How to decorate a room with a low ceiling – designer-recommended ways to a spacious feel

A room with restricted ceiling height can be challenging to decorate. It might mean a less than spacious feel – even if the area of the room is large. But it doesn’t have to be this way if you know how to decorate a room with a low ceiling.

Talk to interior design pros and you’ll discover there are ways to decorate a low-ceilinged room so the vibe is the opposite of cramped and ungenerous despite the room’s lack of height.

Here, we share the decorating ideas they adopt with low-ceilinged rooms from the colors to choose to the lighting to use so you can replicate their success with these spaces in your own home.

7 ways to decorate a room with a low ceiling

Decorating a room includes choosing a color scheme as well as selecting the furniture and furnishings for the space, and a room with a low ceiling will influence these choices.

‘When designing a room with a low ceiling, my goal is to create a sense of height and openness while maintaining balance,’ says interior designer Mike Belk, owner and founder of BELK Tile.

Here’s how to go about it.

1. Draw the eye down

Take attention away from a less than lofty ceiling by focusing attention lower with your flooring ideas.

‘Draw the eye downward with a colorful and interesting rug,’ advises interior designer Julie Anne Burch. ‘A rug anchors the room and distracts from the ceiling height by creating a visual focal point on the floor. This approach makes the space feel cohesive and charming without emphasizing the low ceiling.'

2. Max out on the height

It’s possible to make the eye see a ceiling as taller than it really is and one of the ways to do this when decorating a low-ceilinged room is to use vertical items to max out on the height, says Los Angeles-based interior designer Victoria Holly.

‘For example, use tall bookcases that stop shy of the ceiling. Or floor-to-ceiling drapes,’ she says. That can mean breaking the general rule about how high to hang curtains but a low ceilinged room is definitely a space in which you can do so. Added bonus? It will create the illusion that the window is taller.

3. Consider furniture

Another way to decorate a low ceilinged room so it looks like a taller space is to choose the furniture carefully.

‘Look for lower profile furniture such as sofas, chairs, and beds that have a lower height,’ says Victoria Holly. ‘This way the ceiling feels taller. For example, look for a headboard at 34 inches high.’

But as well as its height, think about the size of furniture overall. ‘Furniture can either be to scale or oversized, depending on the space,’ says Julie Anne Burch. ‘In smaller rooms, scaled-down furniture prevents overcrowding, while oversized pieces in larger low-ceiling rooms create a bold, confident look that balances the ceiling height.’

4. Unify walls and ceiling

Room color that brings together walls and ceiling is recommended by interior designer Ali Budd. ‘Low ceilings can feel cozy instead of cramped with the right approach,’ she says.

‘Try treating the walls and ceiling as a cohesive canvas – paint them in a soft, inviting hue, or use a subtle wallpaper that flows seamlessly from wall to ceiling. This trick creates visual continuity, smoothing out any choppy breaks that make the space feel smaller. Choose a tone that works harmoniously with the rest of the room, adding an understated elegance.’

5. Treat the ceiling like a fifth wall

There is an alternative strategy to that of unifying walls and ceiling as above, according to Lucinda Loya, founder and principal of Lucinda Loya Interiors.

‘Think of a low ceiling as the room’s fifth wall, deserving of thoughtful attention,’ she suggests ‘Add visual interest and the illusion of height with trim detailing, graphic wallpaper, or reflective and mirrored panels.’

And while light paint ideas might seem the natural choice, it doesn’t have to be this way. ‘Don’t shy away from darker colors – contrary to popular belief, darker tones can create depth, making the ceiling appear endless,’ advises Lucinda.

6. Use lighting effectively

Ensure lighting ideas are part of the plan for decorating when a ceiling is low.

‘A massive chandelier or bulky pendant light?’ says Ali Budd. ‘Not here! Keep the space feeling uncluttered with flush-mount lights, streamlined sconces, or other minimalist fixtures that hug the ceiling or walls. Adding dimmable lights can give you the flexibility to set the mood – whether you want a bright and cheerful look or a soft, cozy glow.’

Think, too, about where the light falls. ‘For low ceilings, I favor wall sconces or floor lamps that cast light upward,’ says Mike Belk.

7. Hang artwork high

Where you place artwork on the walls of a low-ceilinged room can make a difference to how the room is perceived.

‘Move artwork near to the top of a wall (about 8 inches below the ceiling),’ says Leigh Spicher, national director of design studios for Ashton Woods Homes. ‘This will visually pull the perspective up.’

Adopt the right strategies when you’re decorating and it’s easy to correct what seem like unfavorable room proportions – including a low ceiling. Combine them with the basic interior design rules and your room won’t be compromised but welcoming and stylish.