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Can We Make the Ceiling Higher in the Living Room? | Home Guides

By Glenda Taylor Updated December 28, 2018

As the cost of building materials creeps upward, contractors and homebuyers look toward higher ceilings for a sense of openness in homes with limited square footage. Many new homes feature vaulted or raised ceilings, and during new construction, framing an elevated ceiling isn’t difficult. In an existing home, however, raising the ceiling in the living room, or anywhere else, is a complicated process. Yes, it’s doable, but if it involves changing the roof structure, a structural engineer is necessary. Sometimes, better to leave the ceiling alone and use less-intrusive methods to create a feeling of spaciousness.

Dropped Ceilings

In the best-case scenario, the living room ceiling is a dropped ceiling with a grid that holds individual acoustical panels. It isn’t uncommon to find dropped ceilings in older homes if previous homeowners wanted to cover an unattractive ceiling or lower ceiling height to save on heating costs. The permanent ceiling above can be anywhere from about 6 inches to a few feet higher. It won’t hurt anything to remove a dropped ceiling to gain height.

Ceiling Joists

In a typical stick-frame roof, horizontal joists form the ceiling frame, the ends of which rest on the tops of the exterior walls. Although most ceiling joists don’t bear weight, they are an integral part of the roof structure and they stabilize the walls. Think of balancing three playing cards, two vertically, an inch or so apart, and the third placed across the top. If you remove the top card, the other two will fall. The walls in your house have additional support, of course, but the idea is the same. If you change the joists, you must provide additional support for the walls.

Altering Joists and Rafters

When you have an attic, theoretically, you can alter the joists in the living room area and frame a tray or coffered-type ceiling, or leave the ceiling open to expose vaulted rafters. This always requires the services of a structural engineer who will redesign the rafters to ensure that the walls are secure. The new structure depends on the roof’s pitch, span, and the amount of support necessary. This might include installing a double ridge beam and beefing up the rafters to stabilize the walls.

Altering a Truss System

Homes built in the last decade or so are more likely to have roof truss systems than homes built earlier. Unlike joist-and-rafter framing, roof trusses do not provide open attic space because each truss contains multiple small wood members, set in triangular patterns, engineered to bear roof weight as effectively as their heavier rafter counterparts. While it’s possible to alter roof trusses to gain ceiling height, it’s not advisable. It’s a much bigger job than altering joists and rafters. It requires extensive reengineering and in most cases, it’s cost-prohibitive.

Considerations

Except for tearing out a dropped ceiling grid, raising ceiling height is not a do-it-yourself project. The new supporting beams and rafters must be in place before removing any of the existing ceiling structure. The best time to undertake the project would be during a major remodel that involves roof restructuring.

Resources

Writer Bio

Glenda Taylor is a contractor and a full-time writer specializing in construction writing. She also enjoys writing business and finance, food and drink and pet-related articles. Her education includes marketing and a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Kansas.

11 Tricks to Make a Ceiling Look Higher

11 Tricks to Make a Ceiling Look Higher

More visual height is no stretch when you pick the right furniture, paint and lighting

A lot of people dream of having high ceilings in their home. But consider this: Rooms with high ceilings are a pain to heat and to circulate air through; they also create challenges for sound and light control and often double the expense of painting, covering windows and adding artwork. Low and moderately high ceilings can be warmer, more intimate and more in proportion with human scale. Not to mention that changing a lightbulb is as simple as pulling out a step stool. Try that with a vaulted ceiling.

Frank Lloyd Wright often incorporated low ceilings in his Prairie-style homes. To compensate, he often made the rooms extra wide and deeply connected to the outdoor spaces. Using these concepts, and with the right furnishings and decor, you can make any ceiling feel just a bit taller.

1. Choose low, horizontal furniture. Keep everything hunkered down low. If you are fortunate enough to have a spectacular view like this, it will amplify the effect dramatically. If you don’t have a great view, low furniture will still maximize the perceived height of your room.

2. Use wide expanses of glass and keep window coverings simple. Notice how connected this space feels to the garden? Seeing the voluminous outdoor space makes this low-slung living room feel equally spacious. This trick works especially well if you’re right at ground level.

3. Keep lighting flush. In a contemporary home with a modest ceiling height, use flush-mounted lighting to keep the look clean. This approach will create the appearance of more headroom.

