How to Make a Room with a Vaulted Ceiling Cozy
Do you have a room with vaulted ceilings? This is a common element in homes, but it can be challenging to “fill” a room with so much vertical space. Without the right elements, you can have a room that feels more cold than cozy. By considering a few tips and tricks, a room with vaulted ceilings can have a grand AND cozy appeal.
Why do homes have vaulted ceilings?
As I mentioned, vaulted ceilings have become a popular element in homes. It offers a grand or elegant appearance and can transform a room that is otherwise ordinary. Taller ceiling height can create an airy feel to a home and make the space feel bigger overall. It can be a great way to bring more light into your home. Vaulted ceilings can also add value to a home. The feature dates back many years, and is known for the grand feeling it can give a space.
There are some cons to having vaulted ceilings, as well. Your heating bill will typically be higher, as your HVAC will have to work harder to fill the room. You also may face higher costs when choosing lighting or ceiling fans, because typically they need additional wiring in rooms with vaulted ceilings. These rooms can experience additional noise. Another potential downfall of taller ceiling rooms is the vertical space can be tricky to decorate.
All that said, generally, the pros outweigh the cons. Typically, the increased value of the home is worth it enough to most homeowners. There is an appeal to this look that makes homeowners view this feature as positive.
Decorating Strategies to Make High Ceiling Rooms Feel Cozy
There are a few decorating strategies to keep in mind when filling a room with vaulting ceilings. Here are my best tips and tricks.
Firstly, hang lighting and ceiling fans on a chain or downrod to bring it closer to the furniture. This will fill the vertical gap in a subtle way. Having an overhead light closer to the sitting areas like dining tables and sofas helps to make the ceiling feel closer without actually having it be at a lower height. It’s a great trick to fool the eye and pull off a more cozy look in a room with a vaulted ceiling.
Next, add drapes to give softness to the walls. Full-length drapery on the highest windows works well in rooms with higher ceilings. This can be an expensive tactic to implement, where you most likely will need custom drapery. If you are adding drapes on the lower windows of a room with high ceilings, it is best to make sure that your rods are at least a foot above the window. This drapery strategy can be more affordable and you can find high quality at places like Pottery Barn or even Amazon.
Consider adding architectural details. A few examples of this would be picture frame molding, exposed beams, shiplap, or built-in shelving with substantial height. This is another way to “fill” that space in a natural way. During a remodel of our home, we opted to raise the height of our built-in shelving to create better balance in the overall scale of the room.
Lastly, when choosing decorative features like lamps or wall decor, choose pieces with substantial scale. Larger art and mirrors work well to fill vertical space. I’ve mentioned before how mirrors can act in a myriad of ways to open and brighten a room! For lamps, choose a height of 26″ or higher to create scale on side tables.
Don’t Be Afraid of Vaulted Ceilings
It can feel overwhelming to start the decor process in a room with vaulted ceilings. However, implementing these few strategies can help you execute a grand and elegant space. You don’t have to implement every single strategy to be successful – doing at least 2 of the above will give much better results than none at all.
Remember, always incorporate your own style and have fun with it! And should you ever need decor assistance, just a reminder that Cass Design Co. offers design services!
Let me know in the comments below if you have used any of these strategies or if you’ve found any other tricks to help with this design challenge!
