Cathedral ceilings and open concept living spaces always look so luxurious on the pages of interior design magazines. But in reality, for the rest of us, these spaces present a unique challenge when it comes to furnishing them and making them our own.

When we were looking for a new house in 2007, we must have walked through dozens of homes, of just as many different styles and vintages. Some were brand new, some a hundred years old, some decently cared-for, and some in desperate need of repair.

We ended up falling in love with an early 1970’s bungalow on the outskirts of the city, perched atop a rolling hilly property, shaded by mature oak trees. It fell into the category of needing some major TLC. The majority of the house was your classic 70’s bungalow, but the previous owners had expanded on the house, building in an enormous sunny addition with vaulted ceilings - which was a major selling point for us.

We are in the process of converting this addition to our company showroom. But for the past two years, it has been furnished sparsely, to say the least. Despite our enthusiasm and love for the space, we never really knew what to do with it.

At the point of being forced into making a definitive move on this room, here are a few tips we’ve picked up for decorating those big open spaces in your house.

1. Large spaces can be divided into several smaller ones using furniture groupings. Make a conversation area in front of the fireplace with a coffee table and two comfortable chairs. In another corner of the room, you could use the television and a long sofa for an entertainment space. A third area could potentially include a bookshelf with an armchair and ottoman or a chaise lounge with a side table, for curling up with a good book.
2. Another method of zoning a space is to use flooring itself as a divider. Raise the floor in a corner lined with bookshelves to create a reading nook, or use area rugs over hardwoods to create separation between living and dining areas.
3. If you’re comfortable with framing and drywall, you can vary the ceiling height to create a visual spatial distinction. Or use wide, complex moulding to bring the eye downward from a tall ceiling.
4. Darker colors on the walls make the space seem smaller. Use warm and deep tones that you love but might hesitate to use in a smaller space. You can even paint the ceiling a rich tone to bring it down visually. Tall ceilings lend themselves beautifully to accent walls.
5. Furnish the room with large pieces, including tall bookcases and fully upholstered sofas and chairs covered in rich fabrics. Use dark woods, and a wide variety of different textures within the space to create visual interest.
6. Use room dividers. There are some incredibly cool options available on the market. Or, you could position pairs of matching bookcases back-to-back, and use them as a room divider. Attach them together at the backs for maximum stability.
7. Avoid mirrors in large spaces that you’re trying to make more cozy. If you must have a mirror in the room, hang it so it does not reflect a window or other light source. Instead, try positioning it so it faces a favorite piece of art. You’ll enjoy the reflection, but it won’t add to the spaciousness of the room.
8. Use large, interesting pendant lighting to fill in some of the airspace.
9. Fill the room with accessories, and a few plants. There is room for a lot of freedom here - you can even use potted trees to match the scale of a tall ceiling.
10. Create a division between two parts of a room by using columns or arches to create a “passageway” from one space to the other. By installing a faux “doorway” that’s wide and open, you’ll break the room into manageably sized parts while still maintaining the sense of space.
11. Keep big walls from dominating the room with horizontals. You can use woodwork elements to manage your tall walls - any horizontal trim will provide emphasis that will distract the eye from the vertical. Horizontal paint stripes will do the same in a more modern space, or you can use two different shades of the same colour (or gloss levels) to create a horizontal plane.
12. Window treatments as always should suit both the windows and the space. If you have a great view, make the windows a focal point, but make sure the treatments allow you to cozy up should the mood hit you. Drapes should reach the floor, and consider layering window treatments.

Finally, don’t be afraid to use the space that’s available to you. Personally, I prefer a more minimalist approach, but you can achieve what’s right for you by using the vertical and horizontal space in the room. Zoning is perhaps the most useful concept we’ve learned in this process, but you might also consider things like custom bookshelves with a ladder if you like the ’study’ feel. Experiment and see what works for you.

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 9th, 2009 at 09:02 and is filed under Tips + Advice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.