A low basement ceiling makes the room look small and dark.
Low ceilings in a basement remodel are a common problem in older homes. There's not much remodelers can do about the actual height of the ceiling, so techniques to fool the eye into thinking the room is larger and the ceiling higher come into play. Adding color and light is the simplest way to address the problem. Other fixes involve an investment in furnishings, a little bit of physical labor and a modicum of expertise.
Instructions
1. Check to see if you can raise the ceiling. A drop ceiling that takes up some of the room's height is fairly simple to remove. Once it's removed, hang sheetrock from the floor joists above or leave the room as is. Ducting and pipes may have a loft/industrial look, which you can use as a theme for the rest of the d cor if you choose not to hang sheetrock.
2. Turn joists into beams if there is no ductwork or wiring in the ceiling of the room. Paint the spaces between the joists white. Paint the joists a slightly darker color, but avoid painting them dark brown or black. That will make the ceiling look lower. Keep in mind that you will lose insulation and sound proofing with this method.
3. Paint the room a light color and leave the ceiling white. This makes the room appear more spacious and draws attention from the low ceiling. An accent wall painted a striking color will also draw attention away from the ceiling.
4. Build floor-to-ceiling open shelving. The light colored paint behind the shelving provides the impression that the room is larger and the use of floor-to-ceiling shelving tricks the eye into believing the ceiling is higher than it is.
5. Install recessed lighting rather than hanging lamps. Can lights in the ceiling and floor spot lights combine to provide plenty of illumination. When the ceiling is brightened, it appears higher. If you can't install recessed lighting in the ceiling, use a series of track lights around the edges of the room, rather than in the center.
6. Use smaller-scale furniture with clean lines. Large furniture emphasizes the height of the ceiling and ornate furniture tends to seem large, even if it isn't. Place easy chairs in groupings away from the wall with simple tables between them rather than using a large sectional and coffee table. Use area rugs to help define the seating areas.
7. Use decorative columns or half-walls to define spaces, rather than building walls. Open spaces help create the illusion of height. Consider making a focal point of a half-wall by building it out of glass block and incorporating string lights in the design. This draws the eye away from the ceiling.
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