How to Make a Room With High Ceilings Cozy

The Room BEFORE

Courtesy of Tuvalu Home

You'd think that soaring ceilings in a room would be a blessing, not a burden. But, for a young family with small children, their living room with high ceilings proved to be a problem. "The main challenge was to make it feel cozy with the ceiling height," the designers, Laurie Alter, Wendy Grand Pre, and the Tuvalu Design Team recall. Also on the clients' design wishlist? They wanted the room to showcase the breathtaking views of the lake next door, plus have a space that was perfect for casual entertaining. "We wanted this space to be casual, yet still traditional, combining some rustic pieces with more classic looks to really give it a summer lodge feel," says the design team.

The Room AFTER

Courtesy of Tuvalu Home

To create a feeling of coziness, the designers were strategic with furniture placement. "Everything is placed close together with enough walking space between pieces to make the space feel collected and intimate," say the designers. A large area rug was added to anchor the room, while upholstered furniture was placed 18" from the coffee table. To show off the views, the design team chose low-profile sofas and swivel club chairs. And to complete the transformation, they brought in a mix of finds from local flea markets and boutiques with items from Tuvalu Home. The result is a traditional and inviting living room, one that takes advantage of the tall ceilings, while embracing a cozy feeling.

And for those of you who want to create the same environment in your own space — whether you have high ceilings or not, the designers have a few ideas. Along with using a large area rug to unify the room and adding unique accessories and accents, their other recommendations include, "Keep the seating casual and comfortable because guests need a place to sit back and relax and enjoy the view. Seating arrangements should be close enough to create intimacy, but also have proper walking paths."

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By Sarah Yang