How To Decorate A Home With Cathedral Ceilings

How to Decorate a Home with Cathedral Ceilings

Cathedral ceilings, with their soaring heights and dramatic slopes, can add a touch of grandeur to any home. However, decorating these expansive spaces can be a challenge. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your cathedral ceilings:

1. Embrace Verticality: Cathedral ceilings naturally draw the eye upwards, so take advantage of this by incorporating vertical elements into your décor. Hang tall curtains, display artwork on vertical canvases, or use tall plants to create a sense of height and drama.

2. Use Scale Appropriately: When choosing furniture and décor for a room with cathedral ceilings, keep scale in mind. Oversized pieces can overwhelm the space, while small items will get lost. Instead, opt for furniture and accessories that are proportionate to the size of the room.

3. Add Architectural Interest: Cathedral ceilings often feature architectural details such as beams, columns, or arches. Highlight these features by painting them in a contrasting color or adding accent lighting. Alternatively, consider adding architectural elements such as moldings or paneling to enhance the visual interest of the space.

4. Create Focal Points: Cathedral ceilings can create a sense of openness and airiness, but it's important to have some focal points to draw the eye in. This could be a fireplace, a large window, or a striking piece of artwork. By creating a focal point, you can prevent the room from feeling too vast and impersonal.

5. Layer Lighting: Lighting is crucial for creating a comfortable and inviting atmosphere in a room with cathedral ceilings. Use a combination of natural and artificial lighting to brighten up the space and create visual interest. Consider using recessed lighting, chandeliers, and floor lamps to create different layers of illumination.

6. Use Color Wisely: Color can have a significant impact on the perceived size and atmosphere of a room. For cathedral ceilings, light and airy colors will make the space feel more spacious and inviting. Dark colors can create a more dramatic effect, but use them sparingly to avoid making the room feel oppressive.

7. Don't Neglect the Walls: Just because you have cathedral ceilings doesn't mean you should neglect the walls. Paint them in a light color to reflect light and create a sense of height. You can also add artwork or wall sconces to add visual interest and break up the expanse of the walls.

8. Accessorize Strategically: Accessories can help to add personality and style to a room with cathedral ceilings. However, it's important to choose accessories that are appropriately scaled. Oversized accessories will overwhelm the space, while small ones will get lost. Instead, opt for medium-sized accessories that complement the scale of the room.