small. Basement ceilings are often low and transforming them into livable spaces is challenging. Try these tips for the illusion of height.
1) Add crown molding. The purpose of crown and base moldings is to draw the eye to them. By adding a crown at the junction of the wall and ceiling, the eye will be drawn upward. Don't use too large a crown or it may seem out of proportion. When installed, a 7' room looks best with a 2" to 2 1/2" crown and an 8' room can use 3" to 3 3/4" crown.
2) Accent the floor. By using a great area rug, you can draw the eye to its bold colors or exciting pattern.
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| A tall cabinet and draperies help a small room | . |
3) Raise your window treatments. When the ceilings are low, often the windows are as well.By raising the treatments above the window (and to the sides when possible) it makes the windows appear taller and adds to the sense that the room is too.
4) Lighten the paint colors. In practice, lighter and cooler colors in the blue and green family tend to make spaces seem larger. By painting ceilings light (white, light cream, etc.) and the walls a different light color, you gain light reflectance and the sense that the room is spacious.
5) Don't hang down. Avoid hanging track lights, ceiling fans, and other bulky fixtures (like vents in kitchens) from low ceilings. Instead use recessed fixtures, downdraft venting and wall mounted lighting. Try using up-lights in corners, behind plants, and have wall sconces shine up rather than down.
6) Use art and mirrors wisely. If you hang artwork higher than 'eye level' - which often means that the center of the art is between 5' and 5'-6" from the floor - the space under the art makes the walls appear taller. That said, the scale of the art with the room, the wall, and the orientation (horizontal or vertical) should still look balanced. Floor mirrors and well-placed wall mounted mirrors work well.
7) Go vertical. Just like linear patterns make people look taller and narrower, using vertical stripes in a small room will make it appear taller. That can be accomplished with paint, architectural elements, or wall coverings.
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