Ten Effective Ways to Deal with Low Ceilings

1. Paint can do wonders for your ceiling. Remember that cool colors recede, making the surface appear farther away. So pick a cool (temperature, not style!) color for your ceiling!
    
2. A shimmery or satin paint color can also make the ceiling appear higher by drawing the eye upward.
    
3. Painting the room in monotones will also make the ceiling appear higher. Be sure that the lightest tone of the series is used for the ceiling.
    
4. Don't break up the walls with horizontal lines. Chair rails, horizontal paint strips and extended horizontal art groupings will emphasize the height (or lack thereof) of the ceiling.
    
5. Don't hang chandeliers that hang low in the room space. It just screams lack of height and visually cuts the room in half! Instead, use flush or semi-flush lighting fixtures or recessed lighting.
    
6. Use uplighting in the room as much as possible. Lamps should cast light on the ceilings to create the illusion of height.
    
7. If you want to use crown moldings, make sure they are thin. 2-3 inch moldings will add a touch of class to the room without emphasizing the ceiling height.
    
8. Whatever you do, don't use a wallpaper border! It cuts the room in half visually - just what you are trying to avoid!
    
9. Draw attention to the bottom half of the room with low-backed furniture, colorful rugs and low tables.
    
10. Add vertical lines in the room to create the illusion of height! This can be done with drapes, vertical striped fabrics and tall, thin bookcases, cabinets or chairs.

With a little visual magic, you can remove that claustrophobic feel and create a light and spacious feeling in your room. Hey! Do you think uplighting will help turn me from a "short stuff" to a runway model?