Ask the expert

Saturday, March 30, 2013

I hope you can answer a question that I have had for 30 years. I have an oddly shaped room that ranges from a cathedral ceiling over the dining room portion down to a 7½ -foot high ceiling in the adjacent TV room. How do I decorate such a space? I am faced with a high ceiling, then a 14-foot wall from the ceiling down to a 7½-foot ceiling. The rooms are open to each other.

“It can seem challenging to blend two spaces when the ceiling heights as well as the rooms’ functions are different,” says interior designer Tobi Fairley of Little Rock. “However, there are several things that are already working in your favor. Since both spaces are open, this will help balance the two, especially in the living area that has lower ceilings. And even though these spaces serve different functions, they generally tend to flow together since they are the spaces most likely to be used when entertaining guests.

Because of this, it makes sense for them to be decorated in a style that flows from one room to the other without interruption, Fairley says.

“When I work in spaces that have dramatic height differences such as yours, there are several tactics I employ to create a balanced and pleasing aesthetic,” she says. She has three favorite tips for creating a unified look that’s pleasing to the eye and functional.

“First, I would start by wrapping the rooms in one color.

Using the same paint color for the walls, ceiling and trim in both areas will create a seamless look that allows the eye to flow from one space to the other in a continuous uninterrupted fashion,” Fairley says, adding that in rooms like these, a light, neutral palette from the white, light beige or cream family will provide a neutral backdrop and help blend the spaces together.

“This will keep with the open feel of the rooms and help to give it a seamless appeal,” she says. Fairley also suggests that if there are any beams or columns in the room with the lower ceilings, now is not the time to draw attention to them. Instead, paint them in the same light color used in the rest of the room.

Secondly, it is extremely important to use furnishings to establish continuity between the two rooms. Just as the palette should be seamless, so should the decorating theme, which calls for coordinating furniture, artwork and accessories.

“Many times you will see oversize furniture in rooms with tall ceilings,” Fairley says. “However, using these pieces can make the room with the lower ceiling appear cramped.

“Instead of trying to compensate for the height with large furniture, choose pieces that are in a medium range or what I call ‘human scale’ and use this size in both rooms. This will keep you not only from using pieces that are too large, but also from selecting pieces that might appear miniature in comparison with the cathedral ceilings.”

Fairley’s third tip is that one of the best ways to unite the furnishings is with floor to-ceiling drapery panels. Select one fabric and have custom panels created for each area. To enhance the mind’s eye, consider adding a vertical stripe or banding in a solid color to the drapery panels, which will also appear to elongate the room with the shorter ceiling.

Do you have a decorating or remodeling question? Send your question to Linda S. Haymes, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203 or e-mail:

[email protected]

HomeStyle, Pages 27 on 03/30/2013