What to Do About Very Low Ceilings in My Apartment?

In interior design, there is usually no single correct solution: the same task can be solved in completely different ways. For example, here is how designers solve the problem of low ceilings — each in their own way. Choose the option that appeals to you.

Yelena Zhdanova: «Choose vertical poster and picture formats»

«In a room with low ceilings, avoid images that are stretched horizontally. Vertical formats and vertical placement can visually raise the ceiling, while horizontal ones stretch the room». Nika Rusanova: «I suggest painting the ceiling cornice the same color as the walls»

«In my project of a 2-room apartment in a «panel» building, the ceiling height was only 2.4 meters. We did everything to visually raise it, — shares the designer. — We painted the ceiling cornice the same color as the walls, chose a light color palette and minimalist suspended lights».

Designers from BeInDesign Studio: «Multi-level ceiling + backlighting»

«Additional height can be added to the ceiling by installing profiles around the perimeter of the room. Such a multi-level ceiling with LED backlighting «opens up» the space and makes it appear higher».

Ekaterina Logvinova: «Paint the entire ceiling in the same tone as the walls»

«If you paint the walls and ceiling in one light color, the space will appear more airy and the ceilings higher».

Irina Krashe nnikova: «A winning option — contrast edging»

«The ceiling doesn't have to be white. By drawing attention to the ceiling with color, you «include» it in the interior. Contrast edging on the ceiling accentuates the ceiling, highlights it as an additional plane in space, thus visually raising it as well».

Ilya Nasonov: «Use light!»

«With daylight lamps with a cool color spectrum, you can visually change the geometry of the room. If you place wall sconces slightly below human height and direct light downward, the ceiling will seem lower. If illuminated by several floor lamps directed at the ceiling, it visually rises».

What do Western designers suggest?

Jean-Louis Denio: «Lighting should come from the floor»

«Avoid a chandelier on the ceiling: it worsens the feeling of crowding in a small room — it seems even smaller than it actually is. Remember: all lighting should come from the floor, not from the ceiling».

Christine Polman: «Crown molding near the ceiling and flowing curtains»

«A winning way to visually expand the interior space is to hang the crown molding closer to the ceiling. To achieve maximum effect, flowing curtains all the way down will help. Also hang open shelves — they also visually raise the ceiling».