How to Raise Low Ceilings: 7 Pro Tips

Low furniture, multi-level lighting, stripes on wallpaper and curtains – every designer has their own favorite tricks to stretch a room vertically. Let's look and learn.

1. Coffered Ceilings

Ceiling coffers (square panels) steal 10 precious centimeters from you, but visually, strangely enough, they 'lift' the ceiling: it becomes voluminous and stops pressing down on your mind. This effect was known to ancient Greeks, who invented coffered ceilings.

Design: Olga Kulikovskaya-Eshbi

2. Curtains from Floor to Ceiling

All vertical elements stretch the room upwards: you can order bookshelves from floor to ceiling, or simply hang long curtains on the windows.

Design: Daria Shirokova, Inga Arshba

3. Light Play

In a room with low ceilings, it's better to move away from ceiling lights in favor of several local light sources. The most eye-friendly light is provided by floor lamps – second-level lighting. Some of them can fully replace a chandelier. Table lamps – the lower level – also participate in the game.

Design: Svetlana Gavrilova

4. Black Ceiling

This trick works best in small spaces like hallways or bathrooms. A black ceiling literally melts into the air, making it impossible to determine its true height. An additional trick is to extend a color (in this case, black) from the wall to the ceiling – it also works.

Design: Tatiana Shishkina5. Built-in LED Trim Lighting Around the Ceiling

Want to create an illusion of a light, floating ceiling? Use LED trim lighting. The reality is that the actual ceiling will be about 10–15 cm lower.

Design: Alexandra LadanovaDesign: Denew Interior Studio

6. Low Furniture

In a room with low ceilings, furniture should also be low and proportional to the space. There should not be too much of it. All excess should be tucked away into wardrobes that span from floor to ceiling and look like a smooth wall.

Design: Geometrium

7. Tall Doorways

Increasing door frame height makes a room look more spacious, higher, and more elegant. Designers often use this trick in classical interiors.

Design: Daria Shirokova, Inga Arshba

On the cover: design project by Svetlana Gavrilova.