Use white – and more white. Naturally, white will do the trick very successfully – and there's something serene and beautiful about white walls and ceiling. One continuous shade will blur boundaries and create the illusion of height.
In order to give low ceilings some height, we advise painting them in light shades. Radiant white, soft cream or delicate pastel hues are best suited for low ceilings, as they open up the room visually, reflect the light better, and make the ceiling appear further away.
For decades, white paint on ceilings has been considered the best choice — and the safest. You can count on a fresh coat of white paint to cover candle smoke, cooking oils and sunlight stains, and brightening up the room below. Choosing to paint your ceiling white can often be an ideal solution.
A white ceiling makes smaller spaces feel larger. For seamless color flow, select a white for your ceiling that shares a similar undertone as the wall color. Favorite whites for ceilings include White Dove OC-17, Cloud White OC-130 and Decorator's White OC-149.
White is a popular ceiling paint color, and it's not just out of an adherence to tradition. Homeowners and designers favor white as a ceiling color because: White Reflects Light: The ceiling reflects light as much, or more than the other four walls.
So, what colors make a room look bigger? For an optimum effect, go with soft tones like off-white, blues, and greens, and always remember that brighter rooms feel bigger and more inviting. And here's another hack: Try painting your wall trim and moldings in a lighter color than your walls.
Choose Dark Flooring
Unless the room is also small, going with dark flooring can actually draw the eye away from the low ceiling. Why not go with an espresso stained hardwood or a Brazilian Walnut? Add a fun area rug to draw even more visual interest to the floor.
White is often used as a ceiling color because it complements almost every shade on the color wheel and works well in most color schemes. White reflects light, brightening the room and making it appear larger.
Paint your ceiling the same color as your walls. This will draw the eye up, which creates the illusion of a larger room and higher ceilings. Bonus if you're able to install some trim and crown molding, as I've found this can also make the ceilings look higher.
The addition of a high ceiling can create a larger feeling on its own; however, there are several other decorating techniques that make a room feel visually bigger than its actual measurements indicate.
Lots of people think 8 feet is the minimum ceiling height because that's a common height in most homes, but it's actually 7 feet according to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z765). Technically ANSI says it's okay to have a ceiling height at 6'4″ under beams though.
Today's standard ceiling height is nine feet.
Newer houses are often built with nine-foot ceilings on the first floor (and, sometimes, eight-foot ceilings on the second story). While many custom builders will assume that homeowners want nine-foot ceilings, don't take it for granted.
Big floral patterns make a room appear larger. Install wallpaper with horizontal stripes to make a room seem wider, or commit to vertical stripes to stretch the room visually and raise the ceiling. A busy pattern featuring chevrons, simple geometric designs, or a texture that mimics marble can make a room seem bigger.
Darker shades of colors like blue, purple and brown can also help to hide flaws and create a slimming illusion. On the other hand, lighter colors, like white and khaki, can add pounds and give the illusion of a larger frame.
What Is Considered Low Ceiling Height? For residential rooms such as bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, hallways, or offices, anything less than eight feet is low. A seven-foot-high ceiling makes the space feel cramped and crowded.
Paint the ceiling spaces between the beams white or a light color for contrast with darker wood. The eye sees an area higher than the beams and automatically perceives the actual ceiling as farther away, adding to the illusion of height.
Flat latex paint is usually the preferred paint for textured ceilings. If the ceiling is not textured, or not covered in what is known in the industry as "a layer of popcorn," then an eggshell or satin paint can add a glossy sheen to the uniform surface of the ceiling.
Should Ceiling Color Match Trim And Molding? It's up to you to paint your ceiling to match the trim – it's a personal decision; however, everyone seems to agree that having your ceiling matched by trim and the trim adds a unified and clean appearance to any space.
Contrasting the Walls
Contrasting the ceiling color with that on the walls can also serve the same eye-catching function as making the ceiling and wall match. If you paint the ceiling a darker color than the walls, it will make the ceiling feel closer and the room feel smaller.