Unlike lower ceilings, cathedral ceilings look gorgeous when decorated with elaborate painting and paneling.
While cathedral ceilings can greatly enhance the style and impact of rooms, they are sometimes difficult to coordinate with other decor. Without careful decorating, cathedral ceilings can easily overwhelm rooms or make them seem cold. To integrate a cathedral ceiling more fully into a decor scheme, use lofty or oversize accessories, such as tall potted plants or trees. Hanging items from the cathedral ceiling, such as large potted plants or mobiles, helps blend the ceiling into the rest of the room's decor. Hanging curtains at a normal ceiling height makes the room feel warmer. Dark rugs or flooring keeps furniture visually anchored.
Paint
Whether to accentuate or downplay the cathedral ceiling depends upon personal tastes. Painting cathedral ceilings in tones of white or cream gives rooms an airy feel, while also reflecting and emphasizing any natural light. This choice works well for kitchens or bathrooms, especially when paired with tall cabinetry. On the other hand, to make a room feel more cozy, paint the cathedral ceiling in a dark color, which helps to visually de-emphasize it. Also reduce the impact of a cathedral ceiling by adding a high-impact paint stripe or wallpaper strip at normal ceiling height.
Beams
Ceiling beams can add rustic warmth to cathedral ceilings. If ceiling beams are already installed, accent them with a dark shade or with a shade that starkly contrasts with the color of the ceiling. For best results choose an accent color that is already repeated in the rest of the room's decor. If ceiling beams are not installed, consider adding faux beams. Wooden beams give rooms an old-fashioned feel, while colorful beams give rooms a modern, clean look.
Panels and Molding
Add visual interest to the cathedral ceiling by paneling it. Dark wood panels make rooms feel more inviting, while white-washed pine panels give rooms spacious country chic.
Molding can also effectively accent cathedral ceilings. Paint existing molding in striking colors or varnish it to a high gloss. Add molding if you like. Unlike lower ceilings, cathedral ceilings can withstand elaborate designs without feeling overdone, so use this opportunity to experiment with elaborate rococo designs. To bring rooms down to scale, add molding at a normal ceiling level.
Adding latticework to the ceiling gives it Victorian flair. Another Victorian trick that works well for cathedral ceilings involves wallpapering it in rich, textured papers.
Lighting
Rooms with cathedral ceilings require different lighting than rooms with lower ceilings. For best results, use a number of light sources placed at multiple levels. To emphasize the cathedral ceiling, direct lights upward; to emphasize ceiling height, direct lights downward. Tall lamps and oversize chandeliers complement cathedral ceilings' grandeur, while hanging ceiling lights on long cords helps make rooms feel less lofty.
Artwork
To best complement cathedral ceilings, hang artwork higher than eye level. Tall art pieces play well off the grandeur of the cathedral ceiling. Hang large, matching collections of artwork together. Long tapestries also work well for this purpose.
Tags: cathedral ceiling, cathedral ceilings, cathedral ceilings, ceiling height, give rooms, lower ceilings, normal ceiling