4. Elongate with vertical stripes. Everyone knows that vertical stripes can be very slimming and give the illusion of height. The effective use of stripes in this narrow bathroom makes it look even taller.

5. Use patterned drapes. They lead the eye up to give a feeling of increased height. What makes this strategy effective here is the absence of competing patterns. While you’re at it, keep crown molding proportional. Don’t go for a deep profile, which would shorten the wall expanse.

A detail at the top of drapes also delivers the same effect.

6. Use a vertical display. This grouping has an uplifting effect. By taking even just a few pieces all the way to the ceiling, you can increase the appearance of height.

Even a grouping of small frames arranged vertically will lead the eye upward and create more visual headroom.

7. Include uplighting. Notice how the ceiling seems to float in this photo. Bouncing light off the ceiling creates visual height. Sconces, cove lighting and even affordable torchieres can deliver this effect. This is a great technique for basements.

8. Give your ceiling high gloss. This creates an illusion of endlessness. If a ceiling like the one here is too dramatic for your tastes, use a semigloss paint instead.

9. Expose your structure. If it will give you more headroom, think about taking your ceiling to its bare bones. Basement renovations are great candidates for exposed structures. Some main-floor spaces in older homes have floating ceilings left over from a day when lower ceilings were desired. Remove these and your room will instantly feel taller.

10. Introduce a diagonal. Have you ever noticed how a staircase railing invites your eye to wander upward, giving lift to a room? A painted diagonal or a decor element that creates a diagonal line will offer the same effect.

11. Run paneling vertically. Like stripes, vertically oriented paneling reinforces height in a space.

This article was originally published at Houzz.com.

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15 ways to visually increase the height of the ceiling

Despite the fact that the ceiling is not the most important detail in the interior, because it is the last thing paid attention to when entering the room for the first time, it has a great influence on the feeling of space. For example, a room with low ceilings can give the impression that you are living in a small birdcage.

If you are experiencing this issue, we have some helpful tips to help you resolve the issue.

1. Use lampshades and lampshades

To make your ceiling appear higher, try using lamps and lampshades that light up the wall from below. Don't be afraid to experiment! In addition, this method allows you to create a warm and cozy atmosphere and you just can not stop enjoying your home!

2. Be careful when choosing furniture

When choosing furniture for our home, as a rule, we focus on the big picture, matching colors and shapes. However, in the case of low ceilings, one should not forget about the functionality of the furniture. So, understated sofas, armchairs and coffee tables will visually increase the space between the ceiling and the floor, making your room more spacious and fresh.

3. Use glass walls or tall windows

If possible, try using glass walls or door-windows. Glass has the ability to reflect things around and that is why it enlarges the space and makes it lighter.

4. Use vertical stripes

Decorate the walls of your room with wallpaper with vertical stripes or simply paint them this way. This is the most advantageous option for increasing the height of ceilings.

5. Raise the doors to the ceiling

Floor-to-ceiling doors may seem a little odd at first glance. However, this is a brilliant idea for creating the illusion of a large space.

6. Gloss your ceilings

Gloss is the perfect way to increase the height of your ceiling. Its main disadvantage is that the ceilings must be perfectly flat.

7. Hang pictures close to the ceiling

Try hanging vertically shaped paintings or framed photographs higher than usual. Thus, the distance between the floor and the ceiling will increase significantly.

8. Paint the ceiling lighter than the walls

Using lighter shades for the ceiling will make it lighter and create a spacious and bright space. Try it! It really works!

9. Hang your curtains as close to the ceiling as possible

Long curtains will increase the height of your ceiling. Even if the windows are small, floor-to-ceiling curtains will noticeably transform your interior.

10. Diagonal on the wall

Another original idea for creating the illusion of a high ceiling is a painted diagonal on one of the walls of the room. This technique will change the perspective. For best results, we recommend starting the diagonal from the center of the wall.

11. Use pendant lights

Long hanging chandeliers are not at all suitable for rooms with low ceilings. It is best to use flat pendant lights, which are designed specifically for such occasions.

12. Avoid Clutter

Visual clutter will lower ceilings. Remove all unnecessary details or pieces of furniture from your interior. Simple and concise design will increase the space of your room.

13. Draw attention to the floor

To divert attention from the ceiling, try using bright and unusual carpets with an original pattern. This method works with a bang!

14. Place the shelves under the ceiling

It doesn't matter what you store on these shelves, as long as they are placed as high as possible.

15. Use Tall Accessories

Candles, flower pots, and any other tall utensils you have will come in handy! Place them anywhere - the effect will not be long in coming!

We hope you find our tips useful!

10 ways to visually increase the height of the ceiling

Interior ideas

Secrets of transforming apartments with low ceilings

An apartment that you want to return to, what is it like? Stylish, cozy, spacious and always with high ceilings, do you agree? But now few people build like that. In standard housing, the height of the ceilings is approximately two and a half meters. You can solve this problem without jackhammers - you just need to deceive your eyesight! Now we will tell you how to do it correctly.

Color edging

Paint the ceiling moldings a bright color to contrast with the walls. The trick is that the eye catches this bright edging, and the ceilings seem higher. In order for our colorful “illusion” to harmoniously fit into the interior, you can paint the moldings in the same color as the door trim and floor skirting boards.

Extending the walls

Another easy trick is to paint the moldings to match the walls. They merge with each other, and the line of contrast moves up five centimeters. In the same way, you can unload the space if it has a lot of complex elements: multi-tiered moldings or high bulky furniture. If the walls are not plain and covered with colorful wallpaper with a pattern, choose the base tone of the wallpaper and paint the ceiling edging in it.

If the floor and ceiling skirting boards are wide, the color of the walls should be subdued so that the walls do not turn into contrasting blocks and “lower” the ceiling. And vice versa - in narrow rooms, moldings in the color of the walls can create the illusion of a narrow well

Ceiling and walls of the same color

Intense green, sapphire blue - don't be afraid to work with bright hues. The denser the color, the greater the sense of depth. However, calmer shades will work here as well. The solution is bold and not for everyone, but it looks amazing: paint not only the moldings, but the entire ceiling in the color of the walls. The essence of the reception is that the boundary between the wall and the ceiling is erased, the eye does not see a single horizontal line.

Intense green, sapphire blue - don't be afraid to work with bright hues. The denser the color, the greater the sense of depth. However, here and more calm shades will work as they should.

Ceiling tint

Try painting a white ceiling to match the color of the walls. This smooths out the contrast between the wall and the ceiling, and there is nothing for the inquisitive eye to catch on to. The reception works well if the room is painted in cold, discreet colors with a predominance of gray.

Stucco molding

A very costly design move, but very successful. The bottom line is that the stucco goes up the walls and ends on the ceiling. A relief vertical is created that visually stretches the walls. It is important that the moldings and stucco are not complex and bulky, otherwise the effect will be lost behind a pile of intricate details. No need for fussy ornaments and baseboards - keep them simple, flat, barely visible

Avoid moldings

The easiest way to visually raise the ceilings, especially in older houses. The rejection of unnecessary structures, when there is only an intensely painted wall and a white ceiling, often gives the same vertical effect. But even here it is important to maintain balance and proportions so as not to visually push the room down.

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Illuminated surround

An interesting technique, but expensive and difficult to perform. It is better to entrust it to an experienced master. At the junction of the ceiling and wall, a small horizontal gap is made, in which the backlight is located. The transition from walls to ceiling is soft, invisible, creating the illusion of additional space and even a niche. The ceiling seems to float and it is not clear at what height it is located.

High doors

Even doors can do a good job of stretching the walls and become that very vertical. To do this, it is not necessary to order non-standard doors - just take ordinary ones, about two meters high, and then lengthen the platbands and add a false panel (transom) from above to the ceiling. By the way, these additional elements are perfectly made of polyurethane moldings. It remains only to paint them in the appropriate color.

Textile

Of course, we are talking about curtains. They not only set the overall tone and style of the room, but can also visually make the room taller. The basic rule is that in a room with low ceilings, the curtain rod is located as high as possible so that the eye correctly “counts” this horizontal. At the same time, the length of the curtains themselves should reach the floor, ideally with a margin of 2-3 cm. Curtains can also be cut, but no more than 1 cm from the floor covering. If you cut it higher, the reception will not work, and the interior will look sloppy.

The same applies to trendy Roman blinds: both the main and additional curtains should rest against the molding, and at the same level. They hide behind them a wall between the ceiling and the window, and the room literally soars up! To heighten the effect, you can make a contrasting vertical edging on the curtains.

Decorative panels

You have already understood that everything vertical serves height, so all kinds of panels and mirrors are great tools for a designer.

